Rodney Knuppel Sat, October 24, 2026 at 12:24 PM UTC · 2 min read About Our Ads Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Duke pulled off a game-winning trick play with its running back throwing the touchdown originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
Duke needed a touchdown, and the play that delivered it started with a running back catching a backward pass.
Trailing Virginia 16-13 late in the fourth quarter Friday, the Blue Devils moved 75 yards in seven plays. On second-and-8 from the Cavaliers' 28, quarterback Walker Eget flipped the ball backward to Nate Sheppard. The sophomore running back then threw downfield to Brody Keefe, who was open in the end zone for the go-ahead score with 1:14 left.
The play gave Duke a 19-16 lead, and turned Sheppard into the unlikely hero of the finish. The Blue Devils still had to defend the advantage. Virginia got another chance to answer, but Duke intercepted Beau Pribula on fourth down to seal the win.
That finish had everything a close rivalry game needs: a late lead change, a surprise throw from a player better known for carrying the ball, and a defensive stop to close it out. It also snapped Duke's two-game losing streak and moved the Blue Devils to 5-2 overall.
The trick play worked because the defense had to respect the run and the action in the backfield. Sheppard's pass found Keefe in space, and the wide receiver did the rest. A play that could have been a risky call instead became the deciding moment of the night.
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Duke and Virginia have already played a dramatic game with major stakes in this rivalry. Friday's result offered a very different ending: no overtime, no drawn-out finish, just a perfectly timed surprise that gave the Blue Devils the lead and a chance to make one final stop.
A running back throwing the winning touchdown is the kind of moment that will get replayed all weekend. Duke will remember it for more than the highlight, though. It was a road win secured by a bold call, a composed finish and a defense that delivered when the game was on the line.
Source: Sports
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