Upcoming Event: Football versus #18 Virginia on December 6, 2025 at 8 p.m.
Football
vs #18 Virginia
Saturday, October 31
Durham, N.C.
7 PM
Duke University
27
vs
30
Miami
Duke Falls to Miami 30-27 in Wild Finish
10/31/2015 11:22:00 PM | Football
DURHAM, N.C. – Redshirt junior quarterback Thomas Sirk orchestrated late-game heroics to put 22nd-ranked Duke on top by three with six seconds remaining, but Miami used a time-expiring, eight-lateral kickoff return to emerge with a 30-27 victory Saturday evening at Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium.
The teams combined for 14 points in the final two minutes of the contest, with the Hurricanes' game-winning play sealed by eight laterals. The return came after the Blue Devils had rallied for a 27-24 lead by way of a go-ahead touchdown on a one-yard run and successful two-point conversion by Sirk.
Duke suffered its first loss in conference play, falling to 3-1 in ACC contests and 6-2 overall.
Sirk finished 31-of-52 for 258 yards and a touchdown through the air, and added 51 yards and a score on the ground following the 10-play, 80-yard sequence that gave Duke its first lead of the evening with six seconds to go. Redshirt junior running back Jela Duncan added 51 rushing yards and a touchdown run, while senior Max McCaffrey accounted for 90 yards through the air.
Trailing Miami 14-0 midway through the second quarter, sophomore running back Shaun Wilson sparked the Duke offense at the start of the second half and Duncan carried the ball in from 24 yards out for his third touchdown run of the year.
The Blue Devils trimmed the margin to 14-12 near the end of the third frame when freshman Marquies Price forced Miami quarterback Malik Rosier into an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone for Duke's first safety since September 2014. The Hurricanes countered with an 88-yard scoring drive that stretched it back to a nine-point game. A 37-yard field goal by Miami a short while later put it at 24-12 with 5:54 left on the clock.
Sirk went 9-for-12 on Duke's next possession and found Johnell Barnes for a 13-yard touchdown reception at the 2:40 mark, pulling the Blue Devils within five. The defense forced the Hurricanes into a three-and-out, setting up Sirk for the final go-ahead march down the field.
Herb Waters of Miami pulled in a 33-yard pass from the arm of quarterback Malik Rosier to cap the first scoring drive of the game. The visiting squad went up 14-0 on its next possession when right tackle Sunny Odogwu recovered a fumble in the end zone.
The running back corps came alive in response to the deficit and Ross Martin booted a 27-yard field goal to get Duke on the board with 4:50 to play in the half. Duke was unable to take advantage of another opportunity, keeping the score at 14-3 heading into the intermission.
The Blue Devils outgained Miami in total yardage, 440-391, after racking up 182 yards on the ground. The Hurricanes went 8-of-14 on third down conversions but were penalized 23 times for 194 yards.
Duke returns to action Saturday, Nov. 7 at North Carolina.
#GoDuke
The teams combined for 14 points in the final two minutes of the contest, with the Hurricanes' game-winning play sealed by eight laterals. The return came after the Blue Devils had rallied for a 27-24 lead by way of a go-ahead touchdown on a one-yard run and successful two-point conversion by Sirk.
Duke suffered its first loss in conference play, falling to 3-1 in ACC contests and 6-2 overall.
Sirk finished 31-of-52 for 258 yards and a touchdown through the air, and added 51 yards and a score on the ground following the 10-play, 80-yard sequence that gave Duke its first lead of the evening with six seconds to go. Redshirt junior running back Jela Duncan added 51 rushing yards and a touchdown run, while senior Max McCaffrey accounted for 90 yards through the air.
Trailing Miami 14-0 midway through the second quarter, sophomore running back Shaun Wilson sparked the Duke offense at the start of the second half and Duncan carried the ball in from 24 yards out for his third touchdown run of the year.
The Blue Devils trimmed the margin to 14-12 near the end of the third frame when freshman Marquies Price forced Miami quarterback Malik Rosier into an intentional grounding penalty in the end zone for Duke's first safety since September 2014. The Hurricanes countered with an 88-yard scoring drive that stretched it back to a nine-point game. A 37-yard field goal by Miami a short while later put it at 24-12 with 5:54 left on the clock.
Sirk went 9-for-12 on Duke's next possession and found Johnell Barnes for a 13-yard touchdown reception at the 2:40 mark, pulling the Blue Devils within five. The defense forced the Hurricanes into a three-and-out, setting up Sirk for the final go-ahead march down the field.
Herb Waters of Miami pulled in a 33-yard pass from the arm of quarterback Malik Rosier to cap the first scoring drive of the game. The visiting squad went up 14-0 on its next possession when right tackle Sunny Odogwu recovered a fumble in the end zone.
The running back corps came alive in response to the deficit and Ross Martin booted a 27-yard field goal to get Duke on the board with 4:50 to play in the half. Duke was unable to take advantage of another opportunity, keeping the score at 14-3 heading into the intermission.
The Blue Devils outgained Miami in total yardage, 440-391, after racking up 182 yards on the ground. The Hurricanes went 8-of-14 on third down conversions but were penalized 23 times for 194 yards.
Duke returns to action Saturday, Nov. 7 at North Carolina.
#GoDuke
Players Mentioned
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DE
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QB
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RB
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