Illinois has no answer for Nate Sheppard, whose 147 rushing yards and 3 total TDs fuel Duke’s 31-27 win
· Yahoo Sports
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois went into its game against Duke on Saturday at Gies Memorial Stadium with questions about its tackling.
Nate Sheppard exacerbated the issue.
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The Duke running back slipped through the grasps of many Illini defenders on the way to 147 rushing yards, 41 receiving yards and three total touchdowns in the Blue Devils’ 31-27 victory. Illinois left the field Saturday evening 1-1 and with issues to address in new coordinator Bobby Hauck’s defense.
The Illini offense, fueled by a monster game from wide receiver Collin Dixon, tried to keep pace. But Duke took its first lead to open the third quarter, and the Illini didn’t recover despite playing in front of an orange-clad crowd that was announced to be a sellout.
Sheppard was a concern entering the game.
In Duke’s 17-3, season-opening win against Tulane, Sheppard rushed for 227 yards on 35 carries — 6.5 yards per carry — with two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, the Illini had defensive struggles in their 42-23 opening win against UAB.
Illinois coach Bret Bielema and Hauck — the former Montana and UNLV head coach in his first season with the Illini — both addressed the tackling problems after the win over UAB by saying they didn’t do a lot of live tackling in practice in the weeks leading up to the game to avoid injuries. They both indicated they thought it would be a fixable issue.
But Sheppard had 101 rushing yards, a touchdown, 18 receiving yards and a score in the first half alone for Duke (2-0) as the Illini went into halftime clinging to a 24-21 lead.
It was more of the same after halftime, and Sheppard scored on a 3-yard touchdown catch when he avoided the tackling efforts of linebacker Robert Edmonson. That put Duke ahead 28-24, and the teams traded field goals after that.
The Illinois offense stalled in the red zone on its next drive when Katin Houser’s fourth-and-2 pass to Dixon fell incomplete.
After the Illini defense forced Duke to go three-and-out, Duke cornerback Evan Smith intercepted Houser. The Blue Devils got the ball at the Illini 45-yard line but couldn’t advance. Duke quarterback Walker Eget was injured on the drive and had to be helped off the field, and backup Dan Mahan threw incomplete on third down. The Illini received another chance.
But after three straight rushing plays, another Houser pass to Dixon fell incomplete on fourth-and-4. Duke went for it on fourth-and-1 to extend its final drive and pull of the victory.
Houser, in his second game since transferring in from East Carolina, completed 24 of 35 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns. Much of his production in the first half was to Dixon.
The 6-foot-1, 215-pound senior had nine catches for 135 yards and three touchdowns before halftime. He opened the Illini scoring with a leaping 13-yard touchdown catch and later had a 40-yard TD catch on fourth-and-1. He made an impressive 30-yard sideline grab with cornerback Landan Callahan blanketing him on another drive and then scored on a 2-yard touchdown catch.
Dixon finished with 11 catches for 166 yards and three touchdowns.
Eget completed 15 of 21 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns.
The Illinois offense made it look easy on its first drive of the game. Houser completed all five of his passes for 55 yards, including the 13-yard touchdown to Dixon.
Duke responded with a touchdown drive of its own, helped by Illini holding and face-mask penalties. Sheppard also had a 30-yard run on the drive, and Eget hit Jonah Burton with a 12-yard touchdown pass to tie it 7-7.
Illini kicker Ethan Moczulski made a 51-yard field goal for a 10-7 lead with 3:41 to play in the first quarter.
On fourth-and-1 on its next drive, Illinois pulled ahead 17-7 when Dixon crossed the field past three defenders and caught a 40-yard pass from Houser.
Duke responded with some trickery, running a fake punt on third-and-2 that resulted in a 15-yard Sheppard gain. Sheppard later gained 19 yards on a play with three Illini missed tackles and scored on a 2-yard touchdown run to cut Illinois’ lead to 17-14.
Dixon and Houser connected on a 30-yard catch and 2-yard touchdown on the ensuing Illini drive for a 24-14 lead, but Duke responded again, scoring on a 7-yard Sheppard touchdown catch to cut its deficit to 24-21 going into halftime.
Illinois was playing with a revamped offensive line in the game.
Right guard Brandon Henderson was knocked out of the opener against UAB with an injury, and Bielema said in advance that he would be out against Duke. Left guard Maika Matelau then wasn’t dressed for the game.
Right guard TJ McMillen and left guard Brandon Hansen started in their places. McMillen left the game with an injury in the fourth quarter, and Dezmond Schuster entered in his place.
This was a different game for the Illini than last season.
Illinois beat Duke 45-19 in 2025 when the Blue Devils committed five turnovers. That Duke team was led by quarterback Darian Mensah, who controversially transferred to Miami in January. Duke then brought in Eget from San Jose State.
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