Year Two of the Mike Elko era in Durham kicks off early next month at Wallace Wade Stadium, when the Duke Blue Devils will host CFP contender Clemson in the team’s season opener, a tough opening test across North Carolina sports betting.
Fresh off a 9-4 campaign that saw the Blue Devils pull off a 30-13 Military Bowl win over UCF, Elko and his players are back and looking to prove that 2023 was anything but a one hit wonder.
There’s reason for cynics to doubt the school’s chances this fall, as last year’s nine-win campaign was Duke’s highest year-end total since going 10-4 in 2013 under then head coach David Cutcliffe, with three winning seasons in the interim for the program.
To get a sense of where the Blue Devils stand entering their 2023 opener against the Tigers, BetCarolina.com compiled odds on Duke’s 2023 regular season record. And don't forget, we're home to Duke football odds before, during, and after the football season.
Duke Regular Season Record Odds
MORE: College Football Betting Guide
Duke Football Likely To Regress In 2023
Entering the 2023 ACC football season, two sportsbooks that’ll launch when North Carolina sports betting apps go live have the Blue Devils in the middle of the pack to win the conference this fall.
Over at BetMGM Sportsbook North Carolina, Duke is listed at +2500 to win the ACC in 2023, ranking eighth out of 14 teams by that metric.
Caesars Sportsbook North Carolina gives the Blue Devils slightly longer odds, with Duke coming in at +3000 on the Las Vegas mainstay (ranking eighth overall), with a preseason win total over/under of 6.0 for Elko and company in 2023.
For those looking to place an over/under bet on Duke, Caesars Sportsbook North Carolina has the over at -155, while the under comes in at +125. BetCarolina.com will have the best North Carolina sportsbook promos when those operators join the party.
How Duke’s 2023 Schedule Shapes Up
The Blue Devils’ early schedule is full of winnable games, whether they find a way to upset Clemson or not.
That’s because Duke plays FCS school Lafayette in Week 2, before playing 1-11 Northwestern the following week and 6-7 UConn the week after that.
The Blue Devils’ final non-conference game comes on Sept. 30, when they host 13th ranked Notre Dame, before playing NC State in Durham on Oct. 14 (after a bye week in between).
With an upset victory over Clemson in Week 1, Duke could be sitting at 4-1 or 5-0 as they enter that mid-October showdown against their fellow Research Triangle program, setting the stage for a second half that includes home games against Wake Forest and Pitt and road contests against Florida State, Louisville, UNC and Virginia.
Also of interest: What’s The Toughest Stretch of Duke’s 2023 Football Schedule?
