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3rd Quarter Report
Duke is on the road but looking no worse for wear. They have a bit of a cushion as they currently lead Troy 14-3.
If Duke keeps playing like this, they'll bump their record up to 8-5 in no time. On the other hand, Troy will have to make due with an 11-3 record unless they turn things around (and fast).
Preview
The Troy Trojans and the Duke Blue Devils will square off in the Birmingham Bowl at Protective Stadium 12:00 p.m. ET on Saturday. Troy is coming into the contest hot, having won their last ten games dating back to last season.
Troy stacked a fourth blowout onto their ever-increasing hoard on December 2nd. They put the hurt on App. State with a sharp 49-23 win. Troy's offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Kimani Vidal was a one-man wrecking crew for Troy as he rushed for 233 yards and five touchdowns while picking up 9.0 yards per carry. Troy also got help from Chris Lewis who showed off his sure hands for 98 receiving yards.
Troy's defense stepped up as well, laying out the QB five times. Leading the way was Javon Solomon and his two sacks.
Even though Duke has not done well against Pittsburgh recently (they were 0-7 in their previous seven matchups), they didn't let the past get in their way back in November. Duke walked away with a 30-19 win over Pittsburgh. The score was all tied up 10-10 at the break, but Duke was the (much) better team in the second half.
Duke's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Grayson Loftis, who threw for 248 yards and two touchdowns. Another player making a difference was Jordan Moore, who picked up 106 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Troy's victory was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 11-2. Duke's record is now 7-5.
Looking forward, Troy is the favorite in this one, as the experts expect to see them win by 7.5 points. For those looking to play the spread, keep Troy in mind: they have a solid 19-8 record against the spread this season.
While fans of Duke and Troy were happy after their last outing, their bettors probably weren't as neither team covered. Since the experts predict a win, Troy will need to dig deep. For those looking to play the spread, take note: Duke is a solid 7-4 against the spread when playing as the underdog.
