Duke hosts WF this coming Saturday and looks to end a 24-game ACC losing streak. After beating Northwestern to snap the nation's longest D-1 losing streak at 22 games, Duke has been very competitive in two close losses (at Navy and at Miami). A quick look at statistics indicates that the contest may come down to which team does a better job against the opponents strength. Duke will look to pass the ball to score, while Wake Forest will run a more balanced attack. The table below illustrates yards per game and ranking amongst the 119 D-1 teams:

Duke WF
Total O 303 (106/119) 338.5 (89/119)
Rush O 60.2 (116/119) 145 (66/119)
Pass O 242.8 (48/119) 193.5 (92/119)
Total D 457.4 (104/119) 351.5 (50/119)
Rush D 189.8 (93/119) 115 (33/119)
Pass D 267.6 (97/119) 236.5 (71/119)

In order to secure the victory, Duke's defense is going to have to stop Wake Forest's offense. WF will probably try to pound out yardage on the ground in order to win "time of possession" and keep the ball out of Thad Lewis' hands. When we have possession, Thad & Company must eliminate turnovers and score points.

Prediction: Duke 31 - Wake Forest 28 (Yes, I am predicting Duke wins by a Field Goal!)