Army @ Duke preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 10, 2015 ) Duke 44, Army 3

Army is no stranger to leading the country in rushing, but wins typically have not accompanied its success on the ground. After a bye week to stew over their first loss of the season, the Black Knights hope to continue their best start in 20 years on Saturday when they complete a three-game road swing against Duke.

Despite opening up with four of its first five contests away from West Point, Army enjoyed an average margin of victory of 28 points over its first three games on the strength of a ground game piling up a FBS-best 375 yards per game. The Black Knights appeared to be in a good position to move to 4-0 for the first time since 1996 as they held a 14-pont lead well into the fourth quarter against previously winless Buffalo on Sept. 24, but a missed field goal by their backup placekicker at the end of regulation and again in overtime proved to be their undoing in a 23-20 setback. The Blue Devils are off to their worst start since 2010 after committing six turnovers during last weekend's 34-20 home loss to Virginia and appear to be in danger of missing the postseason for the first time in five years. Duke shut down Army's triple-option attack in last year's 44-3 rout, however, holding the Black Knights to a season-low 113 yards for the Blue Devils' eighth win in the last 10 meetings in this series.

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network. LINE: Duke -4.

ABOUT ARMY (3-1): Six players have at least 15 carries and seven have scored at least one rushing touchdown in an offense that has accumulated no fewer than 67 attempts or 329 rushing yards in any game, led by sophomore fullback Andy Davidson, who has run 80 times for 414 yards and six scores. Junior quarterback Ahmad Bradshaw rushed for a season-high 126 yards and a TD versus the Bulls and ranks sixth among FBS quarterbacks with 70 yards rushing per game. Although Army uncharacteristically yielded 17 points after the third quarter against Buffalo, it is tied for 13th in the country in scoring defense (16 points per game) and ranks 10th in total defense (264.8 yards).

ABOUT DUKE (2-3): Freshman quarterback Daniel Jones had the worst game of his brief college career with five interceptions against the Cavaliers, but he is averaging 307.6 yards of total offense thus far - a mark trailing only 1988 ACC Player of the Year Anthony Dilweg's school record of 337.6. Leading rusher Jela Duncan is listed as questionable for Army after missing last weekend with an ankle injury; he remains 111 yards shy of becoming the sixth player in school history to run for 2,000 in his career. Sophomore T.J. Rahming (32) and senior Anthony Nash (27) rank fourth and fifth, respectively, in the ACC in catches and are one of three sets of wideouts in the conference with at least 300 yards receiving.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Duke is one of only three teams with at least three sacks in every game and already has 20 for the season, three more than it had all of last year. Despite attempting only 29 passes all season, Army has allowed three sacks.

2. The Black Knights committed their first two giveaways of the season against Buffalo but still boast a plus-six turnover margin, tied for ninth in FBS.

3. Tar Heels running back/returner Shaun Wilson is the only active FBS player with touchdowns of at least 80 yards via rush, reception and return during his career.

PREDICTION: Duke 30, Army 20