MIAMI GARDENS – The Miami Hurricanes were looking to get some more momentum going as they welcomed the Duke Blue Devils to Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday. Unfortunately, eight Hurricane turnovers, were too big a hurdle to overcome as Miami Hurricanes lose to Duke 45-21. That is right. EIGHT TURNOVERS.

Things started off splendidly as the Miami defense got a turnover on the games second play. Duke’s Riley Leonard hooked up with Jalon Calhoun for a 20-yard strike, but Calhoun fumbled the ball and James Williams recovered it at the Blue Devil 46, setting up the Canes offense. Tyler Van Dyke then led the offense on a 1- play drive that culminated in a 7-yard touchdown pass to new sensation Colbie Young for a 7-0 lead.

The Miami defense then got the offense the ball back after forcing a three-and-out. The offense was unable to capitalize after failing to convert a fourth-and-one when Lucious Stanley was stopped short. Kevin Steele’s defense forced a punt and once again Miami’s offense was marching for points. TVD hit Jaylon Knighton for a 11-yard pass down to the Duke 29 before he fumbled it away. Something that he has been doing for two years now.

That was the turning point and it would get worse. Duke would score on their next two possessions to jump ahead 14-7. Then, on Miami’s fifth offensive possession, Tyler Van Dyke was hit in the pocket and lost the ball as he went to ground. Not only did Duke recover at the Hurricane seven-yard line, but Van Dyke was hurt on the play and was taken straight to the locker room and did not return.

The Miami defense would hold Duke to a FG and the teams went into the half with Duke leading 17-7. Miami came out in the second half and showed some fight back. Jake Garcia led the team on touchdown drives on their first two possessions of the third quarter and the defense pitched in with a fumble recovery as well. The Hurricanes were winning 21-17.

Duke quarterback Riley Leonard then led the Bleu Devil’s on a 20-play drive that included a converted 3^rd and 13 as well as a 4^th and 9 and ended with a two-yard touchdown pass on 4^th and goal to Nicky Dalmolin. That drive broke whatever spirit this Hurricane team had left. The rest of the way was a Duke throttling and more and more Miami turnovers.

The Miami Hurricanes are now 3-4 and 1-2 in the ACC. They travel to Virginia this Saturday at 12:30p to face a Cavalier squad that beat Georgia Tech on Thursday night.