Duke vs. Louisville odds: Early point spread released on Blue Devils, Cardinals
Two top ACC teams carry losses into Saturday’s matchup. However, only one team will leave with a two-game losing streak. Oddsmakers seem to believe Duke will be that team. According to FanDuel, Louisville is a 4.5-point favorite in the ranked showdown.
The Blue Devils gave No. 4 Florida State a run for its money on Saturday but couldn’t walk away with the win. While Duke ultimately lost 38-20, it led the Seminoles 20-17 at halftime. The Blue Devils’ ground game was particularly effective, cranking out 197 rushing yards.
Duke’s passing wasn’t nearly as effective. Quarterback Riley Leonard returned for the first time since suffering an injury in Week 5 against Notre Dame. He was questionable before the game and his passing performance followed suit.
In the loss, Leonard only completed 7-of-his-16 pass attempts, tallying a mere 69 yards and no touchdowns. He also tossed an interception in the outing. Leonard’s running game wasn’t up to his typical standards, either. The junior QB only recorded one carry for 13 yards.
Despite Duke’s ultimate shortcoming, head coach Mike Elko saw moments of promise from his team.
“We came into this game with high expectations about how we play and how we perform,” Elko said after the game. “I think through three quarters we showed that, but in the fourth quarter we just didn’t have the responses that we needed.”
Louisville looks for a bounce back
Louisville will need a complete contest to take down the Blue Devils. Although the Cardinals fell short in its 38-21 loss to Pittsburgh, they’re certainly capable of downing Duke. Before falling to the Panthers, Louisville was 6-0.
Now, after a bye week, the Cardinals will be ready to fly past their grief. They certainly had no shortage of issues to reflect on following the loss. In the defeat, Louisville committed three turnovers. Further, Louisville QB Jack Plummer completed just 29-of-52 passes while tossing two interceptions.
To make matters worse, Louisville lost its star running back Jawhar Jordan just a few plays into the game. After the loss, Brohm addressed his team’s disappointing performance.
“We got to regroup,” Brohm said during the postgame press conference. “Understand that, from here on out, the schedule gets tougher every week. Every team will be ready to play, and we’ve got to get better. Disappointing day, give the other team credit.”
Brohm has history on his side. Louisville boasts a 3-0 all-time record over the Blue Devils, most recently defeating them 62-22 in 2021. The two programs will meet again on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.