Duke opened ACC play the same way it’s been handling everything else lately: by taking control and never giving it back.
Behind a huge night from Nate Sheppard, the Blue Devils rolled past Stanford 35-7 on Saturday evening, stretching their winning streak to seven games and winning an ACC opener for the fifth straight year. That run is now the longest unbeaten streak in conference openers in program history.
Sheppard was the engine throughout. He piled up 154 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground, added a receiving score, and pushed his season total to eight touchdowns.
Quarterback Walker Eget completed 14 of 24 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown, while Jeremiah Hasley led the receiving group with five catches for a career-high 88 yards. Three different Duke players finished with multiple receptions.
The Blue Devils’ defense made sure Stanford never found a rhythm. Duke sacked the Cardinal quarterback four times, its highest total in a game this season. Tyshon Reed Jr. had two sacks for the first multi-sack game of his career, and Kevin O'Connor posted the first two sacks of his career along with his first career forced fumble.
Duke came out aggressive from the start, surprising Stanford with an onside kick and driving deep into Cardinal territory. The opening possession reached inside the five-yard line, but the Blue Devils came away empty after failing on fourth-and-goal. The first quarter stayed scoreless from there, with Duke’s defense holding Stanford to 0-for-3 on third down.
The breakthrough came early in the second quarter. With 10:42 left before halftime, Sheppard broke loose for a 32-yard touchdown run, the longest scoring rush he’s had this season. The drive covered 90 yards in nine plays and included completions of 22 yards to Jared Richardson and 19 yards to Jaivon Solomon.
Duke’s defense then handed the offense another short field. After forcing and recovering a Stanford fumble, the Blue Devils quickly cashed in. Jeremiah Hasley’s 19-yard catch and run on third down set up Sheppard’s two-yard touchdown reception.
Stanford did manage to answer just before the break, putting together a 55-yard scoring drive in six plays with 16 seconds left in the half. But by then, Sheppard had already made his mark. He ran for 114 yards in the opening half, giving him 100 or more first-half rushing yards in all three games this fall.
Any chance at a Cardinal push faded quickly after halftime. Duke opened the third quarter with a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, highlighted by a 32-yard sideline strike to Solomon, who made the acrobatic grab. Two plays later, Hasley’s 26-yard reception set up Sheppard’s one-yard touchdown plunge.
Duke’s next possession looked just as sharp. The Blue Devils moved 73 yards in 10 plays after another Stanford punt, and Kavon Simmons finished it off with a 16-yard touchdown run with 2:56 left in the third quarter.
From there, Duke’s defense slammed the door. Stanford was held to just 61 total yards over the final 18 minutes. The Blue Devils added one more score in the fourth quarter when Jayvian Tanelus punched in a five-yard rushing touchdown, the first of his career.
Duke now turns to William & Mary, which visits on Saturday, Sept. 26. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. on ACC Network Extra.
In Other News...
Duke Has Controlled Stanford But One Problem Could Still Cost Them
Duke spent most of the first half doing what it wanted against Stanford at Wallace Wade Stadium on Homecoming Weekend, leaning on the run and forcing the Cardinal into long stretches of uncomfortable offense. The Blue Devils controlled the line of scrimmage, got consistent pressure on Stanford quarterback Walker Eget and turned that into sacks and turnovers while building a 14-7 halftime lead.
Nate Sheppard has been the spark for Duke, giving the offense a steady ground presence and helping keep Stanford on its heels. Still, the game was not entirely settled before the break, because the Cardinal trimmed the margin late in the half when Davis Warren found Caden High for a touchdown, a reminder that one clean drive can quickly change the feel of a game that had looked firmly in Dukes hands. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Made Stanford Regret Its Pregame Confidence Fast
Stanford arrived with some extra confidence and left with a reminder that talk only goes so far once the ball is kicked. Before the game, Cardinal defensive back Brandon Nicholson made a public claim that nobody would be able to run against Stanfords defense, and Duke took that personally in the kind of way football teams do best. Nate Sheppard set the tone on the ground while the Blue Devils controlled the game and rolled to a 35-7 win.
Dukes defense made sure Stanford never found much of a rhythm, either. Manny Diazs team kept the Cardinal under constant pressure, and the pass rush plus coverage repeatedly closed off clean answers for Stanfords offense. The result was one of those complete performances that can flip the tenor of a season, and for a Duke team that has leaned into momentum, it was another sign that the Blue Devils can impose their style when everything is clicking. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Faces Its First Real ACC Test With Early Momentum On Line
Duke has opened the 2026 season with a burst of momentum, stacking two wins and banking an eye-catching road victory at Illinois along the way. Now the Blue Devils turn to Stanford, and with quarterback Walker Eget settling in after arriving from San Jose State, this looks like the sort of early ACC test that can tell a lot about how real this start might be.
Stanford brings enough familiarity and enough talent to make this a useful measuring stick for Dukes progress, especially with the Blue Devils trying to protect the confidence built in September. Egets role will be central again as Duke looks to keep the offense on schedule, but the bigger question is whether the Blue Devils can turn a promising opening into the kind of complete performance that travels deeper into conference play. [Read more 🡒]