The Duke football program began its 2025 season on a high note, taking down FCS opponent Elon 45-17 behind a phenomenal debut from the team's new QB, Darian Mensah. Now 1-0, Manny Diaz and his group look ahead to their next contest, which could single-handedly decide the ceiling for the Blue Devils in 2025. Duke will take on No. 12 Illinois at Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday, giving the Blue Devils a prime opportunity to secure a major win early on in the season. After Clemson's lackluster debut against LSU, Duke's ACC title aspirations are now becoming more real, but a win over the Fighting Illini is critical for the team's chances.
Betting markets set Duke as underdog at home against No. 12 Illinois
The unranked Blue Devils will host the No. 12-ranked Fighting Illini, and the betting markets aren't giving Duke any love despite home-field advantage. According to FanDuel, Duke opened as a 2.5-point underdog (-102), whereas Illinois is a 2.5-point favorite (-120). The moneyline is set at -146 for the Fighting Illini and +122 for the Blue Devils. The total points Over/Under is set at 49.5.
Mensah put on a show in the second half against Elon, and tallied 389 passing yards to go along with three touchdowns throughout the game. Duke had zero rhythm offensively throughout the first half, which began to scare fans as Duke entered the half tied 10-10 with the Phoenix. Diaz then delivered the perfect locker room speech at halftime, and the Blue Devils went on to outscore Elon 35-7 in the second 30 minutes.
As for Illinois, quarterback Luke Altmyer had a strong debut as the Fighting Illini took down Western Illinois 52-3. Altmyer finished 17-of-21 (80.9%) passing for 217 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Aidan Laughery went for 101 yards on the ground and two touchdowns on just nine carries.
Diaz has a lot to fix offensively, as Duke can't afford to get off to a slow start with the high-powered offense that Illinois possesses. Setting the tone early with solid drives and points on the board will be crucial as Duke looks to add a season-altering victory to the resume.