4 winners and 2 losers as Duke steamrolls Stanford to improve to 3-0

Duke just keeps winning. They did it in different ways the first two weeks. It was the defense that carried the day in the 17-3 win over Tulane in the opener. On the road last week against Illinois, it was the offense, with Walker Eget coming alive and throwing three touchdown passes as the Blue Devils edged the Illini.

This week against Stanford, Manny Diaz and his team put it all together in a 35-7 bloodletting. The offense rolled, led by Nate Sheppard again. And the defense smothered the Stanford attack. The third quarter told the tale, with the Blue Devils extending a 14-7 halftime lead to a 28-7 advantage after three.

Duke outgained Stanford 162-15 in the third quarter, turning a close game into a total laugher.

Now, Duke is 3-0 heading into a matchup against FCS foe William & Mary. Let's look back at the winners and losers from the 35-7 win.

Winner: Nate Sheppard

Could we start anywhere else? A Stanford DB was convinced that nobody was going to run the ball on the Cardinal this year. He just made the mistake of lumping Sheppard in with everyone else in the country. Unfortunately for him, Sheppard is no mere mortal, and there's nothing you can do to stop him this year.

Sheppard turned 23 carries into 154 yards with three total touchdowns. He set the tone early, breaking free for a 32-yard touchdown early in the second quarter to give Duke a lead it would never relinquish.

Through three games, Sheppard has rushed for 528 yards and punched in eight total touchdowns. He's been as good as any player in college football this season, and with Duke's success, he should be right in the thick of the Heisman Trophy conversation.

Winner: Jeremiah Hasley

There aren't many tight ends in the country better than Duke's Jeremiah Hasley. His all-around game is a huge piece of the puzzle for Jonathan Brewer's offense. He's an excellent blocker, and as he displayed against Stanford, he's dangerous with the ball in his hands, too.

Hasley served as an excellent safety valve for Walker Eget, leading Duke with five receptions for 88 yards on six targets. He picked up 44 yards after the catch, showing his dynamic ability with the ball in his hands for a player of his size.

Winner: Tyshon Reed

Tyshon Reed is off to a monstrous start to the season for Duke. He's a big part of the increased pass rush verocity for the Blue Devils this season. He finished with two of the four sacks in the game for Duke, helping key a defensive effort that completely swallowed Stanford whole.

The Cardinal were held to just 237 yards of offense, and QB Davis Warren was consistently under duress the entire afternoon.

Winner: Kevin O'Connor

O'Connor came up with the other two sacks for Duke, and he produced one of the biggest plays of the game.

Following Sheppard's touchdown run to put Duke up 7-0, O'Connor came off the edge and got a strip sack of Warren to set Duke up at the Stanford 35. Six plays later, Sheppard was back in the endzone and the Blue Devils extended their lead to 14-0.

Reed, O'Connor, and Bryce Davis give Duke a terrifying trio of havoc-creating pass rushers.

Loser: Javen Nicholas

The Charlotte transfer made his Duke debut on Saturday, but he was only targeted once. He caught one pass but lost a yard on the reception.

It was not the debut he probably hoped for, but brighter days are ahead for hm and the other two transfer additions at WR for Duke.

Jared Richardson caught his first passes of the season, and Jonah Burton has been the leading receiver so far this year. Duke's offense is going to be run-focused, but as Eget continues to get comfortable, there will be opportunities for the receivers to make plays down the field.

Loser: Duke's team discipline

There aren't many negatives to take away from Duke's 28-point conference win, but one thing that continues to be a concern so far this year is penalties. Diaz's squad was penalized nine times for 80 yards on Saturday, something that was a source of frustration for him in the postgame.

In three games, Duke has been penalized 28 times for 245 yards. It's that kind of stuff that can be costly in close games, and you can bet it will be a point of emphasis for Diaz and his staff to get cleaned up going forward.

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