No matter what Duke does on the football field, it still seems like respect has to be earned week after week.
Not many people gave Manny Diaz’s squad much chance of going into Champaign and beating Illinois, but that’s exactly what they did after a big second-half performance from the defense and the offensive combination of running back Nate Sheppard and quarterback Walker Eget.
The Blue Devils stand 3-0 heading into their final non-conference game this Saturday against William & Mary, but some people aren’t exactly jumping on the Duke bandwagon yet.
ESPN’s Bill Connelly ranked the 35 unbeaten teams in college football after Week 3, and Duke comes in at a surprisingly low 26th, behind conference teams such as Pitt and Virginia Tech and, for an extra
slap in the face, new FCS member North Dakota State.
Connelly’s reasoning?
“I still don't trust the offense, which is basically ‘Give it to Nate Sheppard, and if that doesn't work, then give it to Sheppard again.’ But it's working well enough with a sound defense. Plus, the Blue Devils are projected favorites in their next three games.”
That method has worked well for the Blue Devils so far, as Sheppard leads the country in all-purpose and rushing yards.
Maybe a few more wins under Duke’s belt will garner more confidence from the doubters.
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This article originally appeared on Duke Wire: Duke football comes in low in ESPN ranking of the 35 undefeated teams
