No. 9 Miami Visits Duke In Late ACC Schedule Addition
MIAMI – Ninth-ranked Miami visits Duke on Saturday night in a late addition to the Atlantic Coast Conference schedule.
The Hurricanes are trying to stay in the hunt to reach the league championship game. No. 2 Notre Dame is still unbeaten while No. 4 Clemson has one league loss but handed Miami its only loss this season.
Duke is simply trying to win a second ACC game.
KEY MATCHUP
Miami RB Cam’Ron Harris vs. Duke’s run defense. Harris has run for a team-best 471 yards with six rushing scores. His rushing score against Virginia Tech on Nov. 14 was his first since September. Harris will lead the ground game against a defense that ranks 14th among 15 ACC teams against the run by allowing 200.1 yards per game.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Miami: QB D’Eriq King. The Houston transfer ranks third in the ACC in total offense (313.4 yards per game) while throwing 17 touchdowns. He could be in for a big game against a defense that has allowed 56 points in both of the past two losses.
Duke: RB Mataeo Durant. Durant had a short rushing touchdown and a 30-yard TD catch in the loss to Georgia Tech. Durant has run for a team-best 642 yards and has been an effective tandem with Deon Jackson (634) this season.
FACTS & FIGURES
This game is a late addition to the schedule. Miami was scheduled to visit Wake Forest on Saturday but that game was called off due to coronavirus issues within the Demon Deacons’ program. Duke was originally slated to host Florida State on Saturday.
The Blue Devils have lost 30 turnovers, the worst total in the Bowl Subdivision ranks and at least six more than any other team. That included having five more in last weekend’s loss at Georgia Tech.
This will be Miami’s first game since Nov. 14 due to coronavirus issues, which included coach Manny Diaz testing positive. … The Blue Devils have won the last two meetings.
Miami has won four straight since losing to Clemson on Oct. 10.
