Photo Courtesy: Rockin’Rita
Game Info
Baylor Bears vs Duke Blue Devils
Saturday – September 16 – 11:30 a.m.
TV: ACCNE
Wallace Wade Stadium – Durham – NC
Records Heading into the Game
Baylor Bears (0-2)
Duke Blue Devils (2-0)
Baylor had dreams of starting anew this season. The Bears are 0-2 and looks as if they will drop another game on the road to an ACC team. Duke is not your daddy’s team. They are a good team that can win against pretty much any team in the country. Baylor has to go in and punch the Blue Devils right in the mouth to establish dominance Saturday.
Why you should watch this game
Everyone is watching the Baylor football program to see if the team will continue to fall. You have people tuning in just to see them fail. Baylor is a good team that hasn’t meshed yet. This week might be the Bears week.
Why shouldn’t watch this game
You’re putting “weed and seed” in your front yard before it gets to cold outside. This Saturday will be the perfect day to get some yard work done.
Offense
Anu Solomon has to be that spark plug on offense. He has over 399 yards passing with four touchdowns and two interceptions. This week he can’t turn the ball over in the red zone! The offense has to take chances down the field because 5-yard passes will get them nothing this game. Duke has a pretty good defense and applying pressure to quarterbacks is their specialty. Freshman running back John Lovett looks like a season vet on the ground. He’s carried the ball 32 times with 161 yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns. Please coach give that young fella the ball!
Defense
Stopping Duke starts with pinning sophomore quarterback Daniel Jones in the pocket. He’s already racked up 518 yards through the air with four passing touchdowns. He’s most dangerous outside the pocket by using his legs and extending plays. The Blue Devils offensive line is pretty banged up with their starting left guard out with an ankle injury. So, stopping the run would be key. Applying pressure to an offense that doesn’t block well is the game plan on defense.
Prediction
For the past two weeks ESPN, College Football Digest and USA Today had the Bears winning easily. This week ESPN has the Bears at a 16.1% chance of winning in Durham. The over/under is 58.5. I’ll take the over because both defenses are struggling. I have Baylor by 10!
Baylor 35 – Duke 25
