The Duke Blue Devils began their 2020 college football season with a loss against Notre Dame last week and will be looking to bounce back with a win in their home opener against the Boston College Eagles this Saturday.
Boston College will be playing their first game of the year and college football betting lines have them installed as 4.5-point underdogs with the Over/Under set at 52.5.
We break down the NCAA football odds with our best free picks and predictions for Boston College vs Duke on Saturday, September 19, with kickoff at noon ET.
Boston College Eagles vs Duke Blue Devils betting preview
Weather
It's expected to be a cloudy day at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, North Carolina, with temperatures in the 60's and breezes of 10 miles per hour. Be sure to monitor the gametime conditions with our NCAA football weather info.
Key Injuries
Boston College: None
Duke: Marvin Hubbard III RB (Out), Jaylen Coleman RB (Out)
Find our latest NCAA football injury reports.
Betting trend to know
The Blue Devils are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 games in September. Find more NCAA football betting trends for Boston College vs. Duke.
Against the Spread (ATS) Pick
Duke's offense showed promise in their opening game of the season against Notre Dame, advancing to the goal line three times, albeit coming away with only 13 points for their effort. Graduate transfer quarterback Chase Brice, formerly of the Clemson Tigers, showed promise by passing for 259 yards and adding 20 yards and a score on the ground against a strong Fighting Irish defense.
His job should be a lot easier this week against a Boston College stop-unit that allowed 33.8 points and 488.2 total yards per game against FBS foes in 2019. While the Eagles return most of their defenders and should be a little better due to experience, they will likely still lag near the bottom of the ACC.
As for the Boston College offense, they have some good pieces in place - especially on the offensive line - but are learning a new system under Frank Cignetti and will likely have a new QB at the helm in Phil Jurkovec. While the Eagles more balanced offense should pay off in the long term, they will likely have growing pains early in the season.
PREDICTION: Duke -4.5 (-110)
Over/Under Pick
Duke ranked 80th in the country by allowing 30.6 points per game against FBS opponents last year but that number doesn't accurately reflect a solid defensive unit. The Blue Devils ranked a far more respectable 36th in yards allowed per play but were often put in a bad spot by their offense which turned the ball over more than any other school in the nation.
With better ball security, their defense, led by pass rusher Chris Rumph and shutdown corner Mark Gilbert, could emerge as one of the better units in the ACC. And while Brice looks like a good passer for David Cutcliff's system, the Blue Devils don't have wide receivers that can stretch the field or explosive playmakers at running back, so don't expect them to hang up 30+ points on a weekly basis.
One betting trend so far this season has been offenses playing sloppy out of the gate, which makes perfect sense considering the chaos this offseason. In the first two weeks of the season, the Under has gone 18-11 and we like the Under to hit again.
PREDICTION: Under 52.5 (-110)
First Half Bet
In 2019, Boston College ranked a modest 66st in the country in scoring against FBS foes with 27.7 ppg. But they actually got off to very fast starts ranking 18th in the nation with 18.1 ppg during the first half.
Don't expect a start like that in their first game of this season under a new head coach in Jeff Hafley and with a new QB in Jurkovic. Things should start off a bit more slowly as they open up their offense cautiously and try to establish their already strong running game. Take the first half Under.
PREDICTION: First Half Under 26 (-110)
Boston College vs Duke betting card
- Duke -4.5 (-110)
- Under 52.5 (-110)
- First Half Under 26 (-110)
Did you know that if you parlayed today’s NCAA Boston College vs. Duke picks, you could win $59.58 on a $10 bet?
Use our NCAA parlay calculator to create your own parlays and see their potential payouts.
Where can I bet on college football?
You can bet on college football odds at every online and casino sportsbooks, including NCAA football point spreads, Over/Under totals, derivative bets and even prop plays as well. Head over to our best-suggested sportsbooks for the top spots to bet on college football odds in your area.
