Duke wasted no time pouring it on rival NC State on Saturday, taking a 7-3 lead after the first quarter and building a 31-3 advantage at halftime after a dominant second quarter capped by Andrew Pellicciotta’s 109-yard return for a touchdown on a missed field-goal attempt at the buzzer.
The Blue Devils kept their foot on the pedal in the second half, especially on defense, which shut out the opposing offense in the final 30 minutes for the second time in as many weeks.
Here are three instant takeaways from Duke’s 41-3 rout of the Wolfpack.
Nate Sheppard deserves an invitation to NYC
There’s no doubt that Nate Sheppard is the best running back in the country. His numbers and performances through nine games prove it, as they did on Saturday against the Wolfpack. The sophomore needed just one
carry to go 69 yards and reach the end zone, and he finished with 217 yards and three scores on just 18 carries.
He has already set the Duke single-season record for rushing touchdowns (17), is tied for sixth in ACC history with 21 total touchdowns and, more importantly, has done all of this efficiently. These are stats that get you invited to the Heisman Trophy ceremony. If he has a big game next week against Miami, he will lock in that invitation if he hasn’t already.
Duke’s defense is stingier than ever
In the last two weeks, the Blue Devils have allowed 213 total yards to Boston College and 217 to NC State while holding the two teams to a combined three offensive points. Last year, the defense was a question mark. Now, it's become another strength for Duke, and don’t expect this defensive group to go into next week’s matchup against the Hurricanes intimidated.
The Blue Devils are excelling especially in the second half, holding opponents to almost three points in the final 30 minutes. That will win you a lot of games.
Walker Eget has found his rhythm
Teams will want to load the box in an attempt to stop Sheppard from beating them alone, but with Eget now putting passes right on the money as he did against NC State, it will open up even more of Duke’s offense, which is a scary thought. Eget has especially found chemistry with Javion Solomon, while knowing he can rely on Jeremiah Hasley. The emergence of Jonah Burton and Sheppard’s ability to be a receiving threat out of the backfield gives the veteran plenty of options.
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This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Three instant takeaways from Duke's 41-3 rout of NC State
