(15) Notre Dame at Duke

Time: 6:30 PM CST

Spread: ND -8

Total: 51.5

Odds c/o 5dimes

The FBS-independent Notre Dame Fighting Irish is 6-2 on the season, with both those losses coming to AP ranked Georgia and Michigan. The Irish travel to face the Duke Blue Devils Saturday at 6:30 PM (CST) on the ACC Network. Notre Dame is 8-point favorites with the over/under set at 51.5 total points according to college football oddsmakers at 5dimes.

ND

Notre Dame escaped last week with a 21-20 victory over Virginia Tech, after losing two weeks ago to the Wolverines in a lopsided 14-45 defeat. The Irish have been strong offensively with its reasonably balanced pass-rush attack. Notre Dame ranks No. 43 in passing yards with 255.1 per game while its rush is good for 160.5 per game. The Irish still averages 33.8 points per game, which is more than enough considering its defense holds opponents to just over 20. It boasts a +13 point differential.

The Irish have got it all from Ian Book at quarterback. He has thrown for 1,828 yards this season with 17 touchdowns and just four picks. Additionally, Book is the No. 2 rusher with 68 carries for 251 yards and a team-tying-lead of four touchdowns. Lead running back Tony Jones Jr. has been superb in his own right, averaging 6.5 yards-per-carry on his 88 attempts with four touchdowns. No. 2 running back Jahmir Smith has just 27 carries, but he also averages 4.5 yards-per-carry and has two TDs to his credit. The Irish average 4.6 yards-per-attempt as a team.

Notre Dame’s top receivers have been Chase Claypool and tight end Cole Kmet. Claypool leads the team in catches (37), yardage (554), and is No. 2 in touchdowns with four. Kmet leads the team with his five touchdowns, and he has 27 catches for 318 yards.

The Irish have five receivers with at least 11 catches on the season, and backup tight end Tommy Tremple rounds that out with his 11 catches for 145 yards and No. 3 on the team in TDs, with three.

DUKE

The Duke Blue Devils are 4-4 on the season but it has lost three of its last four overall, including last week’s 17-20 loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels. Duke has not been overwhelming on either end of the football. It averages just 196.8 passing yards per game (No. 102) and 166.1 from rushing (No. 66). The Blue Devils do score nearly 30 per game, but it also gives up 25.9, accounting for a point differential of +3.9 points.

Duke’s quarterback Quentin Harris has been another dual-threat much like Notre Dame’s Book. He has 1500 passing yards and 13 TD passes, but he has also rushed over 100 times for 408 yards a team-best six rushing touchdowns. No. 1 running back Deon Jackson averages just 3.9 yards-per-carry, but he has a whopping 124 attempts and is No. 2 in TDs with five.

Duke has scored 14 rushing touchdowns this season while averaging just under four yards per attempt as a team. Its top receiver has been Jalon Calhoun. He has 37 catches for 294 yards and three touchdowns. Duke has six players with two or more receiving touchdowns this season.

Duke Kicker AJ Reed has been flawless: He is 27 of 27 on PATs and 9 of 9 on field goals, including a long-kick of 50 yards and has hit both of his attempts beyond 40 (obviously, given no misses yet). Koby Quansah has been a defensive monster with 24 solo tackles, 48 assisted tackles, 1.5 sacks this season. Duke has 21 sacks as a team (2.7 per game).

ATS TRENDS (C/o Covers):