Duke vs. Middle Tennessee fearless prediction and game preview.
Duke vs. Middle Tennessee Broadcast
Date: Saturday, September 14
Game Time: 7:00 ET
Venue: Floyd Stadium, Murfreesboro, TN
Network: Stadium
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Duke (1-1) vs. Middle Tennessee (1-1) Game Preview
Why Duke Will Win
The Blue Raiders has been just okay offensively, and the defense hasn’t been good enough against the run.
No, the Duke ground game hasn’t been anything special so far – playing Alabama will do that – but this is the week to get it all rolling. The Blue Raider defensive front was hammered by Michigan – no sin there – and then was pounded on by Tennessee State for five yards per carry and over 200 yards.
The Blue Devils need more from the ground game than QB Quentin Harris – the running backs have to be a bigger part of the fun – and that’s about to happen.
Even with the running game issues, the offensive line has been fantastic, only allowing three tackles for loss in the first two games and doing a solid job of keeping Harris from getting popped. Middle Tennessee’s pass rush has yet to be informed that the season has started.
Why Middle Tennessee Will Win
The passing game found its groove last week against Tennessee State.
The defense might have had problems, but Asher O’Hara threw for 367 yards and for scores, ran for 103 yards, and the balanced attack started to get things moving.
The Duke defense has the run defense and the front line to hold up against the run, but it doesn’t get behind the line and it’s not going to generate too much pressure on O’Hara.
On the other side, for all of the issues on D, at least it’s been able to take the ball away. Duke has given the ball away five times in the two games, and if it’s -2 in Murfreesboro, the Blue Raider offense that’s been great in the red zone should be able to capitalize.
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What’s Going To Happen
Expect a little bit of a shootout. Middle Tennessee has the offense to keep this interesting at home and bother a Duke team with just enough issues to keep this from being a foregone conclusion. The Blue Devil offense will be too balanced and too effective against the struggling Blue Raider D over the second half to blow this.
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Duke vs. Middle Tennessee Prediction, Line
Duke 34, Middle Tennessee 23
Line: Duke -6.5, o/u: 50.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3.5
Must See Rating: 2.5
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NEXT: Each Team’s Schedule, Predictions So Far
Each Team’s Schedule, Predictions So Far
2019 Duke Football Schedule
2019 Record: 1-1
2019 Preseason Prediction: 5-7
2019 Preseason ACC Prediction: 4-5
2018 Record: 8-5
Aug. 31 Alabama (in Atlanta) L 42-3
Sept. 7 North Carolina A&T W 45-13
Sept. 14 at Middle Tennessee W
Sept. 21 OPEN DATE
Sept. 27 at Virginia Tech L
Oct. 5 Pitt W
Oct. 12 Georgia Tech W
Oct. 19 at Virginia L
Oct. 26 at North Carolina L
Nov. 2 OPEN DATE
Nov. 9 Notre Dame L
Nov. 16 Syracuse L
Nov. 23 at Wake Forest L
Nov. 30 Miami W
2019 Middle Tennessee Football Schedule
2019 Record: 1-1
2019 Preseason Prediction: 6-6
2019 Preseason C-USA Prediction: 4-4
2018 Record: 8-6
Aug. 31 at Michigan L 40-21
Sept. 7 Tennessee State W 45-26
Sept. 14 Duke L
Sept. 21 OPEN DATE
Sept. 28 at Iowa L
Oct. 5 Marshall W
Oct. 12 at Florida Atlantic L
Oct. 19 at North Texas L
Oct. 26 FIU W
Nov. 2 at Charlotte W
Nov. 9 OPEN DATE
Nov. 16 Rice W
Nov. 23 Old Dominion W
Nov. 30 at WKU L
