Duke’s latest win did more than keep the momentum rolling. It pushed the Blue Devils to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in ACC play, and it came in emphatic fashion: a 41-3 rout of NC State at Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday.
Now riding a three-game winning streak, Duke heads into its biggest challenge yet with a road trip to No. 1 Miami. Manny Diaz’s team has been sharp at the right time, winning its last two games by a combined score of 88-5 and not allowing a point in six of its last eight quarters.
A few Blue Devils saw their stock climb in Raleigh, starting with Nate Sheppard, who keeps making the case that he’s one of the nation’s most dangerous backs. The sophomore ran for 217 yards and three touchdowns on 18 carries, good for more than 12 yards per attempt. He now has eight rushing touchdowns over his last two games, and he was once again the kind of player who can take over a game by himself.
Sheppard’s production has become hard to ignore. He looks like the best player on the field whenever he’s out there, and Duke is going to lean on him heavily next weekend in South Beach.
Jaivon Solomon also continued his rise. The redshirt freshman wide receiver had been a name to watch before the season, and over the last few weeks he’s started turning that promise into steady production. Against NC State, he caught five passes for 71 yards and a touchdown, giving him nine receptions for 150 yards and a score over his last three games.
Andrew Pellicciotta made his return after missing two games and delivered one of the game’s most memorable plays. He did not return punts in Raleigh, but he turned a short NC State field goal attempt into points by taking it all the way back for a touchdown as the first-half clock ran out. Pellicciotta also added three tackles.
On defense, Bradley Gompers kept doing the quiet work that has made him one of Duke’s more productive players. The linebacker finished second on the team with five tackles against the Wolfpack, and over his last three games he has 12 tackles and a sack.
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Duke Just Turned One Rival Rout Into A Massive Miami Test
Dukes lopsided win over NC State did more than pad the record, it reinforced just how complete this team can look when the defense sets the tone and the run game takes over. Nate Sheppard was the centerpiece of that performance, piling up 217 rushing yards and three touchdowns in a statement outing that put him squarely in the conversation for bigger individual honors while giving the Blue Devils another weapon to lean on as the schedule tightens.
Now the challenge gets sharper with Miami coming next, and that matchup will say plenty about whether Dukes recent surge is built to travel against a higher-end opponent. The Blue Devils have shown enough on both sides of the ball to make the ACC race interesting, but this is the kind of test that can clarify whether they are merely rolling through a good stretch or truly positioning themselves for a run at the championship picture. [Read more 🡒]
Nate Sheppard Is Turning Dukes Miami Test Into Something Bigger
Dukes 41-3 win over NC State did more than pad the record. It pushed the Blue Devils to 7-2 overall and 4-2 in ACC play, and it came with one of the most complete performances they have put together this season. Nate Sheppard was at the center of it, leading the way with 217 rushing yards and three touchdowns while the defense kept NC State off the board in the end zone and held the Wolfpack to 217 total yards.
For a Duke team trying to keep building momentum, the timing matters as much as the margin. The Blue Devils have found a rhythm on both sides of the ball, and Sheppards breakout night gave the offense a clear identity while the defense backed it up with a suffocating effort. The bigger question now is how much of this can carry over as the schedule tightens and the stakes keep rising. [Read more 🡒]
Jon Scheyer Sends Encouraging Early Message On Duke Freshman Joaquim Boumtje
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje is already drawing attention in Durham, and not just because he arrived at Duke as the youngest player in program history. The 17-year-old freshman has flashed real promise early in the season, even if the adjustment has come with the usual bumps, including a modest outing against Coastal Carolina. For a team that is always under a microscope, his early minutes have become one of the more interesting development stories on the roster.
Jon Scheyer has been encouraged by what he has seen so far, pointing to Boumtje Boumtjes coachability and the progress he has made in a short time. The Duke coach said the freshman is ahead of schedule in his development and already providing impactful minutes, which matters for a player still learning the pace and physical demands of college basketball. The next step is the one every young player faces: turning that early promise into consistency as the season keeps moving. [Read more 🡒]