Duke Star Nate Sheppard Nominated For Prestigious CFB Award

The Duke Blue Devils are preparing for a massive game this weekend against the Miami Hurricanes, with the team still having a lot to play for this year.

Duke will be tested extremely by Miami this week, but the group has been preparing for this matchup. The Blue Devils know what is at stake in the game, and head coach Manny Diaz will have his guys ready to go.

This team will be entering the season with a record of 7-2 on the season, with the Blue Devils going 4-2 in ACC play. The Blue Devils can make a lot of noise in the ACC if they can take down the Hurricanes on the road this week.

Miami will enter the game against Duke with a record of 8-1 on the year, with the Hurricanes going 6-0 in ACC games. The Hurricanes dropped their first game a week ago, and this team will be coming in with a sense of desperation against the Blue Devils.

Ahead of the game against Miami, Duke star running back Nate Sheppard has been nominated for a major award in college football. Sheppard has been named a finalist for the Maxwell Award, which is given to the collegiate player of the year in the sport.

Sheppard has been the engine for the Duke offense all season long, and he will be relied upon heavily as the team moves forward. The star running back has put together a special year so far for the Blue Devils, and he doesn't seem to be slowing down.

Overall, Sheppard has rushed for 1,189 yards with 17 touchdowns on the ground, leading this rushing attack of Duke. But Sheppard has also helped in the passing game, catching 36 passes for 306 yards and four touchdowns.

Sheppard hasn't just been nominated for this award, but his incredible play has also gotten him mentioned into the Heisman Trophy race. While Sheppard may be on the outside looking in of the honor right now, if he were to keep stacking strong performances, his presence couldn't be denied.

For Duke to take down the Hurricanes this week, Sheppard is going to have to put together another impressive showing, giving the Blue Devils offense a lot of firepower. Kickoff for the game between the Blue Devils and the Hurricanes is set for 9:00 a.m. PT/12:00 p.m. ET from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.