Sheppard Rushes for 227; Duke Defeats Tulane, 17-3

Saturday, September 5

Durham, N.C.

5 p.m.

Duke University

1-0 , 0-0

Tulane

0-1 , 0-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Tulane	0	0	0	3	3
Duke	7	3	0	7	17

The Blue Devils kicked off the 2026 campaign by hosting Tulane inside Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium on September 5.

Photo by: Duke Athletics

Sheppard Rushes for 227; Duke Defeats Tulane, 17-3

9/5/2026 8:23:00 PM | Football

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DURHAM, N.C. – After a 90-minute pregame weather delay and a Nate Sheppard career performance, Duke football earned its fifth consecutive season-opening victory as the Blue Devils downed Tulane 17-3 Saturday evening at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium.

Sheppard powered the Blue Devils with a career-high 227 yards, including 139 in the opening half, and a pair of touchdowns. Quarterback Walker Eget made his Duke debut and threw for 131 yards.

With his 227 yards, Sheppard turned in the fifth best single-game total in program history. He is the first Duke running back to eclipse 200 yards since Mataeo Durant set the program record with 255 yards on the ground against Charlotte in 2021.

Duke (1-0) shut out the Green Wave (0-1) in the opening half. It was the Blue Devils' first shutout in an initial half since the 2024 season opener against Elon.

HOW IT HAPPENED

Duke turned in an impressive opening drive of the season by marching 75 yards on 17 plays in 9:53. Nate Sheppard capped it with a nine-yard touchdown rush. Sheppard set the tone and ran for 60 yards in the opening series.
The teams traded punts and then each missed a field goal to keep Duke ahead 7-0 with 6:47 to go in the opening half.
The Blue Devils threatened again and reached the Tulane 25-yard line but turned it over on downs with 2:30 left in the second quarter.
Duke's defense answered and forced a three-and-out to give the Blue Devils the ball back once more in the half. Cosme Salas nailed a 22-yard field goal with no time left to make it a 10-0 Blue Devil advantage at intermission.
Tulane and Duke traded fumbles on the opening drives of the second half before the Duke defense forced a Tulane punt at 11:19. The Blue Devils drove to the Green Wave 18-yard line, but threw an incomplete pass on fourth down to give Tulane the ball back with 4:54 remaining in the third.
The Blue Devils added another rushing score halfway through the fourth quarter, with Sheppard scampering in from 19 yards out. The Duke drive, spanning 12 plays, 75 yards and nearly seven minutes of clock, pushed the lead to 17-3.
Duke's defense held strong the remainder of the contest, forcing a three-and-out followed by two consecutive turnovers on downs.