Nate Sheppard just delivered an absolute hammer blow, racking up a colossal 227 rushing yards and two touchdowns, powering Duke to a 17-3 victory over Tulane. This win kicks off their season with a “W” for the fifth consecutive time, but don’t let that final score blind you, because there’s a lot for the coaching staff to dissect after watching this one back.
Sheppard’s Stranglehold on the Game
Right from the jump, Sheppard made it crystal clear he was going to be the guy. On the very first drive, with five minutes and seven seconds left in the first quarter, he plunged into the end zone for a nine-yard touchdown run. That score capped a monstrous 17-play, 75-yard opening drive that absolutely ate up the clock and instantly screamed: “we’re running the ball all day, baby!” Duke clearly leaned on that ground game to control the tempo, and Sheppard was the engine. He ended the day with an insane 35 carries for 227 yards and two scores, even adding three receptions for another 19 yards. The dude was a one-man wrecking crew out there!
Defense Held the Line, QB Couldn’t Find a Groove
While Sheppard was out there putting on a clinic, the defense was busy pulling off some seriously clutch plays to keep Tulane off the scoreboard. Remember David Anderson in the second quarter? With six minutes and 56 seconds left, he straight up elevated and batted down back-to-back pass attempts, completely stalling Tulane’s drive and forcing a missed field goal attempt. That was a game-changer! Then, on Tulane’s opening drive of the second half, Luke Mergott exploded through to force a fumble on second down and five. Nick Morris was lightning quick, scooping up the ball at the Duke 17-yard line, shutting down what looked like a dangerous possession. Later, with just 13 minutes and 41 seconds remaining, cornerback Kyon Loud stepped up, breaking up a crucial third-and-seven pass intended for Anthony Brown-Stephens at the Duke 19-yard line. Tulane had to settle for a field goal, cutting the lead to 10-3, but the defense held strong when it absolutely mattered. The flip side? Quarterback Walker Eget just never seemed to get in sync, completing only 13 of 26 pass attempts for 131 yards. That passing game definitely needs some serious work.
Sealing the Deal, With Lingering Questions
When it came time to put the game away, who else but Nate Sheppard stepped up again? With six minutes and 44 seconds left in the game, he busted loose for a 14-yard touchdown run, extending Duke’s lead to 17-3. That score capped another methodical 12-play, 75-yard drive that chewed up a whopping six minutes and 53 seconds of clock. They got the win, no doubt. But look, while a victory is always sweet, the coaching staff has some serious film to dissect this coming week. That passing game, especially, has a lot of things to clean up if they want to build on this momentum.
Next Saturday afternoon, the Blue Devils hit the road for a trip to Illinois. They’ve got work to do, particularly with getting that aerial attack dialed in, but they’re heading into that game with a W and a running game that’s clearly capable of dominating.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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