Wake Forest (4-4, 1-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) at Duke (5-3, 2-2), Thursday, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Line: Duke by 12 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Duke leads 59-41-2.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Both teams come in looking to regain some lost momentum. The Blue Devils are coming off two straight losses that have cost Duke the AP Top 25 ranking it had held since early September. The second of those losses was a shutout at now-No. 15 Louisville over the weekend. As for the Demon Deacons, they fell behind big by halftime in a home loss to No. 4 Florida State after earning a comeback win against Pittsburgh.
KEY MATCHUP
Wake Forest's offense against Duke's defense. Things have not come easily for the Demon Deacons' attack. They rank last in the league in scoring (22.3) and 12th of 14 teams in total offense (344.3). The Blue Devils surrendered just seven touchdowns through their first six games, though things have been tougher in the losses to Louisville and FSU. Still, Duke is allowing a league-low 15 points per game.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Wake Forest: QB Justice Ellison. Ellison's 51-yard run to end the first quarter was the offensive highlight for the Demon Deacons last week. He finished with 71 yards on the ground.
Duke: QB Riley Leonard. The Blue Devils' dual-threat quarterback is hobbled in his return from an ankle injury suffered late in the loss to Notre Dame. That gave him limited time to get ready for this one with the short turnaround of just five days.
FACTS & FIGURES
Wake Forest's average scoring output is 102nd nationally, and the Demon Deacons are averaging just 15.6 points in ACC play. ... Leonard has completed 16-of-39 passes (41%) for 190 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions in his two-game return from the ankle injury. ... Duke's home win last year ended a three-game losing streak in the annual instate ACC series. Before that, the Blue Devils had won five of six. ... Demon Deacons quarterback Mitch Griffis has thrown for 143 yards in his last two appearances, including being pulled for Santino Marucci in an Oct. 14 loss at Virginia Tech. ... Wake Forest has surrendered a league-worst 36 sacks, with only Florida International, Colorado and Old Dominion having allowed more. ... Duke coach Mike Elko is 14-7 in two seasons at the school and worked under Wake Forest coach Dave Clawson as a defensive coordinator from 2014-16.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
