Duke excels at line play

Six weeks into the college football season, several teams have climbed to the top of the heap when it comes to beating the spread, led by undefeated Cincinnati, Kansas and Missouri.

But one successful team stands out more than the rest: Duke, which despite a 1-5 record on the field is 5-1 against the spread.

In last week’s 41-36 loss to Wake Forest, the Blue Devils displayed why they have become such a strong bet. After spotting the seven-point favorite Demon Deacons a 34-9 lead, Duke rallied behind quarterback Thaddeus Lewis and scored 27 of the final 34 points.

Lewis, who threw four touchdown passes against Wake Forest, is the type of player who can produce points in a hurry. He leads an explosive offense that works well in super-sized point-spread games.

That’s a positive combination for the Blue Devils, who have not been a favorite for a game since they played East Carolina on Sept. 3, 2005.

Duke will be an underdog again Saturday when it plays host to Virginia Tech, a 13 1/2 -point favorite.

It should be noted that the Hokies, who have won four games in a row and are 5-1 this season, do not have a good track record against the spread. They have failed to cover in four of five games, but did so in a 41-23 win at Clemson last week.

What about last season’s game between Duke and Virginia Tech? The Blue Devils were 34-point underdogs and the Hokies won, 36-0.

Something will have to give in tonight’s game between Navy (3-2) and Pittsburgh (2-3), in which the Panthers are four-point favorites.

Navy has one of the worst defenses in the nation, ranked 105th in yards (453.6 a game) and 93rd in points allowed (31.4).

But Pittsburgh’s offense has been anything but a juggernaut.

With freshman quarterback Pat Bostick getting his second start, the Panthers will take the field ranked 105th in yards (315.0 a game) and 100th in points scored (20.4).

Hockey

With the NHL season still in its infancy, betting lines for games are pretty simple with home teams normally made +1.5 goal favorites.

That will be the case tonight for the Ducks, who play their home opener against Boston, and the Kings, who play at Dallas.

The Ducks are favored by +1.5 goals and will pay $100 on a $185 straight bet.

The Kings are underdogs by -1.5 goals and will pay $150 on a $100 money-line wager.

lonnie.white@latimes.com