Duke dropped to 6-2 after a devastating loss to Miami on an eight-lateral sequence that will not be forgotten by fans in attendance at Wallace Wade Stadium. With the 30-27 loss, the Blue Devils are 3-1 in the ACC and now tied for second in the ACC Coastal, making the stakes even higher for next week’s matchup against North Carolina.
Revisiting the three keys to the game:
- Special teams play
The Blue Devils appeared ready for a great start on special teams after forcing a fumble on the opening kickoff, but a series of miscues derailed their chances of victory. From kicker Ross Martin's missed 38-yard field goal that could have cut into the Miami lead, to punter Will Monday’s 11-yard punt from his own 24, to the botched recovery on Martin’s excellent onside kick to the general confusion and poor tackling on the final play of the game, Duke was its own worst enemy on special teams.
- Creating separation at the line of scrimmage
Despite attempting 52 passes over the course of the game, quarterback Thomas Sirk only generated 258 yards through the air and Miami’s physical defensive backs were a big reason why. The constant jams at the line of scrimmage and the Hurricanes’ ability to keep up with the Duke receivers in man-to-man coverage made pass plays more difficult for the Blue Devils, who have struggled with stagnation of their passing attack all season. On the other side, Hurricanes quarterback Malik Rosier was able to outgain Sirk by 14 yards despite throwing 22 fewer passes.
- Third- and fourth-down efficiency
Duke was a combined 7-of-19 in third-and fourth-down situations, while Miami was a combined 8-of-14. After great defense on first and second down, the Blue Devil defense often wilted on third down, getting beat deep on a number of third-and-short situations. Duke made things more difficult for themselves on offense by setting up a number of third-and-longs after picking up little to no yardage on predictable play-calling on first and second down.
Three key stats:
- Miami whistled for 23 penalties for 194 yards: The Hurricanes made mental errors all evening and finished with a school-record in penalties in their victory. Miami's most costly penalties were a pair of pass interference calls made as Duke drove the field for the potentially game-winning score. Numerous offsides and personnel penalties by the Hurricanes kept Blue Devil drives alive and gave the home team the chance to come away with a victory.
- Rosier completes 69-percent of his passes: After struggling mightily in his first career start against Clemson a week ago, the redshirt freshman put on a show Saturday evening. Despite taking a bit hit on the second offensive play of the game, Rosier stayed composed throughout the contest and finished with the most yards by a debuting Miami quarterback since 1999.
- Blue Devils trail by seven minutes in time of possession: Duke's slow start on offense cost them dearly in this one as the defense was forced back onto the field time and time again. Playing against the speedy Hurricanes skill players, the defense tired as the game progressed and struggled more and more to stop runs up the middle.
Three key plays:
- 13:01, first quarter: Miami’s defense came out and set the tone early, making sure the Blue Devils knew how difficult grabbing just one yard would be. After the fumble on the opening kickoff, Miami’s goal-line defense came up with a stand on fourth-and-one and kept Duke off the scoreboard.
- 4:00, fourth quarter: In a key fourth-down situation, with the Blue Devils’ chances of a comeback on the line, Sirk hit tight end Max McCaffrey for 13 yards. McCaffrey’s clutch catch propelled Duke to a 13-yard touchdown just four plays later.
- 0:06, fourth quarter: The Blue Devils had a variety of options for their final kickoff of the game, but in one of the most controversial plays in college football history, Miami’s eight laterals off of the squib kick by Martin turned into a 91-yard kickoff return touchdown.
And the Duke game ball goes to… Jela Duncan
Duncan’s 24-yard touchdown run that saw him run over three Miami defenders was a true highlight play for the Duke offense. The touchdown gave the Blue Devils their first score of the game and made the game competitive again just as the Hurricanes were beginning to run away with it. Duncan finished the game with only seven carries for 51 yards, but set the tone with a punishing running style that allowed Duke to move the ball down the field in the second half.
And the Miami game ball goes to… Malik Rosier
In relief of starter Brad Kaaya, Rosier looked strong and composed. The redshirt freshman finished 20-of-29 passing for 272 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Rosier’s 9.4 yards per attempt proved the difference in the game as he regularly burned the Blue Devil secondary deep with passes to Herb Waters and Stacey Coley. Rosier’s highlight play of the day was a 33-yard touchdown pass to Waters on the edge of the end zone.
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