Military Bowl: Duke (8-4) vs. UCF (9-4), December 28, 2 p.m. EST (ESPN)
FanDuel Sportsbook College Line: Duke at 3 1/2
Series record: First meeting.
WHAT’S AT Stake
UCF is attempting its fourth 10-win season in the last six years and its first since 2019. Duke can claim his fourth straight bowl win.
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KEY COMPARISON
Duke’s running game versus UCF’s defense. The Blue Devils led the Atlantic Coast Conference in possession and that could be an especially important factor against Knights coach Gus Malzahn, who is known for his quick approach. The key could be how quickly the UCF defense can exit the field.
PLAYER TO SEE
Duke: WR Jalon Calhoun needs 189 yards to hit 1,000 this season. No Duke player has done that since future NFL wide receiver Jamison Crowder in 2014.
UCF: QB John Rhys Plumlee has had a great year despite being hampered by a hamstring injury — to the point where he shared time with Thomas Castellanos in the American Athletic Conference championship game.
FACTS
Duke’s Mike Elko was named ACC Coach of the Year in his freshman season with the Blue Devils. He took over a program that was winless in conference play last year. He is the second coach in school history whose Team Bowl was eligible to play in his freshman season. … UCF makes a school record in the bowl for the seventh straight year. … Duke and UCF have two common opponents this season. The Knights beat Georgia Tech and Temple while Duke split his two games against those teams. … Plumlee has 11 rushing touchdowns, a shy of the program’s record in a season for a QB. Daunte Culpepper had 12 in 1998. … This is the first time since 1953 that Duke made it through the regular season without dropping at least a game by double digits.
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