The Duke Blue Devils (+200,0000) to win the national title) will open the season with a meeting with the Duke Blue Devils of college football: the Alabama Crimson Tide. Despite the loss to the Clemson Tigers in the national title game and being “just” a No. 2 ranked team entering the 2019 NCAAF season, Alabama (+225) is still a gold standard in college football, and it is incredibly motivated to crush its first game of the season after a disappointing 2018 that ended with a thud in the Clemson matchup.
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Betting Preview for the Duke Blue Devils vs Alabama Crimson Tide Week 1 College Football Game on August 31 2019
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
When: Saturday, August 31 , 2019, 3:30 PM ET
Line: Duke Blue Devils (+34.5) vs. Alabama Crimson Tide (-34.5) – view all 2019 NCAAF lines
TV Broadcast: ABC
Betting on the Duke Blue Devils (0-0 Overall / 0-0 Conference)
Daniel Jones is gone with the former Blue Devils quarterback now being groomed as Eli Manning’s successor under center for the New York Giants. Quentin Harris is the man who is inheriting the previous role of Jones, and it could be for the better of the Devils’ offense. Harris has the dynamism and mobility that Jones didn’t have. Harris has shown his capability to handle the rock for Duke last year, when he had to step in place for an injured Jones, passing for 37 yards and six touchdowns with zero interceptions thrown during a two-game span. And oh, he also had 146 rushing yards. Harris likely wouldn’t have much success either against Alabama’s defense, but he brings more angles for the Blue Devils’ attack, largely because of his legs. Harris’ top weapons downfield are the pair of Jake Bobo and Aaron Young. On defense, the Blue Devils are hoping their secondary will help slow down ‘Bama’s attack, with eight players returning.
Duke is 2-1 against the spread (ATS) in its last three games.
Betting on the Alabama Crimson Tide (0-0 Overall / 0-0 Conference)
Even though they are coming off a loss at the National Championship Game, no one’s really underestimating the Crimson Tide. Alabama still has Nick Saban and a talented roster from top to bottom despite the offseason personnel attrition. Plus, they retained the most important player on their team in quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who had a season for the books in 2018 in which he passed for 3,996 yards and 43 touchdowns. He is projected to be among the top picks — if not the first pick overall — in next year’s NFL Draft, and the upcoming Duke game will be an opportunity for him to up his pro stock. The Tide’s receiving corps is loaded with returnees Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs III, and Jaylen Waddle along with DeVonta Smith. Alabama’s defense also lost key talents, but Duke is not the kind of team that will be able to take advantage of those holes. Alabama allowed just 18.1 points and 323.5 total yards per game in 2018.
The Crimson Tide are 5-5 ATS in their last 10 games.
Writer’s Prediction
The Crimson Tide win, 48-13.
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