Duke Blue Devils defeat Tulane 17-3 in season opener

Duke defeated Tulane 17-3 in their season-opening college football game at Wallace Wade Stadium, despite a 90-minute pregame delay caused by severe storms.

Duke running back Nate Sheppard led the Blue Devils with 227 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Sheppard was heavily involved in the offense, also contributing three receptions for 19 yards. Duke quarterback Walker Eget completed 13 of 27 passes for 131 yards during his debut.

Tulane struggled offensively, totaling 276 yards. The Green Wave faced challenges at the quarterback position, as starter Zeon Chriss-Gremillion was pulled at halftime following a difficult performance. Backup Kadin Semonza completed 10 of 21 passes for 138 yards. Tulane's performance was marked by several penalties, including false starts, holding calls, and an interference penalty in the fourth quarter that contributed to a Duke touchdown.