Duke will look to move to 3-0 against Northwestern Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at Wallace Wade Stadium. The Blue Devils hope to keep their momentum going as they face their first test against a ranked opponent this season. Duke's high-powered offense will have to match up against a strong Wildcat defense that may be one of the best in the country. Here are three keys to the game:
Force Northwestern to throw the ball
Although Northwestern has impressed thus far this season, quarterback Clayton Thorson has not been an accurate passer. The Wildcats’ running game pulverized both Stanford and Eastern Illinois’ defenses, resulting in limited passing downs and situations where Thorson was forced to make a play. The redshirt freshman has completed only 57.5 percent of his passes through two games, and the Blue Devils have flourished against the pass, limiting opposing quarterbacks to a 52.1 percent completion percentage.
Duke’s defense has limited past running backs and will need to contain Northwestern running back Justin Jackson Saturday in order to set up obvious passing downs. If the Blue Devils’ defensive front can step up once again, the Wildcats' quarterback will be thrust into the spotlight and forced to throw against a tenacious Blue Devil secondary. With Saturday's contest being Thorson’s first start on the road, the quarterback's inexperience will be something Duke will look to take advantage of.
A strong rushing attack
On offense, Duke faces an uphill battle against one of the best defenses in all of college football. The Wildcats have yet to surrender a touchdown this season, which will likely force Blue Devil quarterback Thomas Sirk to stick to short and safe passes that help his offense move methodically down the field in search of points.
To take the pressure off of Sirk, Duke will need to run the ball effectively and get itself into more manageable third down situations. Duke has rushed for 500 through two games and Sirk has led the way with 154 yards on the ground thus far this season. If the two-headed running attack of Shaquille Powell and Shaun Wilson, combined with the elusive quarterback, can pound the ball against Northwestern’s defensive front, the Blue Devils will have a chance to get into the end zone agains the stingy Wildcats, who have allowed just 3.0 points per game this year. Running the ball effectively will also give Duke control of the time of possession and give its defense a much-needed rest in what should be a low-scoring affair.
Win the special teams battle
The Blue Devils have had tremendous success on special teams this season with kicker Ross Martin—who became Duke's all-time leader in field goals last week against N.C. Central—helping put points on the board and punter Will Monday—who has already dropped six punts inside the opponents' 20—pinning opponents deep. With both offenses led by inexperienced quarterbacks, big special teams plays will be crucial to winning the battle of field possession and forcing the Wildcats to drive down the field against a stout Duke defense. In the return game, redshirt junior Devon Edwards and junior Ryan Smith could be the difference and set the Blue Devils up for shorter drives that require just a first down or two to get into field goal range.
The importance of any opportunity to score points will also be magnified as teams have had little success scoring on Northwestern's defense thus far this season. If Duke can cash in on its opportunities and force the Wildcats to take the ball down the field on every possession, the Blue Devils have a strong chance at pulling out the victory.
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