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Nate Sheppard scores 3 TDs, Duke rallies to beat Illinois 31-27 for its sixth straight win
Duke overcame a halftime deficit to defeat Illinois 31-27; the Blue Devils remain undefeated following the road victory
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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Nate Sheppard ran for 147 yards and a touchdown and caught two touchdown passes to lead Duke to a come-from-behind 31-27 victory Saturday over Illinois.
The victory was the sixth straight for the defending ACC champion Blue Devils in a streak that dates back to November 22, 2025, when they beat North Carolina 32-25.
Duke (2-0) fell behind 24-14 in the second quarter and was down 24-21 at halftime. The Blue Devils never trailed again after taking a 28-24 lead in the third quarter.
Walker Eget was 15 of 21 passing for 206 yards and three scores for Duke despite suffering a leg injury when he was sacked by Will Holmes in the fourth quarter. Eget returned to the game.
Collin Dixon caught three touchdown passes and set career highs for receptions and yardage for Illinois (1-1), with 11 catches for 166 yards.
Katin Houser was 24 of 35 passing for 271 yards and three touchdowns for the Illini, but had a critical interception in the fourth quarter. Ca’Lil Valentine rushed for 56 yards.
Houser completed his first five passes, including a 13-yard scoring catch by Dixon, who was wide open on a 40-yard touchdown pass on a fourth-and-one play in the second quarter.
Illinois kicker Ethan Moczulski booted two field goals. His 51-yarder in the first quarter barely sailed over the crossbar.
The Takeaway
Illinois’ defense allowed UAB to rack up 413 yards and possess the ball for 41 minutes last week in a 42-23 Illini victory. Poor tackling and the transition to a new 3-5-5 defensive alignment were the big reasons for the leaky defense. The defense wasn’t much better against Duke, which compiled 376 yards. Sheppard was left overcovered in the flat on his first TD catch.
Duke gave up just 54 yards rushing, 258 total yards and 10 first downs last week in a 17-3 win over Tulane. The numbers were different against Illinois thanks mainly to Houser and Dixon, but the Illini scored just three points in the second half. Illinois had 382 total yards and 23 first downs.
Up Next
Duke hosts Stanford on Sept. 19
Illinois hosts Southern Illinois on Sept. 19.
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