Duke-Clemson Series:
- Game will be at Memorial Stadium in Clemson, South Carolina
- Game will start at 7:00 PM ET
- Series is led by Clemson 36-16-1
- Clemson holds current win streak of 4
Offensive Players to watch:
Duke: Daniel Jones is taking the snaps for the Blue Devils on Saturdays and will do the same this weekend. Jones has been an erratic threat for opposing teams all year with his double threat (passing and rushing). This season, Jones has 1,948 passing yards with 16 touchdowns to increase the value of those yards. Most defenses try to run a heavy linebacker look when facing off with Daniel Jones to ensure that they keep him at bay. Look for Jones to get this Clemson defense to really heighten their play this weekend.
Clemson: Travis Etienne will have a Heisman game against this weak Duke rushing defense. Already, Etienne has 1,076 rushing yards this year and 15 touchdowns. Clemson has found a new attack on teams with Etienne’s rushing attack and it has been nothing but great. The problems that this package of Etienne/Lawrence for defenses is hard to defend, no matter what team you are. However, I think Travis Etienne will take the reigns this game and will ball out.
Defensive Players to watch:
Duke: Victor Dimukeje has been a viable factor for this Duke defensive line for the season. His ability to out-power opposing offensive linemen and cause traffic in the backfield is undeniable. Dimukeje has, now, 32 total tackles, 6.0 tackles-for-loss, and 2.5 sacks. This stat line just shows how dominant this Duke line can be at times, which will come in handy on Saturday against an undefeated Clemson team.
Clemson: Tre’ Lamar has done nothing but great for this Clemson defense. As a junior, Lamar has displayed the ability to play with his unit and help them be in the best positions available to succeed. And this new-found leader spot as show up in Lamar’s stat line: 51 total tackles, 3.5 tackles-for-loss, 2.0 sacks, and an interception. This is extremely well for a linebacker who sits behind four potential NFL players. Watch for Lamar to keep the middle of the field on lock from Daniel Jones and the rest of the Duke offense.
The Basics:
Clemson’s offense is too good for this Duke defense. Clemson averages a large 45.7 points a game compared to Duke’s 31.5 points. This means that Clemson should be just fine whether it be a close game or a blowout. Also, Clemson’s defense has been way more dominant than the Duke defense this year in that they have only allowed 12.7 points a game at this point in the year. If Duke is to win, they must score and score fast. Unfortunately, I just don’t see Duke gathering enough might to score enough to take down this fierce Clemson team.
Prediction:
37-13 Clemson
Photo Credits: https://www.boydsbets.com/clemson-duke-odds/
