
Florida State vs Duke Prediction Football Picks 10-21-23
Florida State Seminoles (6-0) vs Duke Blue Devils (5-1)
2023-10-21 19:30:00 EDT
The Line: Betting Odds: Florida State Seminoles -16.5 -- Over/Under: 51.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Duke Blue Devils and the Florida State Seminoles meet Saturday in college football action from Doak Campbell Stadium. Duke last played NC State back on Saturday night. In that one the Blue Devils moved to 5-1 overall after a three-touchdown victory. As for Florida State, they’re coming off a matchup versus Syracuse. The Seminoles ended up cruising to a blowout result and remained undefeated. Check back all season long for free college football picks at Sports Chat Place.
Duke Blue Devils
The Blue Devils got off to a great start this year, posting four blowout wins in a 4-0 run. Those victories came 28-7 over Clemson, 42-7 in the Lafayette game, 38-14 versus Northwestern and 41-7 over UConn. Duke met their match in game five versus Notre Dame in a 21-14 loss, however. QB Riley Leonard finished with 134 yards, one TD and one pick in the defeat.
In last weekend’s matchup against NC State, the Blue Devils were up 17-3 going into the second half and eventually secured a 24-3 win. With Leonard out due to an injury, Henry Belin took the reins with 107 yards, two scores and a pick. Jordan Waters added 123 yards with a TD, and Jalon Calhoun posted a 69-yard touchdown catch.
Duke Blue Devils Team Facts
- The team ranked 16th in the AP Poll has won each of its last seven games.
- Duke has covered the spread in seven of its last eight games against conference opponents.
- Duke has lost the first half in eight of its last 10 road games against conference opponents.
- Each of Duke’s last 12 games against AP-ranked teams have gone UNDER the total points line.
Florida State Seminoles
Over on the Seminoles’ side, they started out the year on a nice run despite a couple of close calls along the way. Florida State took out LSU 45-24, Southern Miss 66-13, Boston College 31-29, Clemson 31-24 (OT) and Virginia Tech 39-17 in their first five games. Trey Benson led the charge with 200 yards and two scores off 11 carries in the win over the Hokies.
Matched up against Syracuse in game six, Florida State didn’t have much trouble. The Seminoles scored in every quarter (including 17 in the fourth) during a 41-3 blowout victory. QB Jordan Travis posted 284 pass yards and a score, and Lawrance Toafili led the rush this time on 93 yards and a TD. Keon Coleman also had a score, catching nine balls for 140 yards.
Florida State Seminoles Team Facts
- Florida State has won each of its last 12 games.
- The team ranked 4th in the AP Poll has covered the spread in seven of its last eight games.
- Florida State has won the first half in six of its last seven games against conference opponents.
- Florida State has won the first quarter in each of its last three home games against conference opponents.
- Six of Florida State’s last seven games at Doak Campbell Stadium have gone OVER the total points line.
Matchup/League Facts
- Florida State rank 6th among FBS teams for points per game this season (42.4).
- Duke rank 4th among FBS teams for points allowed per game this season (11.2).
ANDREW’S FREE PICK
I’m likely going to stay with Florida State. The Seminoles posted another steady, dominant effort against an overmatched Syracuse team in their last outing, cruising to 535 total yards (344 passing), 7.2 yards per play, zero turnovers and a nice 9-of-17 result on third-down conversions. The defense was again a strong point with 261 yards allowed (137 passing) and a pair of takeaways. Florida State has had zero issues putting points up this year with 31 or more in every game so far, but contending with Duke’s defense won’t be easy.
Speaking of the Blue Devils, they rallied well with Leonard out against NC State, generating 194 rush yards in his absence. The other offensive stats were pretty rough, though: 107 pass yards, 12 first downs, 23:04 in time of possession and a 1-of-9 success rate on third downs. By most indications Leonard should be good to go for this matchup (so keep an eye on the spread as the week progresses) but may be a bit timid and rusty after the absence. The Seminoles should have the advantage at home here, but it’ll be a great game regardless.