The Blue Devils sought revenge from last year's big loss to Illinois, and they delivered. Led by a 3-touchdown masterpiece from sophomore running back Nate Sheppard. Sheppard completely dominated the game, racking up 147 rushing yards and a touchdown on 24 carries, including a crucial fourth-down conversion late in the game. He also added 5 receptions for 41 yards and 2 more scores. Quarterback Walker Eget paced the aerial attack with 206 yards and 3 touchdowns, helping Duke flip the script from last year's defeat.
