Can Duke Finish Their Season On High Note When They Host Miami For Senior Day?
Bowl aspirations went out the window a long time ago for Duke.
Now all Duke can hope to do is to finish the season on a high note when they host Miami on Saturday as they have lost five straight games including their most recent one in Winston Salem against Wake Forest.
Duke comes into the game with a record of 4-7 while they’re 2-5 in the Atlantic Coast Conference and sixth in the Coastal Division while Miami comes into the game with a record of 6-5 while they’re 4-3 in the Atlantic Coast Conference and third in the Coastal Division. “according to http://theacc.com/standings.aspx?standings=35
As for Duke’s previous game,
As stated above,
Duke lost their fifth straight game in Winston Salem against Wake Forest.
The 2019 season has been a difficult one for Duke and it continued in their most recent game in Winston Salem against Wake Forest dropping them to 4-7 on the season while losing their fifth straight game.
The Blue Devils led 10-3 early in the second quarter but saw the Demon Deacons score 17 straight points to create a gap between the teams. Duke battled back to take the 27-26 lead midway through the fourth quarter after redshirt sophomore Damond Philyaw-Johnson ran back his second kickoff return for a touchdown of the game. Unfortunately, Wake Forest responded with a 14-yard rushing score to pull in front 32-27. The Blue Devils were never able to recover. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/11/23/football-duke-drops-contest-39-27-at-wake-forest.aspx
Philyaw-Johnson made Duke history Saturday after he found paydirt twice on kickoff returns to become the first Blue Devil to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in a single game. He also is just the second player in ACC history to return two kickoffs for a touchdown in a game (Justin Miller, Clemson vs. Florida State in 2004). “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/11/23/football-duke-drops-contest-39-27-at-wake-forest.aspx
The Pensacola, Fla., native's touchdown in the first quarter got Duke on the board as he returned the kick 97 yards for the Blue Devils' first kickoff return since Shaun Wilson (96 yards) did so at Notre Dame on Sept. 24, 2016. His second return of 98 yards was the 10th-longest kickoff return for a touchdown in program lore. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/11/23/football-duke-drops-contest-39-27-at-wake-forest.aspx
Redshirt senior quarterback Quentin Harris finished the game 14-of-23 for 163 yards and one score. Mataeo Durant led the Blue Devils running game with 71 yards on seven carries. Noah Gray was Duke's top receiver with a career-high seven catches for 76 yards and one touchdown. Jalon Calhoun and Darryl Harding Jr. followed closely with 33 and 22 yards, respectively. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/11/23/football-duke-drops-contest-39-27-at-wake-forest.aspx
On the defensive side of the ball, Duke had four players register double figure tackles in a game for the first time this season. Marquis Waters posted a team-best 13 tackles. Waters' final tackles total marked his first game this year with double digit takedowns and the second of his career. Koby Quansah, Dylan Singleton and Shaka Heyward also recorded double figure tackles with 12, 11, and 11, in the contest, respectively. Quansah's performance lifted him over the 100+ tackles and 10.0+ tackles for loss threshold on the season. “according to https://goduke.com/news/2019/11/23/football-duke-drops-contest-39-27-at-wake-forest.aspx
Like Duke,
Miami also lost their previous game as they lost to FIU.
The Miami Hurricanes dropped its crosstown matchup against FIU, 30-24, inside Marlins Park Saturday night. “according to https://hurricanesports.com/news/2019/11/23/football-miami-falls-to-fiu-30-24.aspx
The host Panthers forced three turnovers and held the Hurricanes scoreless for nearly three quarters, building a 20-point lead before Miami battled back to cut the FIU advantage to six points. But a late touchdown by Anthony Jones sealed the Panthers' first victory over the Hurricanes in program history.”according to https://hurricanesports.com/news/2019/11/23/football-miami-falls-to-fiu-30-24.aspx
"Obviously a very, very dark night," head coach Manny Diaz said. "One of the lowest points ever in this proud program's history. I take full ownership of that, full responsibility for the way that we played tonight. We did nothing to give ourselves a chance to win the football game. Turnovers, penalties, red zone, third down defense, the things that good football teams do, we could not do. We had challenged our guys all week. We had talked about how we had played off a bye before. We talked about how we played in the Central Michigan game. Obviously the lesson was not taught and that goes on to me. It just didn't happen and I've got to take the responsibility for that. “according to https://hurricanesports.com/news/2019/11/23/football-miami-falls-to-fiu-30-24.aspx
"What I did tell the guys in there is two years ago, Troy went to Baton Rouge and beat LSU, who right now is the number one team in the country," Diaz said. "So things can change, but it needs to change. It can happen, but it's got to happen within and it's got to start with myself and start with the coaching. We've got to do a lot better job of coaching our guys and we are so fortunate that we have another opportunity in seven days up in Durham against Duke." “according to https://hurricanesports.com/news/2019/11/23/football-miami-falls-to-fiu-30-24.aspx
The groundwork for FIU's upset victory began early in the opening quarter, as Miami quarterback Jarren Williams was picked off by Stantley Thomas-Oliver and the interception was returned to the Miami 18. But the Hurricane defense answered the sudden change and limited FIU to a 29-yard field goal by Jose Borregales that gave the Panthers a 3-0 lead with 10:08 left in the first “according to https://hurricanesports.com/news/2019/11/23/football-miami-falls-to-fiu-30-24.aspx
The Panthers added on to their lead on their next possession, driving 80 yards to take a 10-0 lead after a 29-yard touchdown pass from James Morgan to Shemar Thornton. “according to https://hurricanesports.com/news/2019/11/23/football-miami-falls-to-fiu-30-24.aspx
Miami appeared poised to answer with a scoring drive of its own, as the Canes drove down to the FIU 1 and went for it on fourth-and-goal. But Williams was stuffed for no gain and the Panthers kept Miami off the scoreboard with a huge goal line stand.”according to https://hurricanesports.com/news/2019/11/23/football-miami-falls-to-fiu-30-24.aspx
"This is a tough one to swallow," Williams said. "We've just got to keep moving forward and we're going to stay together as a team and focus on our next opponent. We hate losing more than anything in the world. That's the worst feeling in the world. I can't even explain it."
The Canes drove deep into FIU territory again on their next possession and, once again, the Panthers held firm and forced Miami to turn the ball over on downs. Facing a fourth-and-one from the FIU 18, Williams was pressured and his pass to Michael Irvin II fell short of the tight end for an incompletion that gave the Panthers their second consecutive fourth down stand against the Hurricanes.
FIU closed out the half with a 50-yard field goal by Borregales, sending them to the locker room with a 13-0 lead at the intermission.
"They were playing very hard, which we expected," Diaz said. "I hesitate at times to talk about all the guys because I do think we had a lot of guys who competed very hard and played with a lot of intensity. But I do think there were some guys that we did have to challenge ourselves at half time to make sure that we were matching their intensity. That should never have to be said at half time, but that's where we were." “according to https://hurricanesports.com/news/2019/11/23/football-miami-falls-to-fiu-30-24.aspx
The second half did not start out much better that the first for the Hurricanes, as Williams' pass intended for Dee Wiggins ricocheted off an FIU defender and popped up in the air before landing in the waiting arms of linebacker Sage Lewis for an interception. “according to https://hurricanesports.com/news/2019/11/23/football-miami-falls-to-fiu-30-24.aspx
Two drives later, Williams threw his third interception of the game on the first snap of the possession. The redshirt freshman's pass was intended for Will Mallory, but Jamal Gates jumped in front of the Miami tight end and picked off the pass and returned the interception for 16 yards to give FIU possession at the Miami 28. https://hurricanesports.com/news/2019/11/23/football-miami-falls-to-fiu-30-24.aspx“according to
"Those guys were aggressive," Williams said. "They were biting on a lot of our routes coming down. It's really on me. It starts with me. I've got to be able to see that and find the open guy and get him the ball. I'm going to go back and watch the film because I know there are answers. I know there are answers all over the field. I've just got to be able to understand what they're giving me and find the open guy." “according to https://hurricanesports.com/news/2019/11/23/football-miami-falls-to-fiu-30-24.aspx
Despite Miami pushing FIU back for eight yards, the turnover led to three more points as Borregales drilled a season-long 53-yard field goal to put the Panthers up, 16-0, with 9:02 left in the third quarter.”according to https://hurricanesports.com/news/2019/11/23/football-miami-falls-to-fiu-30-24.aspx
"It's hard when you put the defense in those bad positions when you turn the ball over," Williams said. "It makes it really hard. It was a new week. It felt like a totally new week. You can get beat on any given day, no matter who you play. Everybody puts on pants. We've just got to come better prepared and ready to play."“according to https://hurricanesports.com/news/2019/11/23/football-miami-falls-to-fiu-30-24.aspx
The Hurricanes got on the scoreboard late in the third quarter, as Camden Price kicked a 22-yard field goal to cut FIU's lead to 13 points, 16-3, with 1:52 remaining in the quarter. “according to https://hurricanesports.com/news/2019/11/23/football-miami-falls-to-fiu-30-24.aspx
A pair of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on Miami gave FIU a 30-yard boost that helped propel the Panthers to another scoring drive. Morgan hit a wide-open Tony Gaiter IV for a 13-yard passing touchdown that put FIU ahead by twenty points with 11:04 remaining in the game. “according to https://hurricanesports.com/news/2019/11/23/football-miami-falls-to-fiu-30-24.aspx
Facing a fourth-and-10 from the FIU 30, Williams found Mallory over the middle of the field for a 16-yard gain to keep the drive alive. One play later, Cam'Ron Harris barreled into the end zone from 14 yards out for the Hurricanes' first touchdown of the night. Harris' touchdown run brought the Canes within two scores, 23-10, with 8:07 on the clock. “according to https://hurricanesports.com/news/2019/11/23/football-miami-falls-to-fiu-30-24.aspx
Miami converted another fourth down attempt on its next possession, with Williams hitting Jeff Thomas for a 19-yard gain to the FIU 35. One play later, he connected with Mark Pope for a 35-yard touchdown that put Miami within six points, 23-17, with 3:10 left to play. “according to https://hurricanesports.com/news/2019/11/23/football-miami-falls-to-fiu-30-24.aspx
The Canes could not recover their onside kick and FIU started its possession on the Miami 42. Two plays later, Anthony Jones sprinted 37 yards for a touchdown that brought the lead back to 13 points with 2:17 remaining. “according to https://hurricanesports.com/news/2019/11/23/football-miami-falls-to-fiu-30-24.aspx
Miami added a three-yard touchdown from Williams to Wiggins that brought the Hurricanes within six, 30-24, but could not recover the onside kick with 31 seconds to go and the Panthers took a knee to end the game. “according to https://hurricanesports.com/news/2019/11/23/football-miami-falls-to-fiu-30-24.aspx
Kick-off is set for 3:30pm from Brooks Field @Wallace Wade Stadium. The game will be televised on ESPN2.