Blue Devils Stay Perfect: Duke Powers Past Stanford 35-7 in ACC Opener (9-19-26)
By: Darrell Owens
Headline Photo Credit: Travis Cheek-LMS Network
DURHAM, N.C. — September 19, 2026 — Duke entered Saturday afternoon looking to keep its perfect start alive and begin ACC play on the right foot.
Mission accomplished.
Behind another dominant performance from running back Nate Sheppard and a defense that suffocated Stanford for most of the afternoon, Duke rolled to a convincing 35-7 victory at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium.
The Blue Devils improved to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in ACC play, while extending their overall winning streak to seven games.
More importantly, Duke won its fifth consecutive ACC opener, the longest such streak in program history.
Sheppard Continues His Dominant Start
Three games into the season, Sheppard has established himself as the engine of Duke’s offense.
Saturday was another showcase.
After a scoreless opening quarter, Sheppard broke the game open with a 32-yard touchdown run midway through the second quarter. The score completed a nine-play, 90-yard drive and gave Duke the 7-0 advantage.
It wouldn’t be his last trip to the end zone.
After Duke’s defense recovered a Stanford fumble, quarterback Walker Eget found Sheppard for a two-yard touchdown pass, pushing the Blue Devils’ advantage to 14-0.
Sheppard struck again on Duke’s opening possession of the second half, punching in a one-yard touchdown run to complete the hat trick.
He finished the afternoon with 154 rushing yards on 23 carries and two rushing touchdowns, while adding the receiving score.
Through three games, Sheppard has already scored eight touchdowns.
Duke Takes Control After Slow Start
Duke’s afternoon didn’t begin perfectly.
The Blue Devils opened the game with a surprise onside kick and eventually drove inside Stanford’s five-yard line, but the possession ended when Duke failed to convert on fourth-and-goal.
Neither offense scored during the opening quarter.
Once the second quarter arrived, however, Duke began taking control.
Sheppard’s 32-yard touchdown started the scoring, and the Blue Devils’ defense quickly created another opportunity by forcing and recovering a Stanford fumble.
Eget and the offense capitalized.
A 19-yard catch-and-run by Jeremiah Hasley helped set up Sheppard’s two-yard touchdown reception and gave Duke a two-score advantage.
Stanford managed to respond just before halftime when quarterback Davis Warren connected with Caden High for a five-yard touchdown.
Duke entered the locker room leading 14-7.
The Cardinal would not score again.
Blue Devils Dominate the Second Half
Whatever opportunity Stanford had to build momentum disappeared quickly after halftime.
Duke took the opening possession of the third quarter and marched 75 yards in nine plays.
A spectacular 32-yard reception by Jaivon Solomon moved the Blue Devils downfield, while Hasley followed with a 26-yard catch.
Sheppard finished the drive with his one-yard touchdown.
Duke led 21-7.
The defense then forced another Stanford punt, and the Blue Devils immediately went back to work.
This time Duke covered 73 yards in 10 plays, with Kavon Simmons breaking loose for a 16-yard touchdown run.
Just like that, the Blue Devils had turned a seven-point halftime advantage into a commanding 28-7 lead.
Defense Slams the Door
Duke’s defense made sure Stanford never had an opportunity to mount a comeback.
The Blue Devils surrendered only 237 total yards, including just 73 yards rushing.
Stanford converted only two of 11 third-down opportunities.
Duke also recorded four sacks, its highest total through the first three games of the season.
Tyshon Reed led the pass rush with two sacks, recording the first multi-sack performance of his Duke career.
The Blue Devils were particularly dominant down the stretch.
Over the final 18 minutes, Stanford generated just 61 total yards.
While Sheppard and the offense provided the highlights, Duke’s defense ensured the outcome was never seriously threatened after halftime.
Eget Keeps the Offense Moving
Eget didn’t need to put up huge passing numbers for Duke to control the game.
The Blue Devils quarterback completed 14 of 24 passes for 202 yards and a touchdown.
He did throw one interception, but Eget consistently produced enough through the air to prevent Stanford from loading up solely against Sheppard and Duke’s rushing attack.
Hasley delivered his best performance as a Blue Devil, catching five passes for a career-high 88 yards.
Solomon added 51 receiving yards, while Jared Richardson contributed 44.
Duke’s balance was evident in the final numbers.
The Blue Devils produced 470 yards of total offense — 268 rushing and 202 passing.
Duke Controls the Football
One of the most impressive aspects of Saturday’s victory was Duke’s ability to dictate the pace.
The Blue Devils held possession for 37:14, compared with just 22:46 for Stanford.
Duke ran 71 offensive plays to Stanford’s 58 and finished with 22 first downs.
That control allowed the Blue Devils to repeatedly lean on their rushing attack.
Sheppard led the way, but Duke’s depth also showed.
CJ Campbell added 42 rushing yards, and the Blue Devils eventually received touchdown runs from Simmons and Jayvian Tanelus, whose five-yard score in the fourth quarter produced the final margin.
Perfect Through Three
Duke’s 3-0 record is about more than simply being undefeated.
The Blue Devils have now shown they can win in different ways.
They leaned heavily on Sheppard and their defense in the season opener against Tulane.
They rallied from a double-digit deficit on the road to defeat Illinois.
And against Stanford, Duke combined a powerful rushing attack with another suffocating defensive performance.
The Blue Devils have also won seven consecutive games dating back to last season, matching their longest winning streak since a seven-game run spanning November 2023 through October 2024.
For head coach Manny Diaz, Saturday represented another step forward for a program coming off its 2025 ACC championship season.
What’s Next: William & Mary Comes to Durham
Duke will remain at Wallace Wade Stadium for its next matchup.
The Blue Devils host William & Mary on September 26, with kickoff scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
Duke will enter that matchup attempting to improve to 4-0 before turning its attention toward the heart of ACC play.
The Blue Devils aren’t simply winning right now.
They’re controlling games.
And with Sheppard running at an elite level and the defense continuing to make life difficult for opposing offenses, Duke’s unbeaten start continues to gain momentum.
Final
Duke 35, Stanford 7
Duke: 3-0 (1-0 ACC)
Stanford: 1-2 (0-2 ACC)
Duke Standouts
Nate Sheppard: 23 carries, 154 rushing yards, 3 total touchdowns
Walker Eget: 14-of-24, 202 passing yards, 1 touchdown
Jeremiah Hasley: 5 receptions, career-high 88 yards
Tyshon Reed: 2 sacks
Duke Defense: 237 total yards allowed, 73 rushing yards allowed, 4 sacks
Duke entered Saturday looking to protect its undefeated record and begin conference play with a victory.
The Blue Devils accomplished both — and did it emphatically.
