Northwestern and Duke will look to build on season-opening victories when they meet Friday night in Evanston.
The Wildcats are seeking payback for a 38-14 loss at Duke last season after opening their temporary lakefront stadium by beating Miami (Ohio) 13-6 last week.
The Blue Devils are looking for a 2-0 start under first-year coach Manny Diaz, along with improved offensive efficiency, after a 26-3 win against Elon.
Time/TV: 8 p.m., FS1.
Line: Northwestern by 2½.
Series: Duke leads 13-10, including 7-4 in Evanston.
Key matchup
Duke’s defensive front vs. Northwestern’s blockers
The Blue Devils had a national-best eight sacks in Week 1. Their 16 tackles for a loss against Elon were the program’s most since 2007.
Players to watch
Duke: QB Maalik Murphy, a transfer from Texas, had a solid start in his Duke debut by throwing for 291 yards and two touchdowns. But he repeatedly missed deep as he pushed the ball downfield, going 3 for 14 on passes of at least 15 yards. The Blue Devils were close on many of those throws to snagging a big play, and it would help to have a better connect rate against the Wildcats.
Northwestern: QB Mike Wright led three scoring drives after the Mississippi State transfer won a preseason competition for the starting job. Wright completed 18 of 30 passes for 178 yards. He also ran for 65 yards and a touchdown, but he lost a fumble at the goal line trying to score late in the first half.
Big Ten football: What to watch for in Week 2 — including No. 3 Texas at No. 10 Michigan
Facts & figures
Duke has won five straight meetings with Northwestern dating to 2017 after the Wildcats took eight of nine from 1999 to 2016. … The Blue Devils had no accepted penalties against them in the opener, joining Kansas State as the only penalty-free FBS teams in Week 1. … The Friday night game is the first of two for Northwestern, the other coming at Maryland on Oct. 11. … The Wildcats sacked Miami’s Brett Gabbert four times, including two by Mac Uihlein. … Northwestern has won five straight games, its best streak since winning six in a row from 2019 to 2020.
