Duke football vs. Virginia: Scouting report, prediction for Blue Devils' final road game

Duke football hasn’t won at Virginia in 10 years.

Coming off a heartbreaking loss at North Carolina, the Blue Devils (6-4, 3-3 ACC) head to Charlottesville with hopes of snagging their first win at Scott Stadium since 2013.

Kickoff against Virginia (2-8, 1-5) is set for 3 p.m. Saturday on the CW Network. The Blue Devils snapped a seven-game losing streak in the series with a 38-17 win against the Cavaliers last season in Durham.

Second-year coach Mike Elko addressed rumors about the Texas A&M job opening earlier this week before shifting his attention to helping the Blue Devils finish strong in the regular season.

Here’s a look at things to watch and a score prediction for Duke’s latest meeting with Virginia.

Duke football’s Jordan Waters closing in on record

Fairmont native Jordan Waters continues to rack up yards and touchdowns as one of ACC’s top running backs. Waters, who had 113 yards and two touchdowns against UNC, has scored in eight of Duke’s 10 games. The Duke graduate is second in the league with 12 touchdowns and eighth in rushing yards (677). With three more rushing TDs, Waters can pass Brandon Connette (2013) and Winston Siegfried (1941) for the program’s single-season record.

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Virginia won’t back down

Virginia hasn’t beaten an ACC opponent in Charlottesville since 2021, but the Cavaliers haven’t been an easy out this season. They left Chapel Hill with a victory on Oct. 21 and pushed Louisville to the limit on Nov. 9. Four of Virginia’s losses were one-possession games, so Duke doesn’t need to be fooled by the Hoos’ record.

Riley Leonard’s injury offers Grayson Loftis opportunity

It’s hard not to think about where Duke could be if starting quarterback Riley Leonard was healthy. However, freshman Grayson Loftis showed starpower in the Blue Devils double-overtime loss to the Tar Heels. In the first road start of his career, Loftis accounted for four touchdowns.

Duke vs. Virginia score prediction

Duke 29, Virginia 21: The Hoos have dominated at their house against Duke, winning the last three games at Scott Stadium by an average margin of 33 points. But those Blue Devils weren’t coached by Elko.

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Duke football vs. Virginia: Scouting report, prediction