Duke vs Alabama Expert NCAA Football Picks 8/31/2019
Saturday, August 31, 2019
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Get todays College Football Odds & Lines on this game
The Duke Blue Devils travel to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday, August 31, 2019. The opening line for this game has Alabama as 30 point favorites. The Blue Devils had an ATS record of 7-6-0 last season while their over/under record was 7-6-0. The Crimson Tide had an over/under record of 9-5-1 and they were 8-7-0 against the spread.
Valuable Duke Blue Devils Betting Trends
The Duke Blue Devils were 7-6-0 against the over/under last season
The Duke Blue Devils were 7-6-0 against the spread last year
Important Alabama Crimson Tide Betting Trends
The Alabama Crimson Tide were 9-5-1 against the over/under last season
The Alabama Crimson Tide were 8-7-0 against the spread last year
Key Duke Blue Devils Injuries
08/23/19 LB Koby Quansah Thumb is out indefinitely
08/09/19 WR Jake Bobo Collarbone is out indefinitely
Key Alabama Crimson Tide Injuries
08/23/19 RB Jerome Ford Knee is questionable Saturday vs Duke
08/15/19 RB Trey Sanders Knee is out indefinitely
08/15/19 DL DJ Dale Knee is questionable Saturday vs Duke
08/12/19 LB Joshua McMillon Knee is out for season
Useful Offensive Statistics
The Duke Blue Devils were 60th in Division 1 in points scored with 382 last year. They ran 956 plays last season for 5,274 yards, which ranked them 43rd in the nation in total offense. The Blue Devils averaged 5.5 yards per play, which was 81st in college football. As a team they accumulated a total of 267 1st downs last year, placing them 69th overall as an offensive unit. On the ground Duke ran for 2,075 yards as a team, which ranked 72nd in the country. They ran 480 times, averaging 4.3 yards per carry as a rushing unit. The Blue Devils were penalized on offense 55 times for 452 yards last season, which had them 120th in the nation in penalties.
Defensive Statistics
Duke was 73rd in the nation in points allowed on defense with 356 last season. They surrendered a total of 5,314 yards on D, which was 86th in Division 1. The Blue Devils were ranked 48th in yards per play allowed with 5.5. Opposing offenses completed 229 passes on 417 attempts against the Duke Blue Devils defense last season, placing them 57th and 86th in the country. The Duke pass defense also gave up a total of 2,594 yards through the air, which was 41st overall in total pass defense. Their rushing defense allowed 546 attempts for 2,721 yards last year, putting them in 113th place in D-1 against the run. The Blue Devils committed 70 penalties for 686 yards on the defensive side of the ball last season. That ranked them 65th in the nation.
Special Teams Stats
Duke was ranked 15th in the nation in punt returns with 29 last year. They accumulated 160 punt return yards and averaged 5.7 yards per return, which was 104th in college football. They returned 38 kicks for 720 yards on special teams, ranking 38th in kick return yardage. The Blue Devils averaged 19 yards per kick return and they were 56th in the country in all-purpose yards with 6,154. The Duke Blue Devils attempted 13 field goals last season and made 9, which was 117th in D-1. Their kickers had a field goal percentage of 69%. Duke Blue Devils kickers made 96% of their extra points, going 49 for 51 last year. Their punters totaled 2,865 yards on 72 punts, averaging 40 yards per punt. That placed them 81st in Division 1 in punting average.
Useful Offensive Statistics
The Crimson Tide ran for 2,828 yards as a team last year, which ranked 22nd in the nation. They ran 533 times, averaging 5.3 yards per rush as a unit. The Alabama Crimson Tide were penalized on offense 81 times for 736 yards last year, which had them 52nd in the country in penalties. They were 2nd in Division 1 in points scored with 668. They ran 937 plays last year for 7,386 yards, which ranked them 3rd in the nation in total offense. The Crimson Tide averaged 7.9 yards per play, which was 2nd in college football. As a team they accumulated a total of 349 1st downs last season, ranking them 3rd overall as an offensive unit.
Related: Get NCAA Football predictions on all of today's games
Defensive Statistics
The Alabama Crimson Tide rush defense gave up 484 attempts for 1,695 yards last season, putting them in 24th place in the country against the run. They had 91 penalties for 764 yards on defense last year. That placed them 98th in Division 1. Alabama was 9th in college football in points surrendered on defense with 227. They gave up a total of 4,322 yards on D, which was 19th in the nation. The Crimson Tide were 10th in yards per play allowed with 4.7. Opponent offenses completed 224 throws on 433 attempts against the Alabama defense last season, ranking them 46th and 96th in the country. The Alabama Crimson Tide pass defense also surrendered a total of 2,626 yards in the air, which was 44th overall in total pass defense.
Special Teams Stats
The Alabama Crimson Tide tried 20 field goals last year and made 14, which was 65th in college football. Their kickers had a field goal percentage of 74%. Crimson Tide kickers made 91% of their extra points, going 83 for 90 last season. Their punters accumulated 1,401 yards on 41 punts, averaging 35 yards per punt. That ranked them 130th in the NCAA in punting average. Alabama was 93rd in the country in punt returns with 15 last season. They totaled 244 punt return yards and averaged 15.2 yards per return, which was 9th in D-1. They returned 21 kicks for 493 yards on special teams, which put them 90th in kick return yardage. The Alabama Crimson Tide averaged 24 yards per kick return and they were 5th in the nation in all-purpose yards with 8,123.
Who will win tonight's Blue Devils/Crimson Tide college football game against the spread?
Josh's Pick: Take the Crimson Tide -30
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