Duke Looking To Spring Upset Over Canes
DURHAM, N.C. (CBSMiami) – The Miami Hurricanes ran out to a 7-0 record, but have crashed back to earth with two straight losses. Now, the canes are heading to North Carolina to take on a Duke team that is more than ready to spring the upset on the football field.
No, seriously.
Duke (7-2, 3-2 ACC) would take control of the Coastal Division with a win over the Canes (7-2, 3-2) this Saturday. Duke is on a five-game winning streak, the longest since 1994, and has already clinched the school's first winning season since 1994.
"I'm fortunate enough to see this program just completely take a 180-(degree) flip," said defensive end Kenny Anunike, a sixth-year senior whose final home game comes against the Hurricanes. "We used to be the bottom of the barrel, and now we're talking about contending once again for the ACC championship. That's awesome. That's truly gratifying."
Duke has quietly put together one of the best seasons in school history. The Blue Devils' defense has allowed just two touchdowns in the fourth quarter this season and allowed a total of 34 points in the fourth quarter through nine games.
Miami was blown out by Virginia Tech last weekend and just a few weeks ago, Duke's defense turned the Hokies over four times in an upset victory.
The Canes' red zone offense, which has struggled all season (92nd in the country), will have to try to solve Duke's stingy red zone defense, which is in the top 15 in the country.
If the Hurricanes' can notch a 10th straight win over Duke; it would bring them one step closer to a rematch with No. 2 Florida State — which already wrapped up the Atlantic — and the ACC title game berth they voluntarily gave up last year in a self-sanctioning move during an NCAA investigation.
While Duke is only a 3.5 point underdog to the Canes, The Blue Devils haven't beaten two ranked teams in the same season since 1971, when they knocked off No. 19 South Carolina and No. 10 Stanford. The win over the Cardinal had been their last against a Top 25 team on the road — until last month's victory over Virginia Tech.
Still, it's Senior Day at Duke and as college football proves every season, November is ripe for upsets all across the country.
Duke knows it can't afford to get caught up in daydreaming about the possibilities that lie ahead: The Blue Devils finish the regular season against two sub-.500 instate rivals against whom they ended long losing streaks in 2012 — Wake Forest and North Carolina.
A win over Miami and Duke would have a legitimate shot at a division title, the first 10-win season in school history and a crack at the league championship.
"Now you're getting into the dream year," coach David Cutcliffe said. "That would be a dream season for these young men."
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