Duke football prepares to face Illinois in upcoming week 2 road game

Duke travels to Illinois for a week 2 contest following the Blue Devils' recent game against Tulane at Wallace Wade Stadium. Running back Nate Sheppard remains a focal point for the Duke offense as the team addresses questions regarding the performance of quarterback Walker Eget. Illinois enters the matchup following a two-score win, leading to speculation regarding the team's potential standing in the Top 25 rankings. Illinois coach Bret Bielema expressed a focus on tackling issues within his squad ahead of the game. Brandon Lloyd will serve as the honorary captain for the home team. ESPN’s SP+ metric has generated a score prediction for the matchup, which serves as a significant test for Duke before the transition into Big Ten conference play.

• 12:45 PMYahoo Sports — Duke-Illinois Links Run