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Photo by: Duke Athletics
11/10/2026 12:04:00 PM | Football
DALLAS (SMU) – Duke football's Nate Sheppard rushed for 217 yards and three touchdowns in the Blue Devils' 41-3 victory over NC State last Saturday. For his efforts, Sheppard was named the Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week for the second time in 2026. He was also the selection following the first week of the campaign, when he ran for 227 yards against Tulane.
Sheppard joins Missouri's Jamal Roberts as repeat selections to Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week award this fall. On Monday, Sheppard was also tabbed the ACC Running Back of the Week.
Sheppard, a native of Mandeville, Louisiana, finished with 221 all-purpose yards against the Wolfpack while NC State produced 217 yards of total offense during the game. Sheppard totaled 98 rushing yards in the first quarter, the third-most by a Blue Devil in an opening stanza. His 98 yards were the fifth-most in any quarter and most since Mateo Durant ran for 130 yards in the fourth quarter against Charlotte in 2021. Sheppard finished the first half with 168 ground yards, the second most in a half by a Blue Devil.
Sheppard's rushing performance was his fifth 100-yard game of the season, tied for the sixth most in a year by a Blue Devil. Sheppard recorded his second 200-yard game this season and the 11th in program history. He is up to 1,189 yards rushing yards this fall, the third most in a year in program history. Sheppard joined Randy Cuthbert in 1989 and 1992 as the only Blue Devils with two 1,000-yard seasons. Sheppard is the first to do so in consecutive seasons.
With his three touchdowns at NC State, Sheppard has scored 21 touchdowns from scrimmage this fall, a Duke single-season record, two more than any other FBS player this fall and tied for the sixth most by an ACC student-athlete in a campaign. He has rushed for 17 touchdowns and owns four receiving scores. He is just the fourth FBS player since 2020 to have 17 or more ground scores and four or more receiving scores in the same season and the first in the ACC to accomplish the feat.
Duke (7-2, 4-2 ACC) travels to No. 5 Miami (8-1, 6-0 ACC) on Saturday for a 12 p.m. kickoff on ABC.
About the Doak Walker Award
Named after Doak Walker, a legendary figure in college football and the NFL, the Doak Walker Award presented by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum has honored the nation's top running back since 1990. Since 2022, the award has also recognized a national running back of the week. A select 20-person committee from the award's full voting body of media members and past winners chooses each weekly recipient.
The Doak Walker Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association, which encompasses college football's most prestigious awards. The NCFAA's 25 awards have honored nearly 1,000 recipients since 1935. This season, 13 NCFAA awards will recognize national players of the week each Tuesday.
For more information, visit DoakWalkerAward.com or follow the award on X (@DoakWalkerAward).
#GoDuke
Sheppard joins Missouri's Jamal Roberts as repeat selections to Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week award this fall. On Monday, Sheppard was also tabbed the ACC Running Back of the Week.
Sheppard, a native of Mandeville, Louisiana, finished with 221 all-purpose yards against the Wolfpack while NC State produced 217 yards of total offense during the game. Sheppard totaled 98 rushing yards in the first quarter, the third-most by a Blue Devil in an opening stanza. His 98 yards were the fifth-most in any quarter and most since Mateo Durant ran for 130 yards in the fourth quarter against Charlotte in 2021. Sheppard finished the first half with 168 ground yards, the second most in a half by a Blue Devil.
Sheppard's rushing performance was his fifth 100-yard game of the season, tied for the sixth most in a year by a Blue Devil. Sheppard recorded his second 200-yard game this season and the 11th in program history. He is up to 1,189 yards rushing yards this fall, the third most in a year in program history. Sheppard joined Randy Cuthbert in 1989 and 1992 as the only Blue Devils with two 1,000-yard seasons. Sheppard is the first to do so in consecutive seasons.
With his three touchdowns at NC State, Sheppard has scored 21 touchdowns from scrimmage this fall, a Duke single-season record, two more than any other FBS player this fall and tied for the sixth most by an ACC student-athlete in a campaign. He has rushed for 17 touchdowns and owns four receiving scores. He is just the fourth FBS player since 2020 to have 17 or more ground scores and four or more receiving scores in the same season and the first in the ACC to accomplish the feat.
Duke (7-2, 4-2 ACC) travels to No. 5 Miami (8-1, 6-0 ACC) on Saturday for a 12 p.m. kickoff on ABC.
About the Doak Walker Award
Named after Doak Walker, a legendary figure in college football and the NFL, the Doak Walker Award presented by the PwC SMU Athletic Forum has honored the nation's top running back since 1990. Since 2022, the award has also recognized a national running back of the week. A select 20-person committee from the award's full voting body of media members and past winners chooses each weekly recipient.
The Doak Walker Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association, which encompasses college football's most prestigious awards. The NCFAA's 25 awards have honored nearly 1,000 recipients since 1935. This season, 13 NCFAA awards will recognize national players of the week each Tuesday.
For more information, visit DoakWalkerAward.com or follow the award on X (@DoakWalkerAward).
#GoDuke
Players Mentioned
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