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Davis and Sheppard Earn ACC Weekly Honors
9/8/2026 2:05:00 PM | Football
DURHAM, N.C. – Duke defensive end Bryce Davis and running back Nate Sheppard received ACC weekly honors following their performances against Tulane on Saturday. Davis was named the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week while Sheppard was chosen as the ACC Running Back of the Week.
In his first career start, Davis helped Duke hold Tulane without a touchdown for the first time since 2019 as the Blue Devils earned a 17-3 victory. Davis was part of a Duke defensive effort that limited Tulane to 34 rushing yards in the opening half and 20 after intermission. The 54 total rushing yards were the fewest for a Duke foe since California's 41 on October 4, 2025. In the first half, the Blue Devils held Tulane to just three first downs.Â
Davis booked a career-high six tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. He totaled 10 tackles during the 2025 campaign. Davis' 2.0 sacks are tied for the most by an ACC player in a game versus an FBS opponent this season. Davis' 3.0 TFL are the second most by an ACC player in a game this season.
Sheppard rushed for 227 yards, the fifth best single-game rushing performance in program history. He gained 139 yards in the opening half, good for the fifth-most rushing yards in a half in program history. The performance was the 10th 200-yard rushing game in program history and Duke's first since 2021.
In his first career start, Davis helped Duke hold Tulane without a touchdown for the first time since 2019 as the Blue Devils earned a 17-3 victory. Davis was part of a Duke defensive effort that limited Tulane to 34 rushing yards in the opening half and 20 after intermission. The 54 total rushing yards were the fewest for a Duke foe since California's 41 on October 4, 2025. In the first half, the Blue Devils held Tulane to just three first downs.Â
Davis booked a career-high six tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks. He totaled 10 tackles during the 2025 campaign. Davis' 2.0 sacks are tied for the most by an ACC player in a game versus an FBS opponent this season. Davis' 3.0 TFL are the second most by an ACC player in a game this season.
Sheppard rushed for 227 yards, the fifth best single-game rushing performance in program history. He gained 139 yards in the opening half, good for the fifth-most rushing yards in a half in program history. The performance was the 10th 200-yard rushing game in program history and Duke's first since 2021.
Nationally so far this fall, Sheppard's 227 ground yards are the most in a single game by an FBS player. Sheppard ranks third nationally in rushing yardage and trails only Memphis' Jaylin Carter, who has totaled 280 ground yards in two games, and Florida State's Ousmane Kromah, who has 231 yards in two contests. Sheppard scored a pair of touchdowns on the ground, opening with a nine-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and adding a 14-yard rush in the fourth quarter. He has four consecutive games with at least one ground score.
The ACC's other weekly honors included Pitt's Mason Heintschel (quarterback), Miami's Malachi Toney (receiver), SMU's PJ Williams (offensive line) and Jimmy Wyrick (defensive back), Wake Forest's Vincent Firenze (linebacker), Georgia Tech's Rahkeem Smith (specialist) and Syracuse's Shavane Anderson Jr. (rookie).
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