Writer - Austin Fackler - (Co-Authored by Brett Korpi)
Nothern Illinois (8-4) and Duke (6-6) are ready for a post-season tune up in the Quick Lane Bowl on Tuesday. The Blue Devils are playing in their first bowl game since 2015 while the Huskies return after a year absence.
Northern Illinois comes into the game with a better record than the Duke Blue Devils but do not let the records fool you, Duke is plays in one of the toughest if not the toughest conference in the country, in the ACC. There tough slate saw them have to play three teams in college football’s top 20 that included a win over number 20 Northwestern. They earned bowl eligibility on the last game of the season with an upset of Wake Forest.
While Duke is from the prestigious ACC, Northern Illinois has not had a tough time with their schedule taking second in the MAC behind Toledo. Northern Illinois is coming off a 5-7 2016 season so making a bowl game this year is a step in the right direction. Finishing this season strong is important to them and a bowl win would only make this season that much more of a success.
The two squads don’t share a common opponent, however NIU opened the season against the ACC’s and last year’s Quick Lane Bowl champion Boston College dropping the game close contest 23-20. They each scored victories over teams from the B1G with NIU beating Nebraska and Dukes aforementioned victory over the Wildcats.
Duke has improved on what was a miserable 2016 season where they were 4-8 while only winning one game in the ACC coastal division. While finishing the season with a .500 record it is an improvement that the Blue Devils hope will roll into next year.
Northern Illinois is the favorite in this game but with the teams Duke has played and how well they have played them I would not count them out.
The Quick Lane Bowl kicks off at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan on Dec. 26, at 5:15 p.m. ET.
Northern Illinois comes into the game with a better record than the Duke Blue Devils but do not let the records fool you, Duke is plays in one of the toughest if not the toughest conference in the country, in the ACC. There tough slate saw them have to play three teams in college football’s top 20 that included a win over number 20 Northwestern. They earned bowl eligibility on the last game of the season with an upset of Wake Forest.
While Duke is from the prestigious ACC, Northern Illinois has not had a tough time with their schedule taking second in the MAC behind Toledo. Northern Illinois is coming off a 5-7 2016 season so making a bowl game this year is a step in the right direction. Finishing this season strong is important to them and a bowl win would only make this season that much more of a success.
The two squads don’t share a common opponent, however NIU opened the season against the ACC’s and last year’s Quick Lane Bowl champion Boston College dropping the game close contest 23-20. They each scored victories over teams from the B1G with NIU beating Nebraska and Dukes aforementioned victory over the Wildcats.
Duke has improved on what was a miserable 2016 season where they were 4-8 while only winning one game in the ACC coastal division. While finishing the season with a .500 record it is an improvement that the Blue Devils hope will roll into next year.
Northern Illinois is the favorite in this game but with the teams Duke has played and how well they have played them I would not count them out.
The Quick Lane Bowl kicks off at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan on Dec. 26, at 5:15 p.m. ET.