By admin 
DURHAM, N.C. (WNCN) — Duke football is off to a 3-0 start.
The Blue Devils opened ACC play Saturday with a dominant 35-7 home win over Stanford, once again leaning on the identity that has carried them through the first three games of the season: a physical rushing attack and a stout defense.
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And who else but Nate Sheppard to get Duke on the board first?
Sheppard broke loose for a 32-yard touchdown run to give the Blue Devils an early lead. But his impact didn’t stop there.
On Duke’s next scoring drive, quarterback Walker Eget found Sheppard through the air for another touchdown, putting Duke up 14-7.
It wasn’t the prettiest first half for the Blue Devils, but they entered halftime with the lead.
Duke opened the third quarter with back-to-back touchdown drives, quickly turning a seven-point halftime advantage into a much more comfortable lead.
Meanwhile, Stanford’s second-half possessions became a running theme:
Punt. Punt. Punt. Turnover on downs. Turnover on downs.
The Blue Devils’ defense shut down the Cardinal after halftime, allowing Duke to pull away and cruise to the 35-7 victory.
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Eget finished with 202 passing yards, while Duke’s rushing attack piled up 268 yards as a team.
Sheppard led the way with 154 rushing yards, continuing to establish himself as one of the biggest pieces of Duke’s offense.
Tight end Jeremiah Halsey also turned in another strong performance, leading all Duke receivers with five catches for 88 yards.
With the win, Duke improves to 3-0 overall and 1-0 in ACC play.
The Blue Devils will be home next Saturday, Sept. 26, when they host William & Mary at Wallace Wade Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
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