Darian Mensah throws for two touchdowns, Nate Sheppard runs for two and Duke routs Syracuse 38-3

By Canadian Press on September 27, 2025.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — 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 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 offense, averaging nearly 8 yards per play, to the Orange’s 314.

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 loss was the largest under second-year Syracuse coach Fran Brown and matched the largest home loss for the Orange since joining the ACC in 2013. It came a week after Syracuse dominated Clemson in Death Valley 34-21.

“I want to apologize to the Syracuse fan base,” Brown said. “That performance that you’ve seen out there today was not good.”

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.

“Yeah, it was (a turning point), because obviously it would have an opportunity to be a big catch for them,” Duke coach Manny Diaz said. “It was a bang-bang play and the ball came out and again, just gives us confidence, probably hurts their confidence a little bit, but it was what we did with it. And I think that was really the point.”

“I’m not sure (it was a momentum shifter),” Brown said. “It was one of many that didn’t go our way. We still have to be able to learn. You can’t take one play and take that as something that would shift the game.”

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.

“I think he’ll get better,” Brown said of Collins. “It can’t get worse. He was doing his job. He was moving the ball. There were a lot of different flags at certain weird times that would never give him a chance to spark a drive. I’m comfortable with him and what he’s done..”

“We had some sparks in there, but we shot ourselves in the foot a whole lot that killed our momentum, but some things to build off of, definitely,” Collins said.

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.

The takeaway

Duke: The Blue Devils could be a surprise contender for the ACC title with Mensah leading the way on offense. Syracuse’s outstanding group of receivers couldn’t get much separation from the Duke secondary.

Syracuse: Collins started out well, but things deteriorated quickly. He seemed locked in on his first receiver, didn’t go through his progressions quickly enough, and fumbled a center snap. Syracuse’s defense didn’t help much, either.

Streak’s over

The loss ended Syracuse’s three-game winning streak.

Up next

Duke: Plays at Cal next Saturday.

Syracuse: Travels to SMU next Saturday.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here and here (AP News mobile app). AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

Mark Frank, The Associated Press