Duke vs North Carolina NCAA Football Picks and Tips 10/26/2019

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Kenan Memorial Stadium

Sam Howell and the North Carolina Tar Heels host the Duke Blue Devils at Kenan Memorial Stadium on Saturday, October 26, 2019. North Carolina opens this contest as 3.5-point favorites. The Blue Devils are 4-3-0 ATS and 6-1-0 when betting on the total. The Tar Heels are 4-3-0 when wagering on the over/under and 4-3-0 against the spread.

In their last outing, the Duke Blue Devils played the Virginia Cavaliers and were defeated 48-14. Quentin Harris paced the team on the ground for that game. He tore off a long run of 9 yards but wasn't able to convert a rushing touchdown. He racked up a total of 37 yards by way of 8 carries which meant he was running for 4.6 yards per run. Scott Bracey was the leader in receiving yardage by racking up 43 yards on 2 receptions. He earned an average of 21.5 yards per reception for that game. Taking the lead at quarterback for the Blue Devils was Quentin Harris who went 13/26 with 88 yards passing and completed 1 TD. He tossed 2 interceptions on the day. The Blue Devils ended up rushing 41 times and racked up a total of 132 yards which earned them an average of 3.2 yards per carry. Overall, they totaled 71 plays which gave them a total of 250 yards. On the day, the Blue Devils got 14 first downs and they had 5 infractions for 55 yards which tells us that they had an average outing in terms of discipline. On the defensive side of the ball, Duke gave up 14 catches on 28 tries for a total of 153 yards, and a completion percentage of 50.0%. In the running game, the Blue Devils gave up 154 yards on 41 runs which means they had an average of 3.8 yards per attempt allowed. On the day, they allowed a total of 307 yards and earned 2 turnovers.

The Blue Devils come into this matchup with a record of 4-3 for this season. For total yardage, they currently sit at 12th in the Atlantic Coast Conference and 92nd in college football with 2,574 yards. They are one of top scoring teams in the nation with an average of 31.3 points per game, which has them at 50th in college football. As a team, they are averaging 175.6 yards on the ground per contest which is 5th in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Blue Devils have one of the average defenses in college football, giving up 26.7 points per game ranking them 8th in the ACC. When it comes to passing yards, the Blue Devils have allowed 1,345 yards. Opponents are completing 56.2% of the throws they are attempting against them and averaging 6.5 yards per try. In regard to rushing yards, Duke is giving up 136.6 yards per contest ranking them 6th in the Atlantic Coast Conference and 46th in Division 1. They are allowing teams to run for an average of 3.6 yards per rush which has them at 6th in the Atlantic Coast Conference and 36th in D-1 overall. Overall, they have conceded 956 yards rushing through 7 contests.

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The last time they took the field, the North Carolina Tar Heels went up against the Virginia Tech Hokies and were beaten 43-41. Leading the way at QB for the Tar Heels was Sam Howell who went 26/49 with 348 yards passing and added 5 touchdowns. He finished this contest without throwing a pick. Michael Carter paced the team in rushing in the game. He had a long run of 28 yards but he wasn't able to rush for a TD on the day. He racked up a total of 91 yards via 13 carries which had him averaging 7.0 yards per tote. Dazz Newsome was the receiving yardage leader with a total of 112 yards on 9 receptions. He had an average of 12.4 yards per reception in the game. The Tar Heels ended up running the ball 40 times and racked up 143 yards which gave them an average of 3.6 yards per rush. For the contest, the Tar Heels got 23 first downs and they had 9 penalties for 69 yards which shows us how undisciplined this team can be. For the game, they ran 89 plays which added up to 491 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, North Carolina allowed 14 completions on 21 throws totaling 236 yards, and a completion percentage of 66.7%. In the game, they conceded a total of 490 yards and forced 2 turnovers. In the running game, the Tar Heels allowed 254 yards on 60 runs which is an average of 4.2 yards per carry allowed.

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The Tar Heels come into this matchup with a record of 3-4. In discussing the offensive production, the Tar Heels have an offense that could be called mediocre in the country. North Carolina has built a respectable ground game this year by averaging 160.7 yards on the ground per contest, which has them at 72nd in the country. As a team, they have a total of 1,125 yards rushing through 7 contests, so they will want to continue to try to improve on the run game so opponents will have to respect all facets of the game. The Tar Heels average 434.6 yards per contest overall ranking them 42nd in the nation and 5th in the ACC. The Tar Heels are allowing 27 points per contest ranking them 9th in the conference and 62nd in the nation. When talking about points allowed, they have given up 189 total points. When it comes to rushing yards, they are allowing 174.1 yards per contest ranking them 84th in D-1 and 12th in the ACC. For this season, they have conceded 1,219 yards rushing and 11.9 rushing TDs. Their pass defense is one of the middle of the road groups in D-1. They are allowing 214.6 passing yards per contest. For passing yards allowed per game, the Tar Heels are currently ranked 7th in the ACC.

Who will win tonight's Blue Devils/Tar Heels college football game against the spread?

Josh's Pick: Take the Blue Devils +3.5

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