In what could very well be the best matchup college football has to offer, the Duke football program is gearing up to take on No. 11 Illinois at Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday at 12:00 pm EST. On one side, it's an experienced Fighting Illini squad that isn't new to this type of challenge. On the other hand, it's an underrated Blue Devils team hungry to let fans around the nation know they're true national contenders. As kickoff approaches, let's go through the final injury report for Duke and predict the outcome of a potentially season-deciding game for Manny Diaz and his program.
Is Terry Moore playing for Duke against Illinois?
Duke's all-conference safety Terry Moore will not play against the Fighting Illini as he recovers from a torn ACL he suffered in the team's bowl game last season. Diaz told reporters that Moore would be out for at least the first half of the season in early August.
"In terms of Terry, we knew we wouldn't have him for the first part of the year," Diaz said during his media availability on August 4th. "When we get him is really just based off the medical people. Certainly a big miss for us."
Aside from Moore, there is no more on the injury report for the Blue Devils.
Duke vs. Illinois predictions
Duke is coming off a 45-17 victory at home over FCS opponent Elon. It was an ugly first half offensively for the Blue Devils, but a switch flipped in the second, allowing Duke to outscore Elon 35-7 and exit with an easy victory. Illinois faced Western Illinois, winning handily, 52-3.
Illinois QB Luke Altmyer entered the season regarded as one of the top signal callers in the Big 10. He debuted in 2025 with 217 yards and three touchdowns while completing 80.9% of his passes. As for Duke, Darian Mensah had a phenomenal debut for the Blue Devils as one of the most coveted QBs out of the Transfer Portal. The former Tulane Green Wave tallied 389 yards and three touchdowns while completing 79.4% of his passes.
Both teams are elite in close games, but one squad's clutch gene is going to have to give tomorrow. With two high-powered offenses, Duke's defensive line will have to give the experienced O-Line of Illinois some tough cracks to make Altmyer's day difficult in the pocket. After a slow start offensively against Elon, Duke can ill-afford that against Illinois. Controlling the tempo and keeping pace with the Illini's offense will be critical for Duke's success.
With home field advantage and an elite QB in Mensah, Duke will earn its first Top 25 victory under Diaz tomorrow, by a score of 25-21.