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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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Duke delivered one of its most dominant performances of the college football season on Saturday, crushing Boston College 47-2 at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham. The win moved the Blue Devils to 6-2 overall and 3-2 in ACC play, making them bowl-eligible for a third straight year under Manny Diaz.
However, the biggest story of the day was sophomore running back Nate Sheppard, who delivered a historic performance with five rushing touchdowns on 20 carries for 97 yards. He became the first player in Duke football history to score five rushing touchdowns in a single game. It also pushed him to 14 rushing touchdowns on the season, breaking the program's single-season record, while his 18 total scrimmage touchdowns also set a new school record.
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Sheppard is a 5-foot-10, 205-pound back from Mandeville, Louisiana, who committed to Duke as a four-star recruit and No. 33 overall RB prospect in the 2025 class by 247Sports, choosing the Blue Devils over offers from California, Northwestern, Cincinnati, Colorado, and others. So far, his decision has paid off for both him and the Blue Devils, with Sheppard quickly emerging as one of the biggest stars in the ACC.
Sheppard was named a Freshman All-American and second-team All-ACC selection last year after rushing for 1,132 yards and 11 touchdowns, averaging 5.7 yards per carry. Yet, despite the program experiencing turnover at other positions, Sheppard chose to return to Duke, and now he's on the verge of a breakout year. Through eight games, he now has 972 rushing yards and 14 rushing touchdowns, both of which rank near the top in FBS, along with 302 receiving yards and four receiving scores.
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Sheppard's strong play has also helped Duke stay in the hunt for a potential spot in the College Football Playoff, though their path will be tough. Their 6-2 record keeps them near the top of the conference, with remaining games at NC State, at No. 1 Miami, and at home against Clemson before closing out the regular season at No. 14 Wake Forest. That's a difficult stretch, but also the perfect opportunity for Diaz's side to prove their legit. If they were to win out and somehow upset Miami and Wake Forest, they could sneak into the CFP.
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