Second Quarter Explosion Leads Duke to Victory Over NC State

RALEIGH, N.C. – A week after setting the school record with five rushing touchdowns, sophomore Nate Sheppard added three more to carry Duke to a 41-3 victory at NC State.

Sheppard ran for 98 yards in the opening quarter, the fifth most in a frame in Duke history and the third most in an opening quarter. Sheppard finished the first half with 168 ground yards, the second most in a half by a Blue Devil. With his first touchdown of the day, the running back officially staked claim to the program record of rushing touchdowns in a season. He now sits at 17 rushing scores this season after totaling three on the ground against the Wolfpack.

Sheppard’s 217 total yards, in less than three quarters of work, are the seventh most in a game in Duke history and gives the sophomore his second 200-yard performance of the campaign.

Duke claimed its fourth consecutive victory against the Wolfpack and secured back-to-back wins in Raleigh for the first time since 1959 and 1961. Leading 14-3 with less than four minutes in the opening half, Duke tallied the final 17 points of the second quarter on a field goal, Jaivon Solomon 18-yard touchdown and Andrew Pellicciotta 100-yard missed field goal return to lead 31-3 at intermission.

The Blue Devils’ defense pitched a second-half shutout for the fourth time this season, while holding NC State to 217 total yards on 56 plays, good for an average of only 3.9 yards per play. Nick Morris Jr. led the way with six total tackles, including 1.0 tackle for loss, while Preston Watson and Kobe Smith each recorded a sack.