Duke @ Troy preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 28, 2013 ) Troy 31, Duke 38

Duke was unbeaten in five games on the road during its historic season in 2013 and the Blue Devils will try to add to that run when they visit Troy on Saturday night. Duke won a school-record 10 games last year and opened 2014 with a 52-13 home victory against Elon, but it won’t be caught looking ahead after only edging the Trojans 38-31 last September. If Troy is to take Duke to the wire again, it must contain the talented duo of quarterback Anthony Boone and receiver Jamison Crowder.

Boone threw four touchdown passes in the opener last Saturday and Crowder caught two of them while totaling 93 yards on seven receptions versus Elon. Duke coach David Cutcliffe told reporters Troy is a “well-coached, well-run football program,” and it will be a great test for the Blue Devils. The Trojans, who are 22-1 in home openers under coach Larry Blakeney, gave up 490 yards of offense in a 48-10 loss at Alabama-Birmingham.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN3. LINE: Duke –19

ABOUT DUKE (1-0): Crowder caught an ACC-record 108 passes a year ago for 1,360 yards, but Boone has other emerging targets with Max McCaffrey, Issac Blakeney (two TDs against Elon) and tight end David Reeves from Alabama. Josh Snead averaged 6.2 yards per carry in the opener for the Devils, who finished with 275 yards on the ground. Cutcliffe said linebacker David Helton has been “steady as a rock” while leading the defense with safety Jeremy Cash after All-ACC linebacker Kelby Brown (knee) was lost for the season.

ABOUT TROY (0-1): Despite giving up 338 yards on the ground in last week’s loss, coach Blakeney said one of the biggest problems for the Trojans was their own rushing attack which totaled only 71 yards on 36 carries. Troy must get more from running backs Brandon Burks and Jordan Chunn (14 TDs in 2013) to take the pressure off its two quarterbacks. Brandon Silvers and Dontreal Pruitt combined to go 21-of-31 for 201 yards in the opener and 12 different players caught a pass for the Trojans.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Crowder is seventh in ACC history with 205 receptions and needs six to move into fourth place.

2. Troy is one of just 11 teams in the nation to average more than 400 total yards of offense in six of the past seven seasons.

3. Duke has a chance to start 2-0 in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1987 (3-0) and 1988 (5-0).

PREDICTION: Duke 34, Troy 20