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November 29, 2025
DURHAM, N.C. — It was Senior Day in Durham on a brisk November afternoon, and the Duke Blue Devils (7-5) made sure their season finished on the right note.
Hosting Big Four rival Wake Forest (8-4) in the regular-season finale, both teams entered the day looking to strengthen their bowl positioning. But from the opening drive, Duke seized the stage.
The Blue Devils covered 75 yards in eight plays on their first possession. Penalties played a major role — 30 yards worth on the Deacons — helping Duke convert key first downs before Nate Sheppard powered in from 5 yards out to take a 7-0 lead.
Wake Forest answered, but settled for three. Connor Calvert connected on a 42-yard field goal to pull the Deacons within 7-3 with 5:53 left in the first quarter. Duke pushed its cushion back to two scores before the period ended, with Darian Mensah scoring on a 4-yard designed run for a 14-3 edge entering the second.
Wake found a rhythm early in the second. Robby Ashford led a 10-play, 75-yard drive, finishing it with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Sawyer Racanelli to cut Duke’s lead to 14-10. The Deacons soon pushed for more, only to see momentum swing abruptly when a fumble in Duke territory was recovered by the Blue Devils. Duke’s offense stalled and punted after a three-and-out.
The Blue Devils’ defense delivered the next statement, stopping Ashford 1 yard short on 4th-and-short in Wake territory. The stop set up a 1-yard Castle Anderson touchdown run with 1:38 left in the half to extend Duke’s lead to 21-10.
Wake wouldn’t let the half end quietly. Karate Brenson broke loose for a 20-yard touchdown run with 43 seconds remaining, tightening the score to 21-17 at the break.
Duke wasted little time out of halftime. Consecutive touchdown drives on short fields pushed the lead to 35-17 with 3:52 left in the third quarter, applying pressure to a Wake Forest defense that entered the day with one of the ACC’s most efficient, physical fronts — and playing with far more wins on its résumé than losses.
Ashford answered to close the third quarter, finishing a series with a rushing touchdown, then punching in the 2-point conversion himself to pull the Deacons to 35-25 entering the fourth.
But Duke delivered the decisive blow moments later.
A 68-yard kickoff return to the Wake 14 flipped the field and set up Sheppard’s second touchdown of the day — a 14-yard dash down the sideline that pushed Duke ahead 42-25 with 13:57 left.
From there, Duke’s ground game controlled the clock and the defense turned away every Wake bid to threaten again. The rivalry matchup lived up to the moment for three quarters, but in the fourth, the Blue Devils made sure the day — and the season’s final chapter — belonged to their seniors.
Duke closed its campaign with its highest offensive output of the year, celebrating its senior class with a win over a familiar foe while solidifying its postseason case.
Nate Sheppard set a new freshman touchdown record scoring his 9th rushing TD for Duke in the 4th quarter. Sheppard and the Duke running game were too much for the Deacons to overcome.
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