It wasn’t pretty, but Duke was able to pull out a 17-3 victory over Tulane to begin Manny Diaz’s third season with a win.
Here are some instant takeaways:
1. Nate Sheppard is the one
There are a lot of running backs in college football who get more headlines, but there might not be many better than the Duke sophomore. It was evident starting from the first drive, in which he went for 51 yards on 11 carries, ending it with a nine-yard touchdown run.
In the end, Sheppard finished with career-highs in carries (35) and rushing yards (227) while scoring twice.
2. Walker Eget needs some time
The good news is that the quarterback didn’t turn the ball over in his Duke debut. The bad news is that he struggled, finishing 13-of-27 for 131 yards. When opposing teams are able to stop Sheppard, Eget will have to be much
better.
He did make some key passes to convert third downs.
3. Duke’s defense showed up
It was always an adventure when the Blue Devils were on the field on defense last season, finishing 121st in the FBS in total defense. On Saturday, Duke held Tulane to 271 total yards, including 55 on the ground.
While future offenses will be better, that’s a great start compared to 2025.
4. Tulane might be in trouble
Many teams had to find new quarterbacks this offseason, and Tulane was one of them when Jake Retzlaff graduated. The Green Wave also had to find a new coach in Will Hall, who did nothing to inspire during his last stop at Southern Miss. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the season plays out for Tulane, which, as a reminder, made the College Football Playoff last year.
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This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Instant takeaways from Duke 17, Tulane 3
