Duke Explodes in Second Quarter, Tops NCSU 41-3

Saturday, November 7

Raleigh, N.C.

12:30 p.m.

Duke University

7-2 , 4-2

NC State

4-5 , 2-4

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Duke	7	24	7	3	41
NC State	3	0	0	0	3

Duke running back Nate Sheppard, wearing a black helmet, white jersey and black pants, holds the ball and runs down the field during Duke's 41-3 victory at NC State on November 7, 2026.

Photo by: Duke Athletics

11/7/2026 4:24:00 PM | Football

Box Score Bowl Central Box Score (PDF)Postgame Notes (PDF)Coach Diaz: Postgame Press Conference Nate Sheppard: Postgame Press Conference Preston Watson: Postgame Press Conference Andrew Pellicciotta: Postgame Press Conference Photo Gallery

RALEIGH, N.C. – A week after setting the school record with five rushing touchdowns, sophomore Nate Sheppard added three more to carry Duke to a 41-3 victory at NC State.

Sheppard ran for 98 yards in the opening quarter, the fifth most in a frame in Duke history and the third most in an opening quarter. Sheppard finished the first half with 168 ground yards, the second most in a half by a Blue Devil. With his first touchdown of the day, the running back officially staked claim to the program record of rushing touchdowns in a season. He now sits at 17 rushing scores this season after totaling three on the ground against the Wolfpack.

Sheppard's 217 total yards, in less than three quarters of work, are the seventh most in a game in Duke history and gives the sophomore his second 200-yard performance of the campaign.

Duke claimed its fourth consecutive victory against the Wolfpack and secured back-to-back wins in Raleigh for the first time since 1959 and 1961. Leading 14-3 with less than four minutes in the opening half, Duke tallied the final 17 points of the second quarter on a field goal, Jaivon Solomon 18-yard touchdown and Andrew Pellicciotta 100-yard missed field goal return to lead 31-3 at intermission.

The Blue Devils' defense pitched a second-half shutout for the fourth time this season, while holding NC State to 217 total yards on 56 plays, good for an average of only 3.9 yards per play. Nick Morris Jr. led the way with six total tackles, including 1.0 tackle for loss, while Preston Watson and Kobe Smith each recorded a sack.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Duke took a 7-0 lead just four plays in as Nate Sheppard rushed for a 69-yard touchdown. Jonah Burton kept the drive alive with a 13-yard catch from Walker Eget on third-and-10.
With the touchdown run, Sheppard became the first Blue Devil in program history to have consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons.
NC State took its opening possession and made it a 7-3 score with a 39-yard field goal from Kanoah Vinesett with 10:26 to go in the first quarter.
Duke pushed its advantage to 14-3 at the 12:04 mark of the second quarter when Sheppard ran in from eight yards away. The 77-yard scoring drive was aided by Eget's five-for-five performance and a Sheppard seven-yard burst on fourth-and-one.
After forcing an NC State punt with 8:41 left in the half, Duke covered 82 yards on 11 plays with Gavin Strange drilling a 25-yard field goal to make it a 17-3 Blue Devil lead with 3:14 left in the half.
Duke limited NC State to 13 yards on the ensuing drive and cashed in the punt with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Jaivon Solomon from Eget with 26 seconds left to extend Duke's advantage to 24-3.
The Wolfpack attempted to kick a field goal on its final possession, but Vinesett's attempt came up short and Andrew Pellicciotta returned it 100 yards for a score after catching the missed kick at the back of the endonze, giving Duke a 31-3 halftime lead. The return was Pellicciotta's second for a TD this fall as he ran back a fumble for a score against North Carolina. Pellicciotta is the first Blue Devil with a defensive and special teams touchdown in the same season since DeVon Edwards in 2013.
Sheppard added his third TD of the afternoon in the third quarter with a four-yard burst at the 3:52 mark to push Duke's lead to 38-3. After NC State turned the ball over on downs, the Blue Devils had to travel just 40 yards and a Sheppard 26-yard blast set up his score.
The Blue Devils added another field goal, from 46 yards out, with just over five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Duke's defense held the Wolfpack scoreless for the final five minutes, including a late stop on fourth down, to secure the 41-3 victory and post a second-half shutout for the fourth time this season.