Duke’s season opener against Tulane took a hit before the first whistle even sounded, with the Blue Devils forced to deal with a delayed kickoff because of storms in the area and a notable roster absence on offense.
Nicholas, a Charlotte transfer expected to help lift Duke’s attack this season, will not play in the game. The source does not give a reason for his absence, but it’s still a significant setback for a team trying to start fast against a Tulane squad that beat Duke a year ago.
Nicholas arrives in Durham after one season at Charlotte, where he put up 60 catches for 740 yards and five touchdowns. Before that, he spent three seasons at LSU, though his production there was limited to four total receptions.
With Nicholas unavailable, Duke will need other pass-catchers to take on more responsibility. Kavon Simmons, Jamien Little, Jaivon Solomon, and others are now in line to help carry the load.
The matchup itself already carried plenty of attention. Duke has been eyeing this game as a chance to answer last year’s loss to the Green Wave, and the Blue Devils still have that in front of them even with the disruption.
On the defensive side, Manny Diaz has been pushing for his group to show more edge. “We've got a different feel on the defensive side of the ball than we did a year ago,” Diaz said.
“There's a bite and an urgency about them that it reminds me more of '24 than what we saw in '25. But you got to go out there and do it.”
Duke, the defending ACC Champions, enters the season with plenty of expectations outside the program, but the Blue Devils have been focused on their own standard. The game was originally scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
PT/3:30 p.m. ET, and while the delay pushed back the start, it did not dim the anticipation around Wallace Wade Stadium.
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