Draft Scout Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20 Player News, College Football: Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20

Duke won its first outright Atlantic Coast Conference title since 1962 and threw the College Football Playoff into chaos on Saturday night when Darian Mensah connected with Jeremiah Hasley for a 1-yard touchdown on a fourth-down play in overtime, and the unranked Blue Devils held on to beat No. 16 Virginia 27-20. The Blue Devils (8-5) are unlikely to make the playoff field, opening the door for a second Group of Five team - likely James Madison - to make it. Duke last won a share of the ACC regular-season title in 1989, sharing it with Virginia in Steve Spurrier's final season as the Blue Devils' coach. The conference championship game was created in 2005, and Duke got there this year thanks to a five-team tiebreaker. Virginia (10-3), the ACC regular-season champion, would have reached the CFP for the first time in school history with a victory but fell short when Chandler Morris was intercepted by Luke Mergott on the Cavaliers' first offensive play of OT. Mensah threw for 196 yards and two scores - both to Hasley - while Nate Sheppard ran for 97 yards and a score for Duke. Virginia trailed by 10 with 5:02 left in regulation, but got a field goal from Will Bettridge before Morris capped a 10-play, 96-yard drive with an 18-yard strike to Eli Wood in the left corner of the end zone with 22 seconds left to tie it at 20-all.

In the extra period, Sheppard got the Blue Devils to the Virginia 2 with three runs. Duke was stuffed twice before Mensah rolled out and found Hasley for the go-ahead score. Virginia was flagged for roughing passer on the throw, meaning it had to start its overtime possession at the 40 instead of the 25. Morris fired downfield on first down and was picked off by Mergott, setting off a raucuous celebration. Morris, who finished 21 of 40 for 216 yards with two TDs and two interceptions, was in tears after the game. J'Mari Taylor, the ACC's leading rusher, was limited to 65 yards on 15 carries and scored on an 11-yard reception. Duke established control of the line of scrimmage early. The Blue Devils controlled the clock in the first half, putting together the two longest drives in ACC championship game history - 9:38 and 8:02 - culminating with a 12-yard touchdown catch by Hasley and a 16-yard run by Sheppard to take a 14-7 lead into halftime. Duke coach Manny Diaz, who ran a fake field goal that led to the Blue Devils' dramatic win over rival North Carolina, called a fake punt on Duke's go-ahead drive in the second quarter. It worked, with Kevin O'Connor taking the direct snap and running up the middle for 6 yards. - Duke/AP College Football

(DS#4 QB) rSo/2028

QB Darian Mensah, Duke
News Source: Duke/AP College Football
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11/29/25 - Darian Mensah, rSo/2028, Duke, 6-3, 205 (DS#4 QB) + More +

Darian Mensah reached a record-setting passing touchdown total for Duke as the Blue Devils stayed alive for a chance at an Atlantic Coast Conference championship by defeating Wake Forest 49-32 on Saturday. Duke (7-5, 6-2 ACC) can reach next week's ACC title game if a couple of results in the conference fall its way later Saturday night. Mensah also ran for his first TD of the season. The transfer from Tulane finished the game 24-for-35 passing for 268 yards in the air. Anderson Castle and Nate Sheppard each had two touchdown runs and the Blue Devils never trailed in defeating Wake Forest (8-4, 4-4) for the fourth year in a row. Sahmir Hagans caught a touchdown pass and made an 80-yard kickoff return to set up the first points of the fourth quarter. Robby Ashford threw for two touchdowns and 342 yards and ran for a touchdown and a two-point conversion, but Wake Forest's three-game winning streak ended. The Demon Deacons committed four turnovers - including a fumble at the Duke 18-yard line with 6:38 left and were hit with 97 yards worth of penalties. Duke, which used a fake field goal to set up the winning touchdown a week earlier at North Carolina, pulled off a successful fake punt with less than 10 minutes to go with punter Kade Reynoldson running for a first down. The Blue Devils didn't score on the drive but chewed up an extra 2½ minutes while holding a 42-32 lead. Mensah's third-quarter touchdown pass to Hagans for 30 yards set the Duke single-season record with 27 before he added another in the game's final minute. - Duke/AP College Football

(DS#4 QB) rSo/2028

QB Darian Mensah, Duke
News Source: Duke/AP College Football
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11/24/25 - Todd Pelino, Sr/2026, Duke, 6-2, 190 (DS#38 K) + More +

WEEK 13 ACC SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK: Todd Pelino, Sr., PK, Duke (Cornelius, North Carolina),...With Duke trailing 25-24 with 2:26 remaining at North Carolina and facing a fourth-and-three from the Tar Heel 27-yard line, Pelino ran a fake field goal 26 yards to the North Carolina one-yard line, which set up a touchdown and two-point conversion to account for the final points...The fake marked the first time Pelino had run the ball during his Duke career...Also scored six points on a 33-yard field goal and three PATs. - ACC Football

(DS#38 K) Sr/2026

K Todd Pelino, Duke
News Source: ACC Football
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11/22/25 - Anderson Castle, rSr/2026, Duke, 6-0, 215 (DS#67 RB) + More +

Anderson Castle punched in the go-ahead 1-yard touchdown with 2:18 left set up by an audacious fake field-goal call and Duke followed with a late stop to hold off rival North Carolina 32-25 on Saturday. The win made the Blue Devils (6-5, 5-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) bowl eligible again, along with ensuring they could keep the Victory Bell that goes to the rivalry winner for another year. Castle ran for three 1-yard touchdowns for Duke, then joined with kicker Todd Pelino to finally put the Blue Devils on top.

With Duke trailing 25-24, Duke lined up a 45-yard field goal for the lead - only to see holder Kade Reynoldson take the snap and flip it to Pelino to the left side. Pelino took off to the open field for 26 yards, getting all the way to the UNC 1-yard line in a stunning play that set up Castle's score. Gio Lopez threw and ran for a touchdown for UNC (4-7, 2-5), while Davion Gause also ran one in. But the loss means UNC won't be able to reach the six-win threshold for bowl eligibility in Bill Belichick's first season. UNC had a final possession, but didn't move the ball before Lopez's fourth-down throw for Kobe Paysour fell incomplete with 1:18 left. - Duke/AP College Football

(DS#67 RB) rSr/2026

RB Anderson Castle, Duke
News Source: Duke/AP College Football
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11/19/25 - Sahmir Hagans, rSr/2026, Duke, 5-10, 195 (DS#116 WR) + More +

WEEK 10 ACC SPECIALIST OF THE WEEK: Samir Hagans, Gr., WR/KR, Duke (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania),...Turned in a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at 8:33 in the third quarter to help Duke tie the game at 35-35 en route to a 46-45 victory on the road at Clemson...The score marked Hagans' second career kickoff return for a touchdown after a 99-yard return against Ole Miss in the 2024 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl...Tallied the seventh 100+ yd kickoff return in program history and the first since DeVon Edwards versus Georgia Tech in 2015...Became the second Blue Devil in program history with multiple 99+ yard touchdowns, joining Edwards (4)...Also caught the game-winning, two-point conversion with 40 seconds left in the victory...His performance helped Duke to its first win in Death Valley since 1980 and the first time the Blue Devils had consecutive victories against Clemson since 1969 and 1970...Helped the Blue Devils extend their road ACC winning streak to five games, the program's longest since 1961-63. - ACC Football

(DS#116 WR) rSr/2026

WR Sahmir Hagans, Duke
News Source: ACC Football
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11/19/25 - Darian Mensah, rSo/2028, Duke, 6-3, 205 (DS#4 QB) + More +

WEEK 10 ACC QUARTERBACK OF THE WEEK: Darian Mensah, R-So., QB, Duke (San Luis Obispo, California),...Led Duke to a 46-45 victory at Clemson to improve to 4-1 in ACC play...Marched the Blue Devils down the field for a 94-yard game-winning drive with a deciding touchdown and two-point conversion with 40 seconds to play...In the game-winning march, Mensah completed six of eight passes for 83 yards and two third or fourth-down conversions...Helped Duke go five-for-five on fourth-down plays at Clemson with four completions for firsts...Passed for 361 yards to lift his season total to 2,572, the most through a QB's first eight starts in Duke history and the second most by any Duke QB through the first eight games of a season.

Threw three of his four touchdown passes in the opening frame. The three scores are the most in a quarter by a Blue Devil since Daniel Jones in 2018...His performance helped Duke to its first win in Death Valley since 1980 and the first time the Blue Devils had consecutive victories against Clemson since 1969 and 1970...Helped the Blue Devils extend their road ACC winning streak to five games, the program's longest since 1961-63...Has not thrown an interception since the 3:28 mark of the second quarter at Tulane on September 13. The string of 209 consecutive passes without an interception is the longest in Duke history, the longest active streak in the ACC and the third longest active streak within the FBS. - ACC Football

(DS#4 QB) rSo/2028

QB Darian Mensah, Duke
News Source: ACC Football
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11/01/25 - Darian Mensah, rSo/2028, Duke, 6-3, 205 (DS#4 QB) + More +

Duke coach Manny Diaz did not want to chance overtime at Clemson's Death Valley. His team made sure he wouldn't have to. Nate Sheppard had a 3-yard touchdown run with 40 seconds left and Duke followed with a two-point conversion from Darian Mensah to Shamir Hagans to win at Clemson for the first time since 1980 with a 46-45 victory Saturday. "Going extra innings at Death Valley isn't really a good plan," Diaz said. Winning in regulation somewhere you hadn't in 45 years? "This is a major step for our program," Diaz said. The Blue Devils (5-3, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) trailed 45-38 and started the game-winning drive on their 6-yard line. Mensah led an 11-play drive in which he converted two fourth downs to set up Sheppard's TD run.

There was no hesitation from Duke's Diaz who kept the offense on the field and Mensah quicky found Hagans for the decisive points. It was a quirky game of dramatic momentum swings. Duke looked unstoppable in gaining 199 yards in the first quarter to lead 21-7. But Clemson woke up with three straight TDs to lead 28-21. The Tigers looked in control again with six minutes left until Duke's final drive. "We just stayed poised and showed our confidence," Mensah said. It was another low moment in a terrible season for Clemson (3-5, 1-4), the defending ACC champions and a trendy pick to win Dabo Swinney's third national title. The Tigers have lost four home games for the first time since 1998. They're on pace for Swinney's worst season since 2010 when the Tigers were 6-7 and the coach thought his time at the school was done. Instead, he won eight ACC titles and national championships after the 2016 and 2018 seasons. "I feel like I'm in 2010 all over again," Swinney said. After Duke took the final lead, the Tigers tried a desperation, pass the ball to anyone open play as the clock ran out. When Duke finally stopped the play, the sidelines jumped into joyous celebration. After all, it had been more than four decades since the football Blue Devils had left Death Valley with a victory. - Duke/AP College Football

(DS#4 QB) rSo/2028

QB Darian Mensah, Duke
News Source: Duke/AP College Football
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10/03/25 - Dylan Flowers, rSr/2027, Duke, 5-10, 178 (DS#999 CB) + More +

Koron Hayward and Dylan Flowers made game-changing defensive plays in the third quarter and Jaylen Lewis made a stop on fourth-and-1 in the closing minutes as Western Kentucky rallied for a 27-24 over Delaware on Friday night. Three snaps after the Hilltoppers kicked a field goal on the opening drive of the second half, Hayward had a 25-yard pick-6 that put them ahead 20-17.

The Blue Hens quickly went 80 yards on the ensuing possession, but on second-and-goal from the 4, Flowers hit quarterback Nick Minicucci as he neared the end zone and Elin Jones recovered it in the end zone. Delaware then marched 80 yards to take a 27-17 lead on a 5-yard pass from Maverick McIvor to George Hart III. Minicucci's third short touchdown run with 9:54 left to play made it 27-24 but the next drive - 11 plays taking up 4 1/2 minutes - ended on downs and on the last play of the game Nate Reed missed a 42-yard field goal to the right. McIver was 23 of 31 for 230 yards for Western Kentucky (5-1, 3-0 Conference USA). Minicucci was 28-of-47 passing for 314 yards and added 55 yards on the ground for the Blue Hens (3-2, 1-1), who had a 10-game home winning streak end. - Western Kentucky/AP College Football

(DS#999 CB) rSr/2027

CB Dylan Flowers, Duke
News Source: Western Kentucky/AP College Football
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09/29/25 - Brian Parker II, rJr/2026, Duke, 6-5, 305 (DS#8 OT) + More +

WEEK 5 ACC OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK: Brian Parker II, R-Jr., RT, Duke (Cincinnati, Ohio),...Started at right tackle and helped pave the way for Duke to reach 503 yards of total offense while rolling to a 38-3 victory at Syracuse...Posted an 88.2 PFF offensive grade for Week 5, the highest among tackles nationally...Recorded an 88.1 PFF run blocking grade, the highest among tackles nationally...Helped Duke surpass 500 yards of total offense for a fifth consecutive game, the most for the program since the 2013 Chick-fil-A Bowl and the first four contests of the 2014 season.

Duke's offense remained explosive at Syracuse, adding seven more plays of at least 20 yards, including four plays that went for at least 30 yards. The Blue Devils are up to sixth nationally in offensive plays of 20+ yards this season and third in plays of 30+ yards...Helped to provide running lanes for true freshman Nate Sheppard to have a record-setting day with an 11.2 yards per carry average, the highest by a Duke rookie in program history...Opened holes for three rushing touchdowns, including two by Sheppard...Named to the Pro Football Focus (PFF) National Team of the Week for his efforts. - ACC Football

(DS#8 OT) rJr/2026

OT Brian Parker II, Duke
News Source: ACC Football
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09/29/25 - Nate Sheppard, Fr/2029, Duke, 5-09, 200 (DS#11 RB) + More +

WEEK 5 ACC RUNNING BACK & ROOKIE OF THE WEEK: Nate Sheppard, Fr., RB, Duke (Mandeville, Louisiana),...Made his first career start at Syracuse and rushed for 168 yards and two touchdowns...His 169 rushing yards are the fourth most by a Duke freshman in a game in program history and the most nationally by a freshman in a game this season...Averaged 11.2 yards per rush, the highest by a Duke freshman (minimum 15 attempts) in a single game...Rushed for two touchdowns at Syracuse to become one of 11 true freshmen in the country to rush for multiple scores in a game this season and just the second true freshman to do so against a Power Four opponent...Finished the game with 201 all-purpose yards, which is tied for the fifth most by a Duke freshman in a game and the second most nationally by a freshman in a game this season...Averaging 8.09 yards per carry this season, which is second in the ACC overall and the fifth-highest mark among freshmen, true or redshirt, nationally with at least 20 carries. - ACC Football

(DS#11 RB) Fr/2029

RB Nate Sheppard, Duke
News Source: ACC Football
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09/27/25 - Darian Mensah, rSo/2028, Duke, 6-3, 205 (DS#4 QB) + More +

Darian Mensah threw two touchdown passes to Cooper Barkate, Nate Sheppard ran for two more, and Duke scored 35 unanswered points in routing Syracuse 38-3 Saturday. Mensah, who now has 13 touchdown passes, was 22 of 28 for 268 yards. Sheppard had 168 yards on 15 carries for the Blue Devils (3-2, 2-0 Atlantic Coast Conference), including scoring runs of 49 and 12 yards. Que'sean Brown and Sahmir Hagans had five catches each for 64 and 59 yards, respectively. Duke amassed 504 yards of total offense averaging nearly 8 yards per play. Syracuse (3-2, 1-1 ACC) quarterback Rickie Collins, making his first collegiate start replacing Steve Angeli, out for the season with a torn Achilles, was 24 of 37 for 229 yards. Johntay Cook had eight receptions for 84 yards but fumbled twice, one on a controversial play that shifted the game's momentum.

Yasin Wllis ran for 63 yards. The game turned early in the second quarter with Syracuse trailing 10-3 and driving. Collins hit Cook on a 19-yard pass play to the Duke 39. The Blue Devils were called for targeting, but after a lengthy review, officials ruled Cook fumbled. The ball was recovered by Bradley Gompers and the Blue Devils scored just three plays later on a 34-yard strike from Mensah to Barkate, extending the margin to 17-3. Syracuse never threatened after that. Things looked promising at the start for Collins as he completed his first pass to Cook for 18 yards, but his next attempt was batted down. Collins completed his third pass to Cook but Duke safety Caleb Weaver intercepted his next attempt and returned it 40 yards, setting up a 22-yard field goal by Todd Pelino. Syracuse tied the score at 3 on a 29-yard field goal by Tripp Woody, but then it was all Duke, who led 24-3 at the half. - Duke/AP College Football

(DS#4 QB) rSo/2028

QB Darian Mensah, Duke
News Source: Duke/AP College Football
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09/22/25 - Anderson Castle, rSr/2026, Duke, 6-0, 215 (DS#67 RB) + More +

WEEK 4 ACC RUNNING BACK OF THE WEEK: Anderson Castle, Gr., RB, Duke (Boone, North Carolina),...Rushed for three touchdowns and 92 total yards in the win over NC State in the Blue Devils' ACC opener...Became just the fifth Blue Devil, and only the second running back, since 1996 to rush for three or more scores in an ACC game...He is one of just seven FBS players with three or more rushing touchdowns in a conference contest this season...His three-touchdown game was the first by a Blue Devil since Riley Leonard's three scores against Miami on October 22, 2022...The three rushing scores are tied for the ninth most by a Blue Devil in program history...His 92 rushing yards were his highest single-game total since rushing for 119 yards against Miami (Ohio) in 2023...He capped the game with a career-long 66-yard rush. - ACC Football

(DS#67 RB) rSr/2026

RB Anderson Castle, Duke
News Source: ACC Football
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09/22/25 - DaShawn Stone, rSo/2028, Duke, 6-3, 200 (DS#17 SS) + More +

WEEK 4 ACC DEFENSIVE BACK OF THE WEEK: DaShawn Stone, S, R-So., Duke (Asheville, North Carolina),...Finished with a career-high and team-best 11 tackles against NC State...His 11 tackles are tied for the most by an ACC player in a league game this season...Added his second career interception, and first of 2025, versus the Wolfpack...He has recorded seven or more stops in four of his last five games...In his first season as a starter, he leads the Blue Devils with 31 tackles. - ACC Football

(DS#17 SS) rSo/2028

SS DaShawn Stone, Duke
News Source: ACC Football
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09/20/25 - Darian Mensah, rSo/2028, Duke, 6-3, 205 (DS#4 QB) + More +

Darian Mensah threw three touchdown passes and Duke snapped a two-game losing streak, overcoming a 13-point deficit to beat N.C. State 45-33 on Saturday. The Blue Devils (2-2, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference opener) scored 21 points in less than four minutes of game time spanning the two halves to surge into the lead. Anderson Castle added three rushing touchdowns, including a clinching 66-yard dash on third down with 2:19 remaining. CJ Bailey tossed two touchdowns passes to Terrell Anderson but was intercepted three times for N.C. State (3-1, 1-1). Hollywood Smothers rushed for 123 yards and one touchdown and Will Wilson had two 1-yard TD runs. Anderson picked up 166 yards on six catches.

Mensah was 19-for-28 for 269 yards. Castle gained 92 rushing yards on 12 attempts. NC State drove 99 yards to score on the second play of the second quarter on Bailey's 6-yard throw to Anderson and later extended the lead to 20-7. The big play came inside of two minutes in the first half when Duke linebacker Tre Freeman intercepted Bailey's fourth-down pass, returning it 67 yards to set up a go-ahead 1-yard touchdown run from Castle. - Duke/AP College Football

(DS#4 QB) rSo/2028

QB Darian Mensah, Duke
News Source: Duke/AP College Football
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09/08/25 - Vincent Anthony Jr., Sr/2026, Duke, 6-5, 260 (DS#28 DE) + More +

WEEK 2 ACC DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE WEEK: Vincent Anthony Jr., Sr., DE, Duke (Durham, North Carolina),...Logged a career-high 3.0 sacks against then-No. 11 Illinois...Recorded a pair of stops within Illinois' first 10 offensive plays...His sack total is tied for the most in Duke history against a ranked opponent...Has recorded sacks in back-to-back games and in three of his last four appearances...He leads all FBS players with 4.0 sacks through Week 2. - ACC Football

(DS#28 DE) Sr/2026

DE Vincent Anthony Jr., Duke
News Source: ACC Football
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