Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Duke Blue Devils Prediction and Odds (9/30/2023): Running Over Waters?

The Blue Devils are undefeated with a 4-0 record as they picked up a 41-7 road win over the UConn Huskies last Saturday. Two programs with a lot of hope for the College Football Playoffs face off so it will be interesting to decide which side we should be betting on.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Duke Blue Devils Odds and Match Details

• Fixture: Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Duke Blue Devils
• Date and Time: September 30, 2023 at 7:30 p.m.
• Location:  Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, North Carolina
• Weather Forecast: Cloudy and 71 degrees
• Field Surface: Turf

Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Duke Blue Devils Injury Report

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Injuries

• Eli Raridon (TE)-Knee: OUT
• Gabe Rubio (DL)-Knee: OUT
• Chris Salerno (K)-Leg: OUT
• Kevin Bauman (TE)-Knee: OUT
• K.K. Smith (WR)-Shoulder: OUT

Duke Blue Devils Injuries

• Eli Pancol (WR)-Lower body: OUT

Notre Dame Fighting Irish Key Stats

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have been one of the best offensive teams in college football as they are 10th in the country with 43.2 points and in the top 35 in both passing and rushing yards per game.  A huge reason for their success is the fact they have one of the best quarterbacks in senior Sam Hartman.

Hartman has done well as he is completing 70.4 percent of his passes for 1,236 yards with 14 passing touchdowns while also being seventh in the country with an 86.8 QBR. They also run the ball incredibly well with junior running back Audric Estime as he has 77 rushes for 591 yards (7.7 yards per carry) with five rushing touchdowns.

Their defense has been incredible as well with just 12.8 points per game. A huge reason has been their ability to hit hard as they have forced seven fumbles thus far while grabbing five interceptions. The Fighting Irish can be a strong overall team and be considered for a College Football Playoff spot if they can continue winning games.

Duke Blue Devils Key Stats

The Duke Blue Devils have been doing very well as they are scoring 37.3 points per game while running the ball extremely well. They are averaging 200.5 rushing yards per game and senior running back Jordan Waters has 39 rushing attempts for 258 yards (6.6 yards per carry) with seven rushing touchdowns while catching five passes for 76 yards (15.2 yards per reception).

Junior quarterback Riley Leonard has been playing well under center as he has a 67.7 completion percentage for 778 yards with two passing touchdowns. However, their defense has been one of the best in the United States as they are tied for fourth with 8.8 points per game. They have recorded eight turnovers (four interceptions, four fumble recoveries) so they should be able to force some mistakes.

Game Prediction

These teams are going to play a very similar brand of football but the defense of the Blue Devils is going to be the difference. Sam Hartman could throw the football well but expect the defense to do well here. Waters should be able to run the ball extremely well and keep the clock ticking at home in this matchup.

Notre Dame could have a bit of a slow start after losing in the final seconds last week. Duke has allowed more than seven points just once this season so they just need to score a few points if they want to cover the spread. The Fighting Irish have covered their only game as a 5.5 or greater underdog this season so expect them to do it once again.

Final Pick

Duke Blue Devils +5.5 (-110)