The reigning ACC champion Duke Blue Devils open the 2026 season Saturday, Sept. 5, against Tulane at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham.
Duke returns 1,000-yard rusher Nate Sheppard and veteran linebacker Luke Mergott but will have a new starting quarterback in San Jose State transfer Walker Eget.
Tulane, which beat Duke 34-27 last season, begins a new era under head coach Will Hall after significant offseason roster turnover.
🔄 Last Updated: September 1, 2026 1:39 am
NC Football News’ 2026 Duke Football Preview: Can the reigning ACC champs prove they are a program here to stay?
🏟️ Tulane at Duke Game Center
Date: Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Wallace Wade Stadium (Durham, NC)
TV/Stream: ACC Network
Announcers: Jorge Sedano (play-by-play), Rodney McLeod (analyst) and Ashley Stroehlein (sideline)
Weather Forecast: Partly sunny, hot, with temperatures in the low 90s
Spread: Duke -7.5
Over/Under: 50.5
Moneyline: Duke -310, Tulane +250
Lines via DraftKings, Sept. 1, 2026
🩹 Duke-Tulane Injury Updates
- Duke offensive lineman Roman Fina suffered a lower body injury during preseason training and will be out for the season, according to coach Manny Diaz.
- Tulane running back Jamauri McClure will miss the Duke game with an injured left foot, per coach Will Hall.
🔍 What to Know About Tulane at Duke
What time is the Duke-Tulane football game?
Duke and Tulane kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 5, at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham.
What channel is Duke-Tulane football on?
The Duke-Tulane football game will air on ACC Network and will be streamed on the ESPN app.
Duke begins its ACC title defense
Manny Diaz enters his third season as Duke’s head coach, following a 9-5 campaign in 2025 that included an ACC championship and bowl victory over Arizona State.
The Blue Devils return 10 starters from a year ago but must replace 17. They were picked to finish 10th in the ACC in the 2026 preseason media poll. Duke is one of five ACC programs to return both coordinators, Jonathan Brewer (OC) and Jonathan Patke (DC).
Tulane also won a conference title in 2025 (American) but lost head coach Jon Sumrall to Florida. Will Hall was hired to replace Sumrall in December 2025. Hall was head coach at Southern Miss from 2021-24 before becoming Tulane’s passing game coordinator in 2025.
Walker Eget takes the helm as Duke’s QB
Duke must replace 2025 starting quarterback Darian Mensah, who transferred to Miami. The Blue Devils in late August named San Jose State transfer Walker Eget the starter for the season opener.
Eget threw for more than 3,000 yards and 17 TDs last season before a knee injury cut his season short. Dan Mahan, who played at Burlington Williams High, will be the backup.
Tulane turns to Zeon Chriss-Gremillion
Tulane has named fifth-year Zeon Chriss-Gremillion as its starting quarterback. Chriss-Gremillion started his career at Louisiana in 2022 and played at Houston in 2024 and 2025. He has a record of 6-7 as a starter. His career stat line over 28 games: 2,263 passing yards, 17 TDs, 15 INTs, 992 rushing yards, 10 rushing TDs.
Nate Sheppard leads Duke’s returning offense
Duke returns a 1,000-yard rusher, Nate Sheppard, who finished with 1,132 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. Sheppard rushed for 170 yards in the Sun Bowl win over Arizona State.
📚 Duke-Tulane Series History
- The overall series is tied 3-3 (Nov. 28, 1964 – Sept. 13, 2025)
- Last Meeting: Tulane defeated Duke 34-27 last season. The Green Wave built a 24-3 lead and quarterback Jake Retzlaff rushed for four touchdowns.
- First Meeting: The Blue Devils failed to score in a 17-0 loss in New Orleans in 1964.
- Duke is 2-1 all-time at home against Tulane, winning at Wallace Wade in 2011 (48-27) and 2014 (47-13)
🔗 More NC Football Coverage
- Duke Football Schedule
- Duke 2026 Football Preview
- ACC Football Standings
- 2026 week-by-week schedule
- North Carolina college football scores
