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Running back Nate Sheppard threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Brody Keefe with 1:14 remaining and Duke pulled out a 19-16 victory against Virginia on Friday night in Charlottesville, Va.

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Virginia Cavaliers News / Virginia Cavaliers on SI / October 23

Matchup Preview and Final Score Prediction for Virginia vs. Duke

Virginia football is back in action tonight. Here is a complete preview: Duke is undefeated when Nate Sheppard at running back gets to 100 rushing yards.

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25 most intriguing storylines to follow for the 2026 college football season

College football has historically been known as a sport that caters to the elite. It is very difficult to win a national championship if you aren't Notre Dame, Alabama, Ohio State, or a host of other schools that have great programs that invest heavily in keeping them at the top.

Virginia Cavaliers News / Virginia Cavaliers on SI / October 22

Offensive Duke stars to circle against Virginia: Nate Sheppard is one of the nation's best

It doesn't take a football savant to recognize the focus of Duke's offensive game plan. The Blue Devils' attack revolves heavily around sophomore tailback Nate Sheppard, who leads the ACC in rushing yards (820) and touchdowns (eight) through six games.

Virginia Cavaliers News / Virginia Cavaliers on SI / October 22

Three Duke defensive players to watch against Virginia Friday night

Nate Sheppard, a midseason All-America choice at running back, and the offense deservedly get much of the credit for Duke's 4-2 record at midseason. But the Blue Devils' defense has carried its share of the load as well.

College Football News / Virginia Cavaliers on SI / October 22

UVA Football vs Duke: Preview, Storylines and More

Virginia has had more than its fair share of primetime games so far this season. That will continue to happen. The Cavaliers have not played on a non-national noon broadcast — a trend that continues at least until November.

Duke Blue Devils News / Duke Blue Devils on SI / October 21

Duke Football Red Zone Report: Why Drives Stalled Against UNC

The Duke Blue Devils nearly pulled off a pretty incredible comeback against North Carolina this past Saturday. North Carolina gave Duke an early kick in the teeth, getting out to a 17-0 lead in Durham early in the second quarter.

College Football News / Duke Blue Devils on SI / October 18

3 Overreactions to Duke Football’s Tough Loss vs. North Carolina

Another week, another heartbreaking defeat for the Duke Blue Devils, who lost the Victory Bell to the North Carolina Tar Heels at home, 24-20. It was an avoidable loss for Duke, but too many mistakes in the first half hampered the team’s ability to pitch a perfect game when they needed it most.

College Football News / Duke Blue Devils on SI / October 17

3 Winners, 2 Losers From Duke's Crushing Loss to North Carolina

The Duke Blue Devils have now dropped two straight after falling to North Carolina in a battle for the Victory Bell. It's a brutal loss for Duke, and the ceiling for this team now feels much different going forward.

College Football News / Yardbarker

Ranking all the new FBS head coaches for the 2026 season

Coaching changes happen every year, but they don't all happen the same way. We have had some wild offseason coaching moves in recent seasons, and 2025-2026 wasn't any different.

Duke Blue Devils News / Duke Basketball Report / October 17

Duke-UNC Gameday Links Run

Breaking down the good, bad and ugly from Duke football’s 4-1 start Duke football opponent preview: North Carolina Blue Devils want to keep Victory Bell in Durham for a third straight year Duke RB Nate Sheppard a ‘true game-time decision’ vs.

College Football News / NCAA Football on ClutchPoints / October 16

Duke RB Nate Sheppard a ‘true game-time decision’ vs. North Carolina

The Duke Blue Devils listed start running back Nate Sheppard as questionable for their big clash against rivals North Carolina earlier this week. And it seems Duke fans will have to wait until just before the game to know his true status for the Victory Bell.

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College Football News / Duke Blue Devils on SI / October 16

3 Key Storylines I'm Following in Duke Football's Matchup With UNC

The Duke Blue Devils aim to get back on track at home this weekend after suffering their first loss of the 2026 campaign. Duke (4-1, 1-1 ACC) fell at Georgia Tech 28-25 last weekend and hosts rival North Carolina (3-2, 1-1 ACC) at Wallace Wade Stadium, needing a win to remain at the top of the ACC standings.

College Football News / NCAA Football on ClutchPoints / October 15

Key Duke offensive weapon is questionable for North Carolina clash

Duke running back Nate Sheppard has been listed as questionable for Saturday’s rivalry matchup against North Carolina, putting his status for the Battle for the Victory Bell in doubt.

Duke Blue Devils News / Duke Blue Devils on SI / October 10

Blue Devil Nation Reacts to Brutal First Loss of Duke's Season

The Duke Blue Devils fought and clawed their way back into a tough road game against Georgia Tech, but ultimately couldn't seal a win, falling 28-25. Duke now falls to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in ACC play.

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets News / Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on SI / October 9

Three Duke Players To Watch On Saturday vs Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech welcomes in 4-0 Duke, who is looking to get their fifth win of the season. Today, we take a look at three key players to watch on Saturday who could pose problems for the Yellow Jackets if they don’t slow them down. One of the best running backs in the country comes to town and is looking to wreak havoc against the Yellow Jackets.

College Football News / Duke Blue Devils on SI / October 9

How Duke Football Can Make Big Statement Against Georgia Tech

Four games into the college football season, the Duke Blue Devils still feel like they have something to prove. They know many projected them to finish around the middle or bottom tier of the ACC after losing a lot of talent in the offseason.

College Football News / Duke Blue Devils on SI / October 9

3 Key Matchups To Watch in Duke's Matchup Against Georgia Tech

The Duke Blue Devils come off their bye week to open road conference play against Georgia Tech (1-3, 0-1 ACC) on Saturday (3:30 pm ET, ESPN2). Duke has completely flipped its general expectations for the 2026 season through its first four games and now faces a Yellow Jackets squad that is 0-3 against Power Conference competition this season.

Duke Blue Devils News / Duke Blue Devils on SI / October 8

Why Duke's Nate Sheppard Can Have Big Day Against Georgia Tech

The Duke Blue Devils come off their bye week to meet Georgia Tech (1-3) as their ACC slate gets fully underway. Duke is 1-0 in conference play heading into this weekend, with a 35-7 home victory over Stanford as its only league game.

College Football News / Duke Blue Devils on SI / October 8

3 Storylines I'm Following for Duke Football Against Georgia Tech

The Duke football program is now getting into the heart of its conference schedule. Duke has played one league game so far this season, taking down Stanford 35-7 at home a few weeks ago.

Duke Blue Devils News / Duke Blue Devils on SI / October 4

Re-Analyzing Best-Case Scenario For 2026 Duke Football

The Duke Blue Devils are exceeding early expectations four games into their season with an unbeaten record, while the rest of the ACC sorts itself out during the early stages of conference play.

Duke Blue Devils News / Duke Blue Devils on SI / October 2

3 Areas Duke Football Can Improve More After Bye Week

The Duke Blue Devils have shown promise in their first four games with an unbeaten start. The program has impressed in ways many didn't expect entering the 2026 season.

College Football News / Field Level Media / September 12

Nate Sheppard dominates again as Duke comes back, outlasts Illinois

Running back Nate Sheppard accounted for 188 total yards and three touchdowns as Duke rallied for a 31-27 nonconference victory over Illinois on Saturday afternoon in Champaign, Ill.

College Football News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / September 11

Preview: Illinois Football vs. Duke in Week 2

Illinois appeared capable in a 42-23 home-field win over UAB in last week's opener – and a glass-half-full outlook would leave a lot more room for growth for the revamped 2026 Illini.

College Football News / Field Level Media / September 9

Illinois digs in to defend new-look Duke, RB Nate Sheppard

When Illinois traveled to Duke in Week 2 last season, the Illini spent most of their time fretting over how to contain quarterback Darian Mensah. Mensah went off for 334 passing yards and two scores, but Illinois produced a plus-5 turnover margin that transformed a tight game into a 45-19 triumph.

College Football News / CFB-HQ on SI / September 8

Week 1 College Football Rushing Leaders: Duke RB Nate Sheppard Has Career-Best Game

While a slew of quarterbacks delivered gaudy passing numbers last week, two players across the FBS level stood alone as the only 200-yard rushers from Week 1 of the college football season -- and one was a quarterback.

College Football News / Field Level Media / September 5

Nate Sheppard rushes for 227 yards, 2 TDs as Duke tops Tulane

Nate Sheppard ran for 227 yards and two touchdowns to lead Duke to a season-opening 17-3 victory against visiting Tulane in a weather-delayed game Saturday at Durham, N.C.