Coach Manny Diaz is returning to Miami, and this time he’ll be facing not only his former team but also the quarterback who helped lead Duke to an ACC championship a season ago.
The Blue Devils (7-2, 4-2 ACC) travel to Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 14, for a high-stakes ACC showdown against the fifth-ranked Hurricanes (8-1, 6-0). Duke has won three straight games, while Miami is looking to rebound from its first loss of the season, a 31-24 setback at Notre Dame.
The Hurricanes also will be without star receiver Malachi Toney, creating another intriguing wrinkle in a matchup featuring two of the ACC’s top defenses and two offenses capable of putting up big numbers.
For Duke, a victory would represent one of the biggest wins of the Manny Diaz era and keep the Blue Devils in the ACC championship conversation.
Here’s everything to know about Duke at Miami, including kickoff time, TV coverage, betting odds, injury updates, team statistics and series history.
🔄 Last Updated: November 9, 2026 3:28 pm
🏟️ Game Information: Duke vs. Miami
Matchup: Duke Blue Devils (7-2, 4-2 ACC) at Miami Hurricanes (8-1, 6-0 ACC)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
Location: Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, FL)
TV: ABC
Game Day Atmosphere: Homecoming for Miami
📊 What are the betting odds for Duke at Miami football?
Spread: Miami -13.5
Over/Under Total: 53.5 points
Moneyline: Duke +420 | Miami -550
Lines courtesy FanDuel Sportsbook. Odds will be refreshed periodically during the week. All lines are subject to change.
What to Know about Duke-Miami
Duke RB Nate Sheppard to face nation’s top run defense
The Blue Devils have one of the top running backs in the nation in Nate Sheppard. The versatile sophomore rushed for 217 yards and three touchdowns against NC State on Saturday, pushing him over 1,000 yards for the season. He averages 132.1 yards per game, second-best in the nation, and 6.2 yards per carry (T-29th).
But Sheppard and the Devils will have to solve the top run defense in FBS football this week. Miami is allowing only 64.3 yards on the ground through nine games and an average of 2.46 yards per attempt. The Hurricanes have surrendered just five rushing TDs.
This will be one of the most fascinating matchups to watch unfold. Can the Blue Devils find ways to spring Sheppard free? He’s also a standout pass catcher out of the backfield (306 receiving yards, four receiving TDs) and even threw a touchdown pass against Virginia.
Miami’s pass defense ranks 127th nationally, allowing 259.3 yards per outing. Establishing an early rhythm with Walker Eget and the passing game may be important to soften things up for Sheppard and the ground attack.
Duke’s top-flight defense will face nation’s No. 1 offense
Duke also is putting up elite numbers this season on the defensive side. The Blue Devils allow just 13 points per game, tops in the ACC and the fifth-best scoring defense among FBS teams.
Manny Diaz’s stopping unit has surrendered only 13 touchdowns and eight field goals through nine contests. NC State managed just 3 points last Saturday (and had a missed field goal returned 109 yards for a Duke touchdown).
Miami, though, will present the toughest challenge yet for the Blue Devils in this realm as well. The Hurricanes lead the nation in scoring offense, averaging 45.0 points per contest. The ’Canes are third-best nationally in total yards (517.3).
One caveat: Miami will be without star wideout Malachi Toney for the second week in a row due to injury. He is expected to miss at least four weeks with a high ankle sprain.
Toney’s presence was certainly missed last week as the Hurricanes struggled to move the ball at times and lost at Notre Dame, 31-24. The Hurricanes managed just 377 total yards and were held to their season low in points.
Reunion and revenge storylines
Duke is coached by Manny Diaz, who served as Miami’s defensive coordinator under Mark Richt from 2016-18 and was the Hurricanes head coach from from 2019-21. Diaz was 2-1 against the Blue Devils while in Coral Gables, losing the first matchup 27-17 in Durham but winning the next two.
This will be the second time Diaz has faced Miami since joining the Blue Devils in 2024. Duke lost to Miami 53-31 in Coral Gables during the ’24 season.
Miami is piloted by former Duke quarterback Darian Mensah, who opted to jump into the portal in January and opt for the Hurricanes after initially announcing plans to stay with the Blue Devils for 2026.
Former Duke receiver Cooper Barkate also followed Mensah to Miami. Barkate could play a much more pivotal role Saturday in the absence of Toney. Barkate made seven catches for 113 yards in the Notre Dame loss.
🩹 Who is on the Duke vs. Miami Injury Report
The ACC is scheduled to release its initial injury and availability report for the Duke-Miami game on Wednesday, Nov. 11.
Duke
TBA
Miami
TBA
⏪ 2026 Season Rewind
Duke Blue Devils (7-2, 4-2 ACC)
Duke 17, Tulane 3
Duke 31, Illinois 27
Duke 35, Stanford 7
Duke 62, William & Mary 7
Georgia Tech 28, Duke 25
UNC 24, Duke 20
Duke 19, Virginia 16
Duke 47, Boston College 2
Duke 41, NC State 3
Miami Hurricanes (8-1, 6-0)
Miami 45, Stanford 6
Miami 77, Florida A&M 7
Miami 33, Wake Forest 20
Miami 52, Central Michigan 3
Miami 41, Clemson 13
Miami 43, Florida State 35
Miami 52, Pittsburgh 23
Miami 38, North Carolina 35
Notre Dame 31, Miami 24
What a win would mean for Duke
- Keeping the Blue Devils’ slim ACC championship hopes alive with a road victory over an unbeaten conference opponent
- Knocking off the No. 5 team in the AP and coaches polls
- Reaching eight wins as a program for the fifth year in a row
- Extending the team’s current winning streak to four games
- Giving Manny Diaz a victory against a program he used to coach
- Pinning the first conference loss of 2026 on Miami
What a win would mean for Miami
- Bouncing back after suffering its first loss of the season to Notre Dame.
- Improving to 7-0 in the ACC and moving closer to clinching a spot in the ACC championship game
- Denying Manny Diaz his first win over the Hurricanes as the Blue Devils head coach
- Reestablishing momentum with the post-season on the near horizon
📊 Duke vs. Miami Stat Comparisons
Duke Team Highlights
- Points For: 33.0 points per game
- Points Against: 13.0 points per game
- Rushing Offense: 190.6 yards per game
- Passing Offense: 234.6 yards per game
- Rushing Defense: 95.6 yards per game
- Passing Defense: 186.6 yards per game
- Total Offense: 425.1 yards per game
- Total Defense: 282.1 yards per game
Duke Individual Leaders
- Passing: Walker Eget – 155-of-246, 1,849 yards, 10 TDs, 3 INTs
- Rushing: Nate Sheppard – 191 carries, 1,189 yards, 17 TDs
- Receiving: Jonah Burton – 27 catches, 360 yards, 1 TD
- Tackles: Nick Morris Jr. – 51 tackles (23 solo)
- Interceptions: Patrick Smith-Young, Evan Smith – 1 INT each
- Scoring: Nate Sheppard – 126 points (21 TDs)
Miami Team Highlights
- Points For: 45.0 points per game
- Points Against: 19.2 points per game
- Rushing Offense: 191.2 yards per game
- Passing Offense: 326.1 yards per game
- Rushing Defense: 64.3 yards per game
- Passing Defense: 259.3 yards per game
- Total Offense: 517.3 yards per game
- Total Defense: 323.7 yards per game
Miami Individual Leaders
- Passing: Darian Mensah – 212-of-276, 2,701 yards, 28 TDs
- Rushing: Mark Fletcher – 107 carries, 514 yards, 9 TDs
- Receiving: Malachi Toney – 73 catches, 1,027 yards, 13 TDs
- Tackles: Mohamed Toure – 56 tackles (32 solo)
- Interceptions: Four players with 1 INT each
- Scoring: Malachi Toney – 78 points (13 TDs)
Notes & Numbers
- Duke’s Nate Sheppard ranks second nationally in rushing yards (1,189) behind Boise State’s Dylan Riley (1,241).
- Sheppard has accounted for 21 total touchdowns – 17 on the ground and four receiving. He also completed a 28-yard TD pass vs. Virginia.
- While Duke is primarily a one-back team, Miami relies heavily on a dynamic duo. Together Mark Fletcher Jr. (514 yards) and Javian Mallory (509 yards) have surpassed the 1,000-yard mark on 181 carries with 16 total touchdowns.
- Miami quarterback Darian Mensah ranks second in the ACC and seventh nationally in passing yards with 2,701 through nine games.
- Duke’s offensive line has only allowed four sacks this season. Meanwhile, the Blue Devils defense has logged 28, led by Kevin O’Connor (4.5), Kobe Smith (4.0) and Bradley Gompers (4.0). Eight players have at least two sacks each.
- Freshman Gavin Strange has hit nine-of-10 field goal attempts for Duke since taking over primary placekicking duties following an injury to Cosme Salas. Strange has missed two PATs, though (18-of-20).
- Duke’s Kade Reynoldson is quietly having a solid season, averaging 46.0 yards per punt. He has recorded nine punts of 50-plus yards and 12 inside the opponents’ 20.
- The Blue Devils have been getting opposing offenses off the field, allowing only a 26.7 percent third-down conversion rate and 30.4 percent on fourth down (7-of-23). Miami has converted 52.9 percent of its third-down plays.
📚 Series History
- Miami leads the all-time series 16-5
- Last meeting: No. 5 Miami 53, Duke 31 (Nov. 2, 2024)
- First meeting: Duke 20, Miami 7 (Oct. 9, 1976)
- Duke’s most recent win over the Hurricanes also was its largest: 45-21 in October 2022 in Coral Gables, FL.
- Miami is 7-3 in the last 10 meetings and 15-4 against the Blue Devils since joining the ACC.
- Duke is 3-7 all-time playing Miami away.
🔗 More North Carolina College Football Coverage
- Duke Football Schedule
- ACC Standings
- 2026 week-by-week schedule
- North Carolina college football scores
