Sheppard scores 3 TDs as Duke handles Stanford, 35-7

DURHAM, N.C. -- , Nate Sheppard scored on two runs and a reception, gained 154 yards on the ground and undefeated Duke beat Stanford 35-7 on Saturday. Duke (3-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), the defending conference champion, has won five consecutive ACC openers for the first time in program history. Sheppard carried 23 times and scored on a 2-yard play on his lone catch. “You have to let Nate Sheppard have his fingerprints on the game,” Duke coach Manny Diaz said. Kavon Simmons and Jayvian Tanelus added touchdown runs for the Blue Devils, who compiled 268 rushing yards. Quarterback Walker Eget completed 14 of 24 passes for 202 yards. Duke won a week earlier at Illinois when the Blue Devils were considered underdogs. This week, Diaz wondered how they’d handle a game when many observers figured they should win. “We challenged our team this week to just be us,” he said.