Miami 36, Duke 25: Five Key Plays

Duke fell to 7-3 (4-3) on the season with a 36-25 loss to the Miami Hurricanes. Nate Sheppard rushed 16 times for 131 yards and two touchdowns, and caught 12 passes for 93 yards in a tremendous performance. Walker Eget completed 26 of 42 pass attempts for 195 yards, one touchdown and one costly interception.

The Blue Devils defense played the ‘Canes tough before wearing down in the 4th quarter. The halftime score was Miami 13, Duke 10 and it was Miami 22, Duke 17 at the end of the 3rd quarter. Miami won time of possession 34:13 to 25:47 and outgained Duke 532 to 341 in total yards.

Miami quarterback Darian Mensah completed 30 of 41 pass attempts for 382 yards and one touchdown. Wide receiver Cooper Barkate was the ‘Canes leading receiver with eight receptions for 134 yards. Javian Mallory rushed 10 times for 71 yards and two touchdowns, and grabbed three receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown.

Play One: Trailing 29-17, with 6 minutes and 54 seconds remaining in the game, Duke faced a 2nd down and nine yards to go at their own 46-yard line. Eget threw a pass down the right sideline toward Brody Keefe, but the pass was intercepted by Miami defensive back Xavier Lucas. Five plays later, Javian Mallory dashed 39 yards for a touchdown to expand Miami’s lead to 36-17.

Play Two: With two minutes and 43 seconds remaining in the 3rd quarter, with the score 16-10 Miami, the ‘Canes had the ball on their own 37 yard line. Mensah completed a screen pass to Javian Mallory who rambled 63 yards for a touchdown to expand the lead to 22-10. The 2-point conversion attempt failed.

Play Three: With Miami leading 10-3, on 1st down and 10, Sheppard exploded on an inside run for 47 yards and a touchdown, to tie the game at 10 points apiece.

Play Four: On 2nd down and goal to go, with 41 seconds remaining in the 3rd quarter, Sheppard ran five yards for a touchdown to cut Miami’s lead to 22-17. Duke moved into scoring position two plays earlier when Duke executed a double pass from Eget to Sheppard to Javen Nicholas for 13 yards to the Miami 5-yard line. Sheppard rushed for 47 yards on the first play of the drive.

Play Five: Duke’s stout defense kept the Blue Devils in the game. Three times Miami drove into the red zone, but settled for field goals instead of touchdowns, due to Duke getting stops on 3rd down. Two of the three times the stop came on 3rd down and goal to go.

• STORM SURGE: No. 5 Miami overpowers Duke football 36-25 with timely stops and punishing offense
• Inside Darian Mensah’s huge performance in Miami’s win over Duke
• Duke football secondary took another hit in loss to Miami. Who stepped up?
• No. 7 Miami unloads on offense in bounce-back effort against Duke
• No. 7 Miami races past Duke 36-25 in Homecoming matchup
• Darian Mensah goes into ‘kill mode’ as Hurricanes beat Duke — his former team

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