Duke Football: Preview, prediction, live stream vs. Northern Illinois in Quick Lane Bowl

Duke football looks to put a rough 2017 season behind them, but a Northern Illinois squad appears primed to capture their ninth win of the season in this year’s Quick Lane Bowl.

It’s been a long season for the Blue Devils, one that offered much promise after four straight wins to start the season. However, those hopes were quickly dashed as Duke proceeded to drop their next six games. The majority of these losses game against the likes of ACC competition, with five of their six losses during this stretch coming to ACC opponents.

The Blue Devils have fared significantly better outside of ACC play, with wins over N.C. Central, Northwestern, and Baylor outweighing their lone loss to Army. Head coach David Cutcliffe will look for that same kind of success when his team continues their interconference play against the Northern Illinois Huskies.

With these two programs meeting for the first time ever, Tuesday’s matchup is sure to be a good one. Here’s how to watch it all go down in Detroit.

Date: Tuesday, Dec. 26
Time: 5:15 p.m. ET
Location: Detroit, Mich.
Venue: Ford Field
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN

Keys to Victory

The key to victory for the Huskies lies in their ability to control the line of scrimmage from the onset of the game. Northern Illinois has had success running the football this year, as they average 190 yards per game on the ground. The Huskies fare even better on the defensive side of the ball, allowing just over 112 rushing yards per game, good for 12th in the nation.

As for Duke, the Blue Devils are best off focusing on the turnover battle if they’re interested in coming home with the win. While Northern Illinois has had success in claiming the line of scrimmage, they’re one of the worst teams in the nation when it comes to protecting the football. It’s in Duke’s best interest to exploit that, as momentum is often a team’s best friend in bowl games. However, this means keeping quarterback Daniel Jones’ interceptions to a minimum.

Prediction

With Northern Illinois’ campus located only five hours away from Detroit, this playing field is anything but neutral. The Huskies will have the crowd for certain, and they will also have a much more capable football team. The Blue Devils have been in the lower-tier of almost every offensive statistic, leaving little doubt that this is the Huskies’ game to lose.

Next: Predicting all 41 bowl games and CFB Playoff

With a strong offensive and defensive line, this game could look lopsided even if the stats don’t reflect it. The Huskies have all the necessary weapons to put this one away early, especially if they are able to break out a few big runs. Look for Northern Illinois to take home the Quick Lane Trophy in Motown.

Final Score: Duke 21, Northern Illinois 27