Duke-Virginia
Time: 3:30 PM ET, Oct 19, 2013
Spread: VIR -2.5
M/L: VIR -135; DUK +115
O/U: 52

Odds courtesy of 5dimes

One of these teams will record their first ACC win of the season, and if college football oddsmakers at 5dimes are on-point, that team will be the Virginia Cavaliers, who are 2.5 point favorites at home against the 4-2 Duke Blue Devils.

Duke has basically played its season about the way it would have been expected to go on paper: the Blue Devils have defeated their small schools and lost to the better programs (Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh). This will be the closest match talent-wise for Duke, and should be a good and relatively high scoring game. College football odds render the total at 52, and Duke has averaged 35.8 points per game this season.

The Blue Devils do a good job of diversifying their offense, ranking 43rd in passing yardage (265.7 per game) and 54th in running yardage (183.2 per game).

Brandon Connette is questionable at quarterback for Duke with a sprained ankle. If Connette can’t go, Anthony Boone will start, and Boone has done splendidly this season with a 78.4 percent completion ratio. Connette has 1,022 yards on the season and 224 rushing yards, as well, though, so Duke will hope its junior QB is ready to play.

Duke features two backs in Jela Duncan and Josh Snead who are capable of grinding out a lot of yardage. The tandem has rushed for 572 combined yards and Duncan has three TDs on the season. Connette actually leads the team in rushing touchdowns with six.

Virginia has had success rushing the football this season particularly with Kevin Parks, but nothing sensational is happening there. The team has generated just 22.3 points per game and the Cavaliers defense isn’t stingy enough to turn that into winning football, as the Cavs allow 27.3 points per game as well.

The team is riding a three-game losing streak to Pitt, Ball State and Maryland, and this will be the best chance to snap the streak before the schedule gets even tougher with matchups against Georgia Tech and No. 3 Clemson on Nov 2.

DUK

UNDER 3-0-1 in last 4 following SU Win; 6-1-1 ATS in last 8 vs teams with losing home records; UNDER 11-2 in last 13 vs teams with losing records.

VIR

0-4 ATS in last 4 following an ATS win; OVER 5-1 in last 6 in OCT; 2-9-1 ATS in last 12 at home.

Head-to-head: UNDER 5-0 in last 5 meeting in Va; Blue Devils 5-1 ATS in last 6 meetings; Home team 4-1 ATS in last 5 meetings.

Check out Maddux Sports’ full season pick packages for 2013 college football!