Duke’s 3-0 start has plenty of people around the ACC taking notice, and the Blue Devils backed it up again at home against Stanford after last weekend’s statement road win over Illinois.
If there was a bigger question coming into this one, it was whether Walker Eget could keep building on the momentum he created in Week 2. After a debut against Tulane that left plenty to be desired, Eget answered against Illinois by completing 15-of-21 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns. Against Stanford, he didn’t need to be spectacular - and he wasn’t - but he was steady enough to keep Duke on track in a game the Blue Devils controlled for most of the afternoon.
Eget finished 14-of-24 for 202 yards with a touchdown and an interception, and the pick came on Duke’s first drive. Manny Diaz had the Blue Devils try an onside kick, and after Duke recovered, the offense marched down the field before Eget forced a throw near the goal line, trying to squeeze the ball between defenders when there wasn’t much there.
That mistake aside, the overall picture was still positive. Eget missed a few throws and left some chances on the field, but he also gave Duke exactly what it needed from him.
He wasn’t carrying the offense. He didn’t have to.
He just kept the chains moving and handled the game with poise.
There was also a small moment of concern when Eget used his legs a bit, which is not exactly comforting for Duke fans after he appeared to tweak the leg he had a brace on late against Illinois. Even so, he stayed upright and kept the offense functioning.
And that’s the bigger takeaway here: this Duke offense is built to run through the ground game, with Nate Sheppard emerging as a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender and the clear centerpiece of the attack. Eget doesn’t need to be a star for this team to keep rolling. He just needs to stay composed, avoid the big mistake, and let the rest of the offense do its job.
For the second straight week, that’s what he delivered. He was calm, efficient, and mostly in control. Duke has its quarterback.
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 🡒]