Preview ahead of Duke vs Boston College

Durham, N.C.- The Duke Blue Devils look to continue building momentum in ACC Conference play as they host the Boston College Eagles at Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday, October 31st at noon. The Blue Devils enter the matchup 5-2 overall and 2-2 in ACC play after a hard-fought 19-16 road win over Virginia. The Eagles enter the matchup 4-3 overall and 2-2 in ACC play after a 49-35 win over Georgia Tech. With important conference games still down the line, this is a chance for Duke to strengthen its position in the ACC standings.

Duke’s offense will likely start with running back Nate Sheppard, who has 875 rushing yards and nine touchdowns this season, plus a passing touchdown that sealed the win last week. His ability to gain yards consistently will help establish the run early, which can set up play-action passing, capitalize on scoring opportunities, control possession, and create downfield and red-zone opportunities for quarterback Walker Eget.

Boston College enters this matchup with a dual-threat rushing attack based on last week’s results. Last week, the Eagles rushed for 399 yards, with running back Bo MacCormack III rushing for 155 yards and three touchdowns, and quarterback Mason McKenzie adding 170 rushing yards and two scores. Duke’s defenders must stay disciplined in their assignments, tackle consistently, and limit explosive rushing plays.

The Blue Devils and the Eagles enter with identical 2-2 ACC records, making this an important opportunity for either side to move up in the standings for conference play. After their comeback win over Virginia, the Blue Devils need to start fast, protect the football, and finish drives with touchdowns rather than settling for field goals, especially with a crowd behind them for home-field advantage.