Darian Mensah threw for 382 yards and a touchdown against his former team, and Javian Mallory ran for two more scores to help No. 7 Miami rebound at home with a 36-25 win over Duke on Saturday afternoon.
The Hurricanes (9-1, 7-0 ACC) can clinch a berth in the conference championship game with a Louisville loss later Saturday or one more conference win.
Duke (7-3, 4-3) had a three-game winning streak snapped despite another all-around game from Heisman Trophy candidate Nate Sheppard, who totaled 240 yards from scrimmage.
Sheppard ran for 131 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries and had a two-point conversion run. He also caught 12 passes for 93 yards and completed two pass attempts for 16 yards.
Sheppard had a 47-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to give him the program's single-season rushing mark. He now has 1,320 rushing yards through 10 games.
Mensah completed 30 of 41 passes and delivered his fourth 300-yard passing game despite being held to only one TD pass for the second time this season. Duke quarterback Walter Eget completed 26 of 42 passes for 195 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
With Heisman candidate Malachi Toney out for the second consecutive game, the Hurricanes' other former Duke standout, Cooper Barkate, led Miami in receiving with 134 yards on eight catches.
Mallory ran for 71 yards on 10 carries and put Miami ahead 22-10 with 2:43 left in the third quarter on a spectacular 63-yard catch and run for a touchdown. Duke defensive back Kyon Loud left the game with an injury after the play.
Sheppard answered with a 5-yard touchdown sweep to the corner of the end zone to cut the Hurricanes' lead to 22-17 with 41 seconds left in the third.
It was Mallory's turn again when he dove into the end zone for a 2-yard score to cap a 13-play, 79-yard drive that took up 7:31 and put Miami ahead 29-17 with 8:06 left.
Xavier Lucas intercepted an underthrown pass by Eget on Duke's ensuing drive, which was the game's lone turnover.
Mark Fletcher Jr. scored on a 4-yard touchdown in the second quarter to break the program's all-time record for career rushing touchdowns with 36. But Fletcher later exited the game in the third quarter with a right lower-body injury.
--Field Level Media