Miami took what looked to be a pretty comfortable 17-7 lead in the first quarter but because the Hurricanes have had to settle for a pair of field goals, Duke has managed to stay in the game and has taken a halftime lead to the locker room. Duke leads Miami 21-20 at the half in a pivotal ACC Coastal Division game in Durham.
Miami took a 10-0 lead just six minutes in to the game thanks to a field goal and a 79-yard punt return for a touchdown by Will Monday. Miami quarterback Stephen Morris has been intercepted once but has largely had a positive impact on the game early on. Morris completed 14 of his first 18 pass attempts for 144 yards and a touchdown, a short pass to Herb Waters late in the first quarter to build a 17-7 lead. During the first half Morris became the fourth Miami quarterback to pass for 7,000 career yards. He joins former Miami quarterbacks Gino Torretta (7,690), Jacory Harris (8,826) and Ken Dorsey (9,565)on that list.
Duke has put together three touchdown drives on offense though, each spanning at least 50 yards and two covering 75 yards each. Brandon Connette has rushed for two touchdowns and 31 yards and has completed three of five passes for 37 yards and a touchdown to lead the way for the home team.
With Georgia Tech losing Thursday night at Clemson and Virginia Tech coming up short earlier today against Maryland, the ACC Coastal Division is as wide open as it could be.