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Blue Devil Nation Reacts to Lopsided Win Over William & Mary

Duke is 4-0 for the second time under head coach Manny Diaz.
Hugh Straine|
Sep 26, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarter back Walker Eget (2) throws the ball during the first quarter against the William & Mary Tribe at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images
Sep 26, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarter back Walker Eget (2) throws the ball during the first quarter against the William & Mary Tribe at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

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The Duke football program is 4-0 for the second time under Manny Diaz and is firmly in the mix at the top of the ACC standings.

The Blue Devils handled business against FCS opponent William & Mary on Saturday, defeating the Tribe 62-7 at home. Diaz and Co. put up an offensive onslaught, and many young players earned memorable moments.

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Sep 26, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils offensive lineman Matt Craycraft (72) celebrates a touchdown by running back Nate Sheppard's (20) against the William & Mary Tribe during the first quarter at Wallace Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Duke now heads into the bye week before ACC action really gets underway. Next up, the Blue Devils will take on Georgia Tech in Atlanta on Oct. 10. This matchup is a very winnable one for Duke, but one it needs to have.

There was a lot to like about the Blue Devils' big win over William & Mary. Several young Blue Devils secured the first touchdowns of their careers in Durham.

Touchdowns Galore!

Against William & Mary, seven different Blue Devils notched their first touchdowns with Duke. Wide receivers Jaivon Solomon, Jayden Moore, Jared Richardson, Kavon Simmons, and Brody Keefe all caught one; freshman running back CJ Givers found the end zone, and redshirt freshman quarterback Dan Mahan threw his first three collegiate scores.

Duke starting QB Walker Eget was poised in his action, completing 16-of-22 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns before his day was done. Mahan was clinical after he took over for the San Jose State transfer, completing 6-of-7 passes for 126 yards and three touchdown passes.

If you're a Duke fan, you're probably very excited about the program's future at the quarterback position. As long as Eget stays healthy, it's hard to imagine Mahan seeing the field much more this year. However, in 2027, he will firmly be in the mix to lead the charge for Duke on the offensive side of the ball.

Blue Devils Remain Atop the ACC Standings

At the time this article was written, the only other 4-0 squads in the ACC are Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech. Miami will, in all likelihood, defeat Central Michigan to join that group by the end of the day.

Wake Forest's win over Louisville shakes up the league, and it really feels like the conference is completely wide open after Miami. The Blue Devils are right in the mix, and a 6-0 start is very much in the cards.

Duke should defeat its next two opponents: Georgia Tech (road) and North Carolina (home). The Blue Devils are riding momentum and using the preseason doubts as fuel.

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Hugh Straine
HUGH STRAINE

Hugh Straine is an accomplished writer and proud Bucknell University alumnus, holding a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing. He has served as editor of The Bucknellian, worked as an analyst for ESPN+ and Hulu, and currently reports on college sports as a general reporter for On SI.

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