PREMIUM
Rogers' 10* BEST OF THE BEST (Tuesday) >> 4-1 BOWL *HOT STREAK!*
(NCAAF) NIU vs. Duke,
Point Spread: 6.00 | -110.00 NIU (Away)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: 6.00 | -110.00 NIU (Away)
Result: Loss
The set: Ford Field in Detroit is the setting for the Quicken Lane Bowl featuring 8-4 Northern Illinois out of the MAC and Duke from the ACC. The Huskies were 6-2 before finishing 2-2 and at 8-4 are back 'bowling' after having a streak of eight consecutive bowl appearances snapped last season. Duke's 2017 journey was quite a bit different. The Blue Devils opened 4-0 but then dropped six consecutive games. However, Duke was able to beat Georgia Tech and Wake Forest in its final two games to reach 6-6. The Blue Devils ended a long bowl drought by playing in 2012's Belk Bowl (previous bowl appearance had been in 1994) but last season's 4-8 record ended a four-year bowl run.
Northern Illinois: The Huskies finished in a tie for second place in the West Division of the MAC (6-2) with the tewam's signature victory coming in a 21-17 win at Big Ten-member Nebraska. QB Marcus Childers took over under center in early October after Ryan Graham suffered an elbow injury in Week 1 and Daniel Santacaterina battled turnover issues. Childers completed 57.3 percent of his passes for 1,440 yards with 15 TD against five interceptions plus added 454 rushing yards with five more TDs. He was named the MAC Freshman of the Year. Childers has five receivers that caught between 28 and 39 passes, while senior RB Jordan Huff had 740 rushing yards (5.8 YPC) in nine games. The ground game averaged 190.0 YPG (37th) but Huff is out with an ankle injury. NIU's defense has been quite good, led by sophomore defensive end Sutton Smith, the Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year and first Huskie since 1993 to be named to the Walter Camp Football Foundation All-America first team. Toledo ranks 18th in total defense (328.4 YPG) and 27th in points allowed (20.8 per game).
Duke: The Blue Devils looked pretty miserable during their six-game losing streak, scoring more than 17 points only once during that stretch. However, the good news is that the Blue Devils put up a total of 74 points in their last two of games (both wins). In the team's 31-23 triumph over Wake Forest on Nov. 25 (which clinched a bowl bert), QB Daniel Jones had a career-high 346 passing yards and three total TDs (two passing / one rushing). Jones is completing just 55.7% on teh season for 2,439 yards with 12 TDs and 11 INTs. He's added 432 rushing yards (six TDs) to go along with senior RB Shaun Wilson (743 / 5.1 YPC / 5 TDs) and freshman RB Brittain Brown (660 yards / 5.6 YPC / 6 TDs). Duke averages 168.2 YPG on the ground (57th) but just 25.8 PPG (84th). Sophomore linebacker Joe Giles-Harris was a first team All-ACC and second team All-American pick and Duke's D is solid as well, allowing 20.8 PPG (26th) on 338.8 YPG (25th).
The pick: Prior to Jones' big outing against the Demon Deacons, the Duke QB had passed for more than 200 yards only twice in his seven previous games.His struggles are why the Blue Devils ranked last in the ACC in passer efficiency rating (110.3) and greatly contributed to why Duke ranked 12th in ACC scoring offense (25.8 points per game). NIU's Sutton Smith will likely be the most impactful player on the field, as the DE leads the FBS in sacks (14), tackles for loss (28.5), pressures (73) and defensive touchdowns (two), all school records. He enters just 3 1/2 tackles for a loss away from the NCAA single-season record of 32 set by Western Michigan's Jason Babin in 2003. The Huskies are no strangers to Detroit and Ford Field, playing here in six consecutive MAC championship games from 2010-15. Make Northern Illinois a 10* play.
Northern Illinois: The Huskies finished in a tie for second place in the West Division of the MAC (6-2) with the tewam's signature victory coming in a 21-17 win at Big Ten-member Nebraska. QB Marcus Childers took over under center in early October after Ryan Graham suffered an elbow injury in Week 1 and Daniel Santacaterina battled turnover issues. Childers completed 57.3 percent of his passes for 1,440 yards with 15 TD against five interceptions plus added 454 rushing yards with five more TDs. He was named the MAC Freshman of the Year. Childers has five receivers that caught between 28 and 39 passes, while senior RB Jordan Huff had 740 rushing yards (5.8 YPC) in nine games. The ground game averaged 190.0 YPG (37th) but Huff is out with an ankle injury. NIU's defense has been quite good, led by sophomore defensive end Sutton Smith, the Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year and first Huskie since 1993 to be named to the Walter Camp Football Foundation All-America first team. Toledo ranks 18th in total defense (328.4 YPG) and 27th in points allowed (20.8 per game).
Duke: The Blue Devils looked pretty miserable during their six-game losing streak, scoring more than 17 points only once during that stretch. However, the good news is that the Blue Devils put up a total of 74 points in their last two of games (both wins). In the team's 31-23 triumph over Wake Forest on Nov. 25 (which clinched a bowl bert), QB Daniel Jones had a career-high 346 passing yards and three total TDs (two passing / one rushing). Jones is completing just 55.7% on teh season for 2,439 yards with 12 TDs and 11 INTs. He's added 432 rushing yards (six TDs) to go along with senior RB Shaun Wilson (743 / 5.1 YPC / 5 TDs) and freshman RB Brittain Brown (660 yards / 5.6 YPC / 6 TDs). Duke averages 168.2 YPG on the ground (57th) but just 25.8 PPG (84th). Sophomore linebacker Joe Giles-Harris was a first team All-ACC and second team All-American pick and Duke's D is solid as well, allowing 20.8 PPG (26th) on 338.8 YPG (25th).
The pick: Prior to Jones' big outing against the Demon Deacons, the Duke QB had passed for more than 200 yards only twice in his seven previous games.His struggles are why the Blue Devils ranked last in the ACC in passer efficiency rating (110.3) and greatly contributed to why Duke ranked 12th in ACC scoring offense (25.8 points per game). NIU's Sutton Smith will likely be the most impactful player on the field, as the DE leads the FBS in sacks (14), tackles for loss (28.5), pressures (73) and defensive touchdowns (two), all school records. He enters just 3 1/2 tackles for a loss away from the NCAA single-season record of 32 set by Western Michigan's Jason Babin in 2003. The Huskies are no strangers to Detroit and Ford Field, playing here in six consecutive MAC championship games from 2010-15. Make Northern Illinois a 10* play.
