WZBC Football Preview: Eagles Take On Duke in Durham

October 30, 2026 · by · in Football

By Shaye Ventura  

Favor Bate, photo taken by Maddie Townsend

Fresh off a dominant 49-27 win over Georgia Tech, the Boston College Eagles head to Durham, NC, to face Duke University on Halloween. The defending ACC Champs, 5-2 this season, broke their 2-game skid last week against Virginia and are looking to be a real competitor in the ever-chaotic ACC. Today, we’re breaking down the biggest strengths and weaknesses of the Blue Devils.

 

Overview

BC holds a 5-4 record over Duke, with a 2-1 record in Durham. Their last matchup was in 2022, when the Eagles lost 38-31.

This week, ESPN gives Boston College only a 23% chance to win, and sportsbooks have Duke as a 7.5-point favorite. BC hopes to win its 3rd in a row and advance to 3-2 in conference play. 

 

Nate Sheppard

Duke’s Nate Sheppard is the ACC’s top rusher and top 5 nationally. He is averaging a monster 5.7 yards per carry. He also has the most touchdowns of any non-QB in the ACC. BC’s defense is strong, but it ranks 89th in rushing yards allowed, while its passing defense ranks in the top 20. To win, the Eagles must shut down the run as they did against Justice Haynes last week. Sheppard is dangerous in the passing game as well, with 4 of his 13 touchdowns coming through the air (and a passing touchdown against Virginia last week). Duke’s goal is simple: get the ball to their best player by any means necessary. 

 

The Offensive Line

Sheppard doesn’t work alone, however. Duke’s offensive line is a massive part of this team’s success. They have the 10th fewest tackles for loss allowed per game and the second-fewest TFL yards allowed nationally. They are also strong in pass protection: they’ve allowed the fewest sacks in the ACC (3). BC struggles to pressure the QB, ranking 125 out of 138 FBS teams

 

Defense

Duke ranks top 5 in both passing and rushing yards per game in the ACC, and is a top 10 3rd-down zone defense in the nation, allowing only a 29.7% conversion rate. Virginia still racked up 225 rushing yards last week, despite only averaging 3.7 yards per carry. They have only 2 interceptions this year, so attacking from the air could work for BC, but the Eagles need Mason McKenzie to get the ball out quickly and their receivers to create separation. 

 

Injury Report

Starting defensive back Kimari Robinson, who has five tackles in two games, is out for this weekend, as is safety Andrew Pellicciotta. Cornerback Kyon Loud and safety Ché Ojarikre are also questionable. If both are out, BC’s passing offense could do real damage, especially since star tight end Kaelen Chudzinski is off the injury report for Boston College after injuring his Achilles over the summer. 

 

Keys to the Game

  • Win the Trenches: Boston College’s defense must be able to hold up against this top O-line unit.
  • Force the Pass: Putting Duke in passing situations gives the Eagles’ defense the best chance to make a play.
  • Run the Ball: Do what makes you great. Establish the run and control the flow of the game, similar to Virginia last week. 
  • Utilize your Returning Weapon: With Kaelen Chudzinski possibly returning Saturday after what looked like a season-ending injury (game time decision, according to O’Brien), Mason McKenzie gains an amazing, reliable weapon in the passing game. Building chemistry quickly will pay dividends all season, and also help take pressure off McKenzie and the other pass catchers. 
  • Special Teams: Of the 4 Power 4 Teams Duke has played, all but one were one-score games. BC cannot afford to leave points off the board, and needs last year’s consistency from kicker Luca Lombardo.

 

Listen to the Eagles take on the Blue Devils this Saturday, October 31st, at 12:00 pm on WZBC Sports 90.3 FM, X, and Twitch.