Duke vs. Northwestern Best College Football Prop Bets for Week 2

Reed Wallach | Sep 4, 2024

Nov 11, 2023; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils wide receiver Jordan Moore (8) with the ball in the first overtime at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Week 2 of the college football season starts on Friday as Duke travels to Northwestern to take on the Wildcats in a battle of a pair of 1-0 teams.

With a low total of 36.5, how should we attack the player prop market? Northwestern has a run-first mandate while Duke is quite the opposite this season, leaning into the passing game this season. How is that going to influence our bets?

Let's break it down below.

Best Player Props for Duke vs. Northwestern

• Jordan Moore OVER 57.5 Receiving Yards
• Cam Porter OVER 59.5 Rushing Yards
• Mike Wright UNDER 168.5 Passing Yards

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Jordan Moore OVER 57.5 Receiving Yards

Moore was projected to be the top pass catcher in the Blue Devils offense, and he was force-fed in the opener, receiving eight targets in the first half against Elon. Moore finished with seven catches and 112 yards in the opening week win. 

Now, he’ll face a challenging situation at Northwestern that features a lot of wind on the water of Lake Michigan. However, Moore has proven to be viable as a short-down receiver and a deep threat, catching five passes within 10 yards downfield and seven more than that. 

The mandate is clear for the pass-first Duke offense to get Moore the ball, and this number is overreacting to the low total and not his usage. 

Cam Porter OVER 59.5 Rushing Yards

Northwestern hired South Dakota State offensive coordinator Zach Lujan, a run-first-minded playcaller. 

While the team starts a run-first quarterback in former Vanderbilt quarterback Mike Wright, Porter is the bellcow back, rushing for 63 yards on 13 carries in the Week 1 win against Miami (Ohio), a stout Group of Five defensive line. 

Porter is the top back, and given the team’s preference to keep it on the ground, I expect he gets the necessary volume to get over this total. 

Mike Wright UNDER 168.5 Passing Yards

Wright, as mentioned above, is a run-first quarterback. He did pass the ball 30 times against Miami (Ohio) but completed only 18 passes for 178 yards. He added nine carries with 65 yards as well and the team struggled to move the ball both through the air and on the ground. 

I believe that Duke’s weakness is on the defensive line this season as it replaces several key pieces and its in Northwestern’s benefit to keep this on the ground and for Wright to avoid field-flipping mistakes. 

With a low total, I don’t expect many explosive plays, and I’ll target Wright’s passing yards under. 

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

Follow Reed on Twitter @ReedWallach and get all his college football bets on betstamp @rw33

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