CORAL GABLES - The Miami Hurricanes received a formidable challenge from the Duke Blue Devils on Saturday (Nov. 2) at Hard Rock Stadium. In their 53-31 win, the Canes (9-0; 5-0 in ACC play) overcame an 11-point deficit in the third quarter to go on an electrifying 36-3 scoring run. They finished the game by scoring 21 unanswered points and accumulating 527 total yards against the Blue Devils (6-3; 3-3 in ACC).
Senior quarterback Cam Ward completed 25 of 41 passes for 400 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception. One of his touchdown passes turned out to be the game’s most memorable play, a 68-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Ward to senior wide receiver Xavier Restrepo with 7:36 left in the game.
Restrepo (eight receptions, 146 yards, three touchdowns) set two all-time Canes receiving records on that historic play. He reached 2,573 yards to break Santana Moss’s previous record of 2,547 yards. He also tied Mike Harley as the all-time leader with 182 receptions. After Restrepo’s history-making moment, an extra point from senior kicker Andres Borregales would give Miami a 46-31 lead.
Restrepo was one of eight Canes who caught at least one reception in today’s game against Duke. On the game’s first drive, Ward led an eight-play, 77-yard drive that ended with a 34-yard touchdown pass to Restrepo at the 11:54 mark of the first quarter. The score was set up by a tipped ball from Duke safety Terry Moore, and it fell right in Restrepo’s hands on the right corner of the end zone. An extra point by Borregales gave Miami a 7-0 lead over Duke.
After both teams had short possessions that ended in punts, redshirt senior safety Mishael Powell picked off a first-down by Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy (25-for-41, 325 yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions) with 8:31 left in the first. This was Powell’s fourth interception of the season. When Miami got back on offense, the next possession ended with a score. An eight-play, 45-yard drive concluded with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Ward to graduate senior tight end Cam McCormick.
Another extra point by Borregales extended Miami’s lead to 14-0 at the 5:04 mark. Not long after the Canes scored, the Blue Devils found a way to get on the board. With 2:28 left in the first quarter, sophomore running back Peyton Jones reached the end zone on an 8-yard run. An extra point by junior kicker Todd Pelino would cut the Miami lead to 14-7.
Duke tied the game at 14-14 with 11:15 left in the second quarter. This was made possible by a 27-yard touchdown reception from Murphy to redshirt junior wide receiver Sahmir Hagen and another extra point by Polino. Miami would break the tie with 4:30 left in the first half as Borregales connected on a 29-yard field goal for a 17-14 lead over Duke. This drive lasted for 12 plays and went for 67 yards as it took more than six minutes off the clock.
The first half would end with Duke taking a 21-17 lead over Miami. A seven-play, 75-yard drive ended with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Murphy to Jones and a Pelino extra point for a four-point lead by the Blue Devils. At the 10:03 mark of the third quarter, Duke extended its lead to 28-17 over Miami. The 10-play, 75-yard drive ended with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Murphy to graduate wide receiver Jordan Moore and Pelino’s extra point.
Miami’s comeback began in earnest with a seven-play, 69-yard drive, culminating with 3- a 3-yard touchdown pass from Ward to Restrepo and an extra point by Borregales. This drive, which took almost three minutes off the clock, resulted in Miami cutting Duke’s lead to 28-25 with 7:16 left in the third quarter. One of the game’s most pivotal drives was inspired by an interception caught by Canes defensive back OJ Frédérique with 6:24 left in the third.
His 30-yard interception return took the Canes to the Blue Devils' 38-yard line. A seven-play drive ended with a 2-yard touchdown run by freshman tight end Elija Lofton. With an extra point by kicker Borregales, Miami took a 32-28 lead over Duke with 3:08 left in the third.
Miami overcame a valiant effort by Duke, which mustered a 10-play, 68-yard drive that ended with a 24-yard field goal from Pelino, as it would cut the home team’s lead to 32-31 with 13:51 left in the game. To effectively seal the deal, Ward fired a 49-yard touchdown pass to Jacolby George.
An extra point by Borregales gave Miami a 39-31 lead over Duke with 12:56 left. From that point on, all of the scoring was by Miami in its 22-point victory over Duke. This included a 1-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Mark Fletcher Jr. - and an extra point by Borregales - with 5:37 left.
Miami's next game is an ACC matchup at Georgia Tech on Saturday, Nov. 9.
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