FB: Duke 28, Virginia 17

[loran16]

Duke opens up a 7.5 point underdog against Virginia.

Huge game for both teams. If either team loses, its bowl chances essentially drop to 0 unless they beat one of the upper echelon teams of the league.

It's a big test for us especially here; unlike NC State or Maryland, UVA is not running too badly lately (Loss to GT aside), and their O could prove problematic. Still, i think GT exposed their Defense for what it is...i mean they'd previously played the offenseless UNC and Maryland of all teams, not exactly anything close to our passing O.

First guess by me, Duke pulls out the upset 35-30.

Thoughts?

[arnie]

A 7.5 point lines seems excessive - bet it drops as the week goes on. Actually, does Vegas let you bet on lines dropping and rising?

[loran16]

A 7.5 point lines seems excessive - bet it drops as the week goes on. Actually, does Vegas let you bet on lines dropping and rising?

Ummm, not specifically, but if you bet on the line early and expect the line to drop you could gain a better bet, i suppose.

The site i found it on claimed that 72% of the action so far was on the Duke side, so yeah I'd expect the line to drop say...2 points to 5.5.

[weezie]

Thoughts?! Well, I'm thinking that Duke is going to be pleased that weezie is in the house and we will bring the hurt to the 'hoo.

[CameronBornAndBred]

I'm happy to be the underdog again. I have no predictions for the game except that Duke will be prepared. It's a big game for bowl reasons, but as long as we represent and play well, I'll be happy. I know we CAN beat them, but they will be the best team we've played since VT. If we make the mistakes we did against Maryland, we go home less than happy. Wish I could watch it, but Bob will do fine. GO DUKE!!!

[CEF1959]

UVa thrashed a decent Indiana team and beat Maryland on the road by a touchdown more than we beat Maryland at home. Like Duke, they've had two losses to ranked teams, beaten teams they should have beaten, and lost their opener to a surprisingly strong team from a lesser conference (For UVa, it was William & Mary, who is now 6-1; for Duke it was Richmond, now 7-0).

With the home field advantage, UVa has to be a favorite. But this is a game that will be won by the team that happens to execute best that day; it could be either. It would be a huge morale boost for the Duke program. I'd take Duke and 5 points or more.

[brianl]

I live about 40 minutes from C-Ville and my wife is a doc student there. A big in-house rivalry for us. There are plenty of tickets available through their ticket office.

If you want to grab some on the street, you've save a few bucks as they'll go lower than the $42 face value.

Come on up everybody and let's show our Blue Devils that they're fans travel well too.

[killerleft]

I live about 40 minutes from C-Ville and my wife is a doc student there. A big in-house rivalry for us. There are plenty of tickets available through their ticket office.

If you want to grab some on the street, you've save a few bucks as they'll go lower than the $42 face value.

Come on up everybody and let's show our Blue Devils that they're fans travel well too.

The cheaper tix comment is what I wanted to hear! Thank goodness my wife found a job this week

Do the students still get as snockered during the game as they once did (circa 1990)? That was one drunk bunch.

[budwom]

Duke opens up a 7.5 point underdog against Virginia.

Huge game for both teams. If either team loses, its bowl chances essentially drop to 0 unless they beat one of the upper echelon teams of the league.

It's a big test for us especially here; unlike NC State or Maryland, UVA is not running too badly lately (Loss to GT aside), and their O could prove problematic. Still, i think GT exposed their Defense for what it is...i mean they'd previously played the offenseless UNC and Maryland of all teams, not exactly anything close to our passing O.

First guess by me, Duke pulls out the upset 35-30.

Thoughts?

Well, we might well win, though we're legitimate underdogs, and I don't see any way we'll be scoring 35 points. If we win, I'd be thinking more along the lines of 21-17....

[throatybeard]

I say we call the same play we beat them on ten years ago this month.

[loran16]

Well, we might well win, though we're legitimate underdogs, and I don't see any way we'll be scoring 35 points. If we win, I'd be thinking more along the lines of 21-17....

We're not exactly a Defensive team here...and I personally don't believe the Virginia pass defense is for real. I think 30+ points is realistic here; the maryland game's low score was partly weather induced and it still would have been higher if we hadn't had two fumbles in their territory (bringing us to potentially 31 points)

[throatybeard]

Sagarin's predictor put it at almost exactly UVA by 6.5. But that doesn't include the 3-something for home field. So he would actually have it somewhere between 9 and 10.

Those wankers have shut us out five times in the last two decades. Argh.

We actually led the series until the Franks era. Now trail 32-28.

[6th Man]

We know UVA will not overlook us after the beating we gave them last year. Throw 2 consecutive ACC wins on top of that coming into the game and I am sure we have UVA's attention. So I know UVA will be ready to play. There will be no sneaking up on them. I think this will be a tough game. UVA will want to pay us back for last year. It's a huge conference game for them as well. I have a feeling to have any chance it's going to take the near perfect offensive game we threw at N.C. State 3 weeks ago. If we have the turnovers and penalties that were racked up against Maryland, it may be a long afternoon. I think we have a shot, but it's going to take some darn good football.

[OldPhiKap]

Fair line.

Good challenge.

Go Duke!!!

[watzone]

Here are some comments from Thaddeus Lewis from a Q & A I had just hours ago - http://bluedevilnation.net/2009/10/b...game-with-uva/

[whereinthehellami]

This should be a good game. Pretty even teams from a talent/coaching standpoint, at least in the cumulative sense. Duke doesn't have anything to lose in my opinion. They are getting better, moving the program forward. Have fun and play hard. The onus is on UVA. Coaching is up in the air as is the state of the program. Though their record says they are in it for the coastal, I get the feeling that they are on the verge of taking a dive. If they lose to Duke, buh bye. That is some decent pressure for a team that isn't built to handle it IMO.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Take a look at Jim Sumner's summary of Coach Cutcliffe's press conference today.... offers lots of information about Duke's preparation for Virginia. Duke is indeed very fortunate to have hired David Cutcliffe.

[killerleft]

Congratulations to wife on her new job!

She says thanks!

[CameronBornAndBred]

You've got two good football teams that obviously have the opportunity to get a step further in the conference," Duke quarterback Thaddeus Lewis said Tuesday. "And I think you have two hungry football teams. ... Something like 'Clash of the Titans.' It'll all boil down to who wants it the most.

I love that quote. The article it's from compares both teams situations leading up to this Saturday. It's a good read.
http://www.wralsportsfan.com/college...story/6293836/

[DukeFencer]

The Maryland game was showing for free on ESPN360.com... anyone know if this one will be shown anywhere online?