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League: NCAAFSport: College SportsCountry: United StatesCategory: Scores & Results

Duke rallies to defeat Illinois 31-27 in road football victory

3 sources • 2 min read • Latest: Sep 12, 2026, 11:37 PM

Last updated Sep 12, 2026

Duke rallies to defeat Illinois 31-27 in road football victory
Summary

Duke overcame a 10-point deficit on September 12, 2026, to defeat Illinois 31-27 at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign. Fighting Illini quarterback Katin Houser threw three touchdown passes to receiver Collin Dixon to build a 24-14 halftime lead. Duke responded with a touchdown drive before the break and held Illinois scoreless throughout the fourth quarter. Nate Sheppard led the Blue Devils with 188 yards from scrimmage and three total touchdowns, while Walker Eget completed 15 of 21 passes for 206 yards. The win moves Duke to 2-0 on the season and marks the first loss for Illinois. Duke secured the outcome by forcing an interception and stopping two late fourth-down attempts by the Illinois offense.

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Status Watch
  • •Duke secured a 31-27 road victory against Illinois at Gies Memorial Stadium.
  • •Nate Sheppard recorded 147 rushing yards and three total touchdowns for the Blue Devils.
  • •Collin Dixon finished with 166 receiving yards and three touchdowns for the Fighting Illini.
  • •Duke held Illinois scoreless in the fourth quarter to preserve the comeback win.
  • •The Blue Devils improved to 2-0 on the season while Illinois dropped to 1-1.
Latest Updates
  • 11:37 PMYahoo Sports — Duke 31, Illinois 27: Instant takeaways
  • 11:29 PMYahoo Sports — Nate Sheppard scores 3 TDs, Duke rallies to beat Illinois 31-27 for its sixth straight win
  • 11:20 PMYahoo Sports — Duke rallies past Illinois for impressive road win behind Nate Sheppard, Walker Eget
What they're saying
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Nate Sheppard ran for 147 yards and a touchdown and caught two touchdown passes to lead Duke to a come-from-behind 31-27 victory Saturday over Illinois. The victory was the sixth straight for the defending ACC champion Blue Devils in a streak that dates back to November 22, 2025, when they beat North Carolina 32-25. Duke (2-0) fell behind 24-14 in the second quarter and was down 24-21 at halftime.

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Duke erased a 10-point deficit behind Nate Sheppard’s three-touchdown performance and a clutch second-half defensive effort to stun Illinois on the road.

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Nate Sheppard should be in the Heisman conversation and Walker Eget came up big as the Blue Devils defeated Illinois 31-27 in Champaign.

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