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Photo by: Duke Athletics
10/27/2026 12:02:00 PM | Football
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Duke running back Nate Sheppard earned a place on the Week 8 Texas Roadhouse Paul Hornung Award Weekly Honor Roll, according to an announcement Tuesday by the Paul Hornung Award.
In helping Duke to a 19-16 victory at Virginia on Friday, Sheppard rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown to reach 2,000 career rushing yards. He is the 10th Blue Devil to reach the mark and has done so the second fastest, hitting 2,000 yards in 21 career games. Of the other nine Blue Devils with 2,000 career rushing yards, only Steve Jones (1970-72) hit the mark as quickly, also reaching in 21 games. Of the other eight Blue Devils, each took at least 30 games to reach the plateau. In the ACC since 1996, Sheppard is tied for the seventh fastest to 2,000 career yards. Sheppard is already ninth in Duke history in career rushing yardage with 2,007, 18 yards away from Jela Duncan (2012-16/2,025) for ninth.
At Virginia, Sheppard ran for a 32-yard touchdown on Duke's first drive and threw a 28-yard touchdown on the Blue Devils' final drive. With the Cavaliers clinging to a 16-13 advantage with 1:14 to play, Sheppard tossed his first career pass to Brody Keefe. Sheppard became the first non-quarterback to throw a touchdown pass for the Blue Devils since Deon Jackson tossed a 29-yard scoring strike to Dennis Smith at Florida State on December 12, 2020. Since 1996, Sheppard joins Scottie Montgomery (1999), Ben Erdeljac (2000), D. Bryant (2000), Brandon Connette (2012) and Shaun Wilson (2017) as Blue Devils to have at least one passing, receiving and rushing touchdown in the same season. In 2026, Sheppard joins Braden Atkinson (Oregon State), Bear Bachmeier (BYU), Byrum Brown (Auburn), J.J. Kohl (FIU), AJ Newberry (Oregon State), Malachi Singleton (Appalachian State) and Kamario Taylor (Mississippi State) and FBS players to have at least one passing, rushing and receiving touchdown this season.
The Louisville Sports Commission successfully launched the Paul Hornung Award in 2010 to honor its namesake and native son, and to promote outstanding performances by versatile college football players who often go unnoticed. Each week during the regular season, a panel of college football experts selects players for the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll based on performance. A national selection committee comprised of 18 sports journalists and former NFL stars votes for the Hornung Award finalists and the winner, with fan voting powered by Texas Roadhouse comprising the 19th vote.
Duke (5-2, 2-2 ACC) returns home to welcome Boston College (4-3, 2-2 ACC) for a 12 p.m. Halloween tilt inside Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium.
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