Miami 36, Duke 25: Five Key Plays

Miami Hurricanes edged out Duke Blue Devils 36-25 in a college football game held at Hard Rock Stadium on November 14, 2026. The Hurricanes secured the victory by capitalizing on key plays throughout the match.

In the game's early stages, Duke found themselves trailing 29-17 with six minutes and 54 seconds left on the clock. Duke quarterback Brody Keefe attempted a pass down the right sideline, which was intercepted by Miami's Xavier Lucas. With 39 yards to go, junior Javian Mallory sprinted 39 yards for a touchdown, widening Miami's lead to 36-17.

Midway through the third quarter, with just two minutes and 43 seconds remaining and the score at 16-10 in Miami's favor, quarterback Darian Mensah connected a screen pass to Mallory. The Hurricanes running back scampered 63 yards for a touchdown, extending Miami's lead to 22-10. However, the 2-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful.

Sheppard contributed significantly to the game with a powerful 47-yard touchdown run on 1st down and 10, effectively tying the game at 10 points each. Later, he again broke through the Miami defense, running for five yards on second down and goal, cutting Miami's lead to 22-17 with 41 seconds left in the third quarter. Duke had earlier exploited a double pass from Eget to Sheppard and Javen Nicholas to reach the Miami 5-yard line, setting up Sheppard's run for 47 yards.

Despite the Blue Devils' strong defense, Miami's offense outpaced Duke, dominating time of possession by 34:13 to 25:47 and outgaining Duke 532 to 341 in total yards. Quarterback Darian Mensah contributed an impressive 382 passing yards and a touchdown, while wide receiver Cooper Barkate led the receivers with eight receptions for 134 yards. Javian Mallory, who rushed for 71 yards and two touchdowns, and caught three receptions for 79 yards and a touchdown, played a pivotal role in the Hurricanes' resurgence.