TrueOrange
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Also known as the "Wait, I didn't buy tickets to a basketball game?" bowl.
Seriously, though, this game has some interesting potential, if only because the score likely will get much higher than their records would have you guess, mostly because of IU...on both sides of the ball.
IU has shown they can put up points on just about any team (not named Penn St) and can score regularly enough to keep up with teams both ranked and unranked, averaging 36.2 pts/game (23rd in FBS) and 491 yards of offense per game (18th in the country), with top 30 passing and rushing games led by QB Nate Sudfeld.
However, IU's defense is...well atrocious might be putting it kindly. It's almost the defensive equivalent of the ugly offense Missouri fielded this year. If a team has a pulse, it can score...and will score. Indiana gives up 37.1 pts per game (116th out of 128 teams) and allows 507 yards of offense per game (121st) to opposing teams. This mainly comes from their passing defense, which they rank dead last (128th at 327 yds/game) in the country, as well as a 78th ranked rush defense. They could be allowed shotguns and the other team would still score about 30 pts...it gave up like 4 TDs and a FG to Rutgers in a little over a 4th quarter to lose a game 55-52.
Duke's season, started off strong like the last two years - starting off 6-1 (with the one loss being to Northwestern). However just like 2014 instead of 2013, Duke again saw its 1st place lead in the ACC Coastal collapse with late season losses. After the Miami's highly controversial miracle, Duke proceeded to lose its lead in the Coastal after a blowout to North Carolina. After which the Blue Devils then lost to Pitt and UVA before staving off Wake Forest (27-21) to finish 6-6. Having lost 4 of their last 5 games, the Blue Devils still got a bit of a positive spin on the season by keeping their current bowl game streak alive (the longest in their history) and can do more by winning their first bowl game in 55 years. Their offense (which is 55th in points scored per game) will get a boost in today's matchup.
It'll likely be more about Duke's defense's (falling in the mid 40's statistically) ability to stop IU's drives...because lord knows, Cutcliffe, QB Thomas Sirk, and company will be getting plenty of chances to score. The Blue Devils are the favored team to win.
This is Duke's 4th straight bowl game appearance, and Indiana's first bowl game since the 1997 Insight Bowl (lost to Ok State). The Blue Devils, though are looking for their first bowl game win since the 1960 Cotton Bowl against Arkansas, while the Hoosiers are seeking their first bowl win since the 1991 Copper Bowl (vs Baylor).
Seriously, though, this game has some interesting potential, if only because the score likely will get much higher than their records would have you guess, mostly because of IU...on both sides of the ball.
IU has shown they can put up points on just about any team (not named Penn St) and can score regularly enough to keep up with teams both ranked and unranked, averaging 36.2 pts/game (23rd in FBS) and 491 yards of offense per game (18th in the country), with top 30 passing and rushing games led by QB Nate Sudfeld.
However, IU's defense is...well atrocious might be putting it kindly. It's almost the defensive equivalent of the ugly offense Missouri fielded this year. If a team has a pulse, it can score...and will score. Indiana gives up 37.1 pts per game (116th out of 128 teams) and allows 507 yards of offense per game (121st) to opposing teams. This mainly comes from their passing defense, which they rank dead last (128th at 327 yds/game) in the country, as well as a 78th ranked rush defense. They could be allowed shotguns and the other team would still score about 30 pts...it gave up like 4 TDs and a FG to Rutgers in a little over a 4th quarter to lose a game 55-52.
Duke's season, started off strong like the last two years - starting off 6-1 (with the one loss being to Northwestern). However just like 2014 instead of 2013, Duke again saw its 1st place lead in the ACC Coastal collapse with late season losses. After the Miami's highly controversial miracle, Duke proceeded to lose its lead in the Coastal after a blowout to North Carolina. After which the Blue Devils then lost to Pitt and UVA before staving off Wake Forest (27-21) to finish 6-6. Having lost 4 of their last 5 games, the Blue Devils still got a bit of a positive spin on the season by keeping their current bowl game streak alive (the longest in their history) and can do more by winning their first bowl game in 55 years. Their offense (which is 55th in points scored per game) will get a boost in today's matchup.
It'll likely be more about Duke's defense's (falling in the mid 40's statistically) ability to stop IU's drives...because lord knows, Cutcliffe, QB Thomas Sirk, and company will be getting plenty of chances to score. The Blue Devils are the favored team to win.
This is Duke's 4th straight bowl game appearance, and Indiana's first bowl game since the 1997 Insight Bowl (lost to Ok State). The Blue Devils, though are looking for their first bowl game win since the 1960 Cotton Bowl against Arkansas, while the Hoosiers are seeking their first bowl win since the 1991 Copper Bowl (vs Baylor).
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