Duke rallies past Illinois for impressive road win behind Nate Sheppard, Walker Eget
Duke erased a 10-point deficit behind Nate Sheppard’s three-touchdown performance and a clutch second-half defensive effort to stun Illinois on the road.
Duke overcame a 10-point deficit and secured a 31-27 victory over Illinois in a road win at Gies Memorial Stadium. Running back Nate Sheppard led the way with 147 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while also adding 41 yards and two scores on five receptions. Quarterback Walker Eget completed 15 of 21 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns, despite Duke committing 11 penalties for 112 yards.
Illinois, which took an early lead, fell to 1-1 while Duke improved to 2-0. The Blue Devils' defense stepped up in the fourth quarter, converting every fourth down and making crucial stops. Duke's comeback win demonstrates their resilience and determination for the remainder of the season.
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- ‘Tackling should be priority one,’: Illinois falls to Duke sports.yahoo.com
- Nate Sheppard scores 3 TDs, Duke rallies to beat Illinois 31-27 for its sixth straight win winnipegfreepress.com
