DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — 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. 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.
Davis Warren was 18-for-32 for 151 yards with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Caden High for Stanford (1-2, 0-2), which was limited to 237 yards of total offense. Micah Ford rushed for 76 yards on 11 attempts.
That touchdown to High capped off a near-perfect ending to the half for Stanford, after forcing a three-and-out from inside Duke's five-yard line, and then executing a strong two-minute drive. It was High's second touchdown as a Cardinal, and the 17th of his collegiate career.
The Cardinal offense did surrender its first turnover of the season, a fumble in the second quarter. But Davis Warren did not throw an interception and has started his Stanford career with 107 consecutive pass attempts without an interception. In all three games this season, Stanford has not lost the turnover battle (+2 margin on the season), with Darrius Davis intercepting Eget on Duke's first drive.
Stanford returns home to host Georgia Tech on Saturday.