Duke absolutely stomped Stanford 35-7, moving to a killer 3-0 record and already 1-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Seriously, the Blue Devils just took control of that game from the first whistle to the last, putting on a clinic on both sides of the ball and showing everyone they mean business.
Duke’s Offense Was Just Flat Out Dominant
That ground game was just relentless, man. Duke piled up an incredible 268 rushing yards and punched it into the end zone four times on the ground. Nate Sheppard was an absolute beast, carrying the rock 23 times for a ridiculous 154 yards and two scores himself. He was unstoppable! Walker Eget wasn’t slacking either, slinging it for 202 yards and a touchdown, completing 14 of 24 passes. He even connected with Sheppard on a short two-yard touchdown pass, showing that one-two punch is for real. And shoutout to tight end Jeremiah Hasley, leading the receiving corps with five grabs for 88 yards. Talk about balance, right? This offense can hurt you in so many ways.
Key Plays That Blew Stanford Away
The defense was doing work too, absolutely swarming Stanford’s offense. Tyshon Reed and Kevin O’Connor were just living in Stanford quarterback Davis Warren’s backfield, making his day a nightmare. O’Connor, in particular, was a wrecking ball, racking up multiple sacks and even forcing a fumble. Stanford literally had no room to breathe out there. The scoring finally kicked off after a completely scoreless first quarter that felt like a defensive struggle. But then, on 2nd and 14, Nate Sheppard just exploded! He took off for a monstrous 32-yard touchdown run that put Duke up 7-0 with 10 minutes and 42 seconds left in the second quarter. You could feel the energy shift immediately.
A few minutes later, with 7:39 on the clock, Walker Eget connected with tight end Jeremiah Hasley for a clutch 18-yard gain, putting them deep inside the Stanford 8-yard line. That drive ended with Eget hitting Sheppard again, this time for a short two-yard touchdown pass, pushing Duke’s lead to 14-0 with only 5:29 remaining in the half. They were just relentless! The second half started and Duke didn’t let up. On second and four from their own 41-yard line, Eget found wide receiver Jaivon Solomon for a massive 32-yard completion that flipped the field, taking them all the way to Stanford’s 27. Just four plays later, Sheppard punched it in from one yard out, expanding Duke’s lead to 21-7. Then there was Kavon Simmons’s wild 16-yard touchdown run. It was designed as a double pass, but after catching the initial backward toss, Simmons wisely determined the second pass wasn’t there. He decided to improvise, running around the right end for a 16-yard touchdown that stretched Duke’s advantage to 28-7. What a heads-up play! Then, in the fourth quarter, with 8:20 remaining, true freshman Jayvian Tanelus put the icing on the cake, rushing five yards for another Duke touchdown, cementing the 35-7 victory. Total domination, start to finish.
What This Means For Duke’s Season Momentum
This win is a huge statement for Duke, showing they’re not just winning games, they’re absolutely dominating opponents and moving to an impressive 3-0 record, including an ACC win. The momentum from controlling this game from start to finish is enormous for their season. The running game is clearly clicking on all cylinders, Eget looks sharp and confident under center, and the defense is bringing some serious heat. Keep an eye on the Blue Devils, because they’re looking legit and dangerous early in the season.
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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