Florida State vs Duke Prediction, Game Preview, and Betting Lines

It's the first game of the rest of Florida State's football life.

The first half of the season couldn't go any worse, and it'll take a miracle to get to six wins and a bowl game with the way the team has been playing, but there's still a chance to have some fun.

Three of the next four games are on the road, but Duke this week, Miami next week, and Miami at the end of the stretch - the Seminoles can play the spoiler role.

Duke has been terrific so far under Manny Diaz. The scoring pop isn't there, but the defense has held up in tight game after tight game.

The team suffered its first loss last week at Georgia Tech, and now it needs this. The 4-1 start was nice, but SMU and at Miami follow.

Florida State vs Duke Preview

Florida State vs Duke How to Watch
Date: Friday, October 18, 2024
Game Time: 9:00 pm ET
Venue: Wallace Wade Stadium, Durham, NC
How to Watch: ESPN2
Duke (5-1), Florida State (1-5)
- Week 8 Schedule, Predictions

Why Florida State Will Win

The offense did what it could in a decent battle against Clemson. The move to QB Brock Glenn helped a bit - he wasn't consistently accurate, but he threw for 228 yards and two scores.

Duke doesn't put up points and stalls way too much - it's 127th in the nation in third down stops.

Florida State plays low-scoring fights anyway. It might take just one break or two for this to all work. If Glenn can provide a bit more of a spark, Duke doesn't have the O to roar back.

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Why Duke Will Win

Florida State really, really can't run the ball.

It's not for a lack of trying; there's just no push, It hit 107 yards against Cal in the only win of the year, and that turns into the only time the team got past 100.

There's little pass protection, but that's not as big a problem as the running game. Duke hasn't been a rock against the run - Georgia Tech ran wild last week - but it does a lot of bending with little breaking.

Florida State vs Duke: Who Will Win

Duke should've lost at Northwestern, survived North Carolina with a late push, and lost when it couldn't hold up against Georgia Tech.

Basically, it's not going to come out and hang 40 on the board.

Florida State is too offensively inept, but it had two weeks to rest up and recharge a bit. It'll be an ugly, low scoring game, but FSU will happily take anything positive.

Florida State vs Duke Prediction, Betting Lines

Florida State 20, Duke 17
Line: Duke -3, o/u: 42.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2
Florida State vs Duke Must See Rating: 3

CFN Week 8 Expert Picks
Florida St at Duke | Oregon at Purdue
Oklahoma St at BYU | Fresno St at Nevada
South Carolina at OU | Miami at Louisville
Nebraska at Indiana | Alabama at Tennessee
Notre Dame vs Ga Tech | Michigan at Illinois
Colorado at Arizona | LSU at Arkansas
Georgia at Texas | Iowa at Michigan State
UNLV at Oregon State | TCU at Utah