The Duke football program picked up its third consecutive win with a 45-21 victory on the road over California on Saturday. After a slow start offensively, the Blue Devils found an offensive surge in the second quarter, scoring 38 unanswered points to erase a 21-7 deficit to the Golden Bears. Now, Duke sits atop the ACC standings as one of two teams that are 3-0 to begin ACC action. Manny Diaz and his guys have completely shifted a season that was filled with unforced errors and miscues to begin, now 4-2 overall. With how open the conference looks, bringing the first ACC Championship to Durham since 1989 is certainly in the cards. Amid the offensive success, Duke rookie linebacker Elliott Schaper came out of nowhere to lead the Blue Devils on the defensive side of the ball.
Duke rookie Elliott Schaper takes nation by storm with recent performance against California
Schaper appeared in his second game of his young Duke career against California, previously tallying three tackles in the Blue Devils' 38-3 victory over Syracuse last week. Injuries are beginning to pile up, and Diaz has needed to use his depth to keep his elite defense afloat. With more opportunities coming his way, Schaper is delivering in his time on the field.
The Austin, TX native led Duke against the Golden Bears with twelve tackles to go along with two sacks and an interception. Schaper was the X-Factor for the Blue Devils in the front seven, and it looks like he'll be a mainstay in the lineup for the foreseeable future.
The 2025 MaxPreps First Team All-American came into Duke as a three-star recruit according to 247Sports. He didn't see much time to begin the campaign, but with Duke losing its top three linebackers from a season ago, mixed with an injury to veteran Tre Freeman, he'll now be a key piece as Duke looks to keep the momentum rolling.
Virginia is the only other club to begin ACC play 3-0, as Duke sits atop the conference ranks. The Blue Devils have yet to receive any votes to jump into the Associated Press Poll, but if the program can keep stacking wins, it won't be long before the respect it deserves comes.