Duke at Baylor
Time: 2:30 PM CT (Sat)
Spread: BAY -6.5
Total: 49

Odds c/o 5dimes

The Baylor Bears are 2-0 after defeating Alcorn State 55-27 in Week 1, following that up with a 37-20 win over UTSA in Week 2. This week the Bears will host visiting Duke as 6.5-point favorites at 2:30 Central time Saturday. The over/under is set at 49 points, according to NCAA Football oddsmakers at bookmaker 5dimes.

Last week, Baylor led 20-13 at the half, and entered the fourth quarter up 27-13, outscoring UTSA 10-7 in the final quarter to hold on for the 17-point win. The Bears got a 324 yard, three-touchdown game from Charlie Brewer as he completed 23 of 34 in the game, posting a QBR of 85.4.

The Bears did not rush well, with its 31 attempts for a mere 91 yards, but it boasted two receivers with 136 and 133 yards, respectively Jalen Hurd and Denzel Mims. Both scored a TD and caught eight passes, while Chris Platt contributed a rush for 12 yards and four catches for 53 yards. Baylor had 403 passing yards on the game, while limiting UTSA to just 157 and its 98 rushing yards on 26 attempts (3.8 per attempt).

Brewer is now in his sophomore season and last year he threw for 1,562 yards on 139 of 204 passing (68.1 percent) with 11 TDs and four interceptions. He was sacked 15 times, and thus far on the season has sustained just 1.0 per game. Brewer posted a passer rating of 146.3 last year, and this year is at 159.3 through two weeks, while having improved his yards-per attempt to 9.51 through 31 of 49 passing (63.3 percent). Brewer is the key to the offense, and Baylor will have to hope to get more from its rush offense in Week 3 to maintain the nearly-TD wide favor it has received from NCAA football oddsmakers.

Duke is 2-0 after defeating Army Week 1 and Northwestern in Week 2. The win over Northwestern was done in impressive fashion, as Duke rallied 21-7 and limited the Wildcats offense to a very ineffective week. Duke’s pressure on defense was superb throughout the game, holding Charlie Thorson to under 200-yards while limiting the Northwestern backfield and attacked for just 99 yards.

Meanwhile, Daniel Jones threw 16 of 22 for the Blue Devils with three TD-passes, and Duke picked up 52 yards on 18 attempts from Deon Jackson, despite struggles with its own rush attack (just 2.5 yards per carry as a team). Johnathan Lloyd led all Duke receivers with five receptions for 94 yards and a TD, while also completing on a 52-yard reception in the game. Duke’s offense looked erratic at times, but its defense is perhaps far better than most expected from the Blue Devils. It seems the Devils find a new way to surprise us each season, as their status continues to skyrocket in the ACC.

ATS TRENDS: