Football Closes 2012 Season at Duke

GAME INFORMATION
Date / Time: Sat., Nov. 24, 2012 / 12:30 p.m. ET
Site: Durham, N.C. / Wallace Wade Stadium (33,941)
TV: ACC Network | TV Listings
   Play-by-Play: Tim Brant; Analyst: Dave Archer; Sideline: Mike Hogewood
Local Radio: 560 WQAM
   Play-by-Play: Joe Zagacki; Analyst: Don Bailey Jr.; Sideline: Josh Darrow
Spanish Radio: Caracol 1260 AM
   Play-by-Play: Roly Martin; Analysts: Pepe Campos and Joe Martinez
Student Radio: 90.5 FM WVUM
   Talent: TBA
Satellite Radio: Sirius 136/XM 203 (Duke broadcast)
Live Stats: HurricaneSports.com
Twitter Updates: @HurricaneSports / @LosHuracanes
Series: Miami leads, 8-1
   Miami: Miami leads, 4-0
   Durham: Miami leads, 4-1
   First Meeting: 1976 – L, 7-20
   Last Meeting: 2011 – W, 49-14
   Streak: Miami, 8 wins

STORY LINES

• After being picked to finish fifth in the preseason, the Miami Hurricanes (6-5, 4-3 ACC) have the chance to secure a share of the ACC Coastal Division crown Saturday at Duke (6-5, 3-4 ACC). It would be Miami’s first conference title (division or overall) since joining the ACC.
• In an unprecedented move, the University of Miami decided to withhold the football team from bowl consideration for the second consecutive season. The decision was made in response to the ongoing NCAA inquiry and also means that should the Miami football team qualify for the ACC Championship Game, it will not be eligible to participate.
• Saturday will be the 10th series meeting between the schools – and eighth as ACC rivals – with Miami owning a commanding 8-1 series advantage. Miami has won eight straight meetings, including all four previous trips to Durham.
• Through 11 games, the Miami Hurricanes are converting 87 percent of their red zone opportunities (40 of 46), which ranks as the fourth-best percentage in the ACC.
• 22 of Miami’s last 23 red zone trips have resulted in a score, including 12 touchdowns. Dating back to the third quarter of its 44-37 win Sept. 29 vs. NC State, Miami has converted 18 consecutive red zone trips in ACC play, including 13 TDs.
• Johnson is tied for the national lead with 10 all-purpose plays of 50+ yards and is one of only 12 FBS players with at least two plays of 90+ yards.
• Junior QB Stephen Morris is tied for third nationally with 14 passes of 40+ yards and 8 passes of 50+ yards.
• Freshman KR Duke Johnson leads the nation with 5 kickoff returns of 50+ yards and is also tied for the nationally lead with 4 returns of 60+ yards, 4 returns of 70+ yards and 3 returns of 80+ yards.
• Senior PK Jake Wieclaw is 18-of-23 on field goals this season and has made 10 consecutive tries.
• Through 11 games, Miami has forced 22 turnovers (11 INT, 11 fumbles), seven more than the Hurricanes forced during the 2011 season (15 turnovers).

TELEVISION COVERAGE

• Saturday’s regular-season finale at Duke will be televised at 12:30 p.m. ET on the ACC Network. Tim Brant (play-by-play), Dave Archer (analyst) and Mike Hogewood (sideline) will call the action Saturday.

QUICK HITS

• A ‘U’ of firsts: In September 1955, the first college football game to be televised in color was Miami vs. Georgia Tech, a 14-6 Hurricanes loss. In November 1968, the first college football game to be televised on primetime television was Miami at Alabama, also a 14-6 UM loss.
• Freshman RB Duke Johnson NCAA rankings: 2nd in kickoff returns (34.91), 11th in all-purpose yards (162.09) and 87th in rushing (70.09).
• Duke Johnson ACC rankings: 1st in kickoff returns, 3rd in all-purpose yards, 4th in rushing.
• Senior PK Jake Wieclaw NCAA rankings: t9th in field goals (1.64), t46th in scoring (8.09).
• Junior QB Stephen Morris NCAA rankings: 36th in total offense (277.55), 58th in passing efficiency (132.67).
• Stephen Morris ranks 4th in the ACC in passing yards (270.5), 5th in total offense, 6th in pass efficiency.
• Freshman S Deon Bush and redshirt freshman LB Eddie Johnson are tied for second in the ACC with 3 forced fumbles.
• Notable Miami NCAA statistical rankings: 6th in kickoff returns (27.95), t26th in turnover margin (0.64), 30th in passing offense (286.09), 36th in sacks allowed (1.45), 49th in total offense (421.45), 50th in pass efficiency defense (129.05), 56th in scoring offense (29.55).
• Notable Miami ACC rankings: 1st in kickoff returns, 1st in turnover margin, 3rd in sacks allowed, 4th in pass offense, 5th in pass efficiency, 5th in pass efficiency defense, 6th in scoring offense, 6th in total offense.
• Junior QB Stephen Morris is one of only two quarterbacks in Miami Hurricanes history with three 400-yard passing games. The other? Gino Torretta, who had three over the course of three seasons. Morris has thrown for 400+ yards three times in 2012.
• Redshirt sophomore TE Clive Walford’s career-high 135 receiving yards Saturday vs. USF are the second-most receiving yards by a Miami Hurricanes TE in program history (Greg Olsen had 137 vs. Florida State in 2005).
• Making his career-first start vs. USF, freshman WR Herb Waters hauled in a career-best 130 yards on four catches. His 130 receiving yards are the most by a UM freshman since Reggie Wayne had 137 at Pittsburgh in Sept. 18, 1997.
• Miami has 16 different players that have at least one reception in 11 games.
• 21 freshmen have seen action for the Miami Hurricanes, including 16 true freshmen.
• 9 freshmen have started at least one game for the Miami Hurricanes – true freshman RT Ereck Flowers, true freshman RB Duke Johnson, true freshman WR Malcolm Lewis, true freshman S Deon Bush, redshirt freshman LB Eddie Johnson, redshirt freshman DL Corey King, true freshman DL Earl Moore, true freshman WR Herb Waters and true freshman DB Rayshawn Jenkins.
• In the first 23 games of the Al Golden era, Miami has used 21 different defensive starting lineups, including a different lineup in all 11 games this season.

DUKE SERIES HISTORY

• Saturday will be the 10th series meeting between the schools – and eighth as ACC rivals – with Miami owning a commanding 8-1 series advantage.
• Since suffering a 20-7 loss in the first meeting in 1976, the Miami Hurricanes have won eight straight meetings, including all four previous trips to Durham.
• In last season’s meeting, RB Lamar Miller ran for two touchdowns and became Miami’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 2002, while QB Jacory Harris threw three first-half touchdowns as the Hurricanes scored on each of their first five possessions to roll past Duke 49-14 on Homecoming.
• Miami’s last trip to Durham resulted in a 28-13 victory in 2010. In that game, the Hurricanes forced seven Blue Devils turnovers and Harris threw for one TD and ran for another. S Vaughn Telemaque picked off two Duke passes and DT Micanor Regis returned an interception 22 yards for a score; the Hurricanes intercepted five passes and forced two fumbles.
• Each of Miami’s last five wins over Duke has been decided by double digits, including last season’s 35-point margin. In 2005, the ninth-ranked Canes upended the Blue Devils by 45 points – the first meeting as ACC foes.

MAKING MOST OF RED ZONE CHANCES

• Through 11 games, the Miami Hurricanes are converting 87 percent of their red zone opportunities (40 of 46), which ranks as the fourth-best percentage in the ACC.
• 22 of Miami’s last 23 red zone trips have resulted in a score, including 12 touchdowns.
• Dating back to the third quarter of its 44-37 win Sept. 29 vs. NC State, Miami has converted 18 consecutive red zone trips in ACC play, including 13 TDs.

A WIN BY MIAMI WOULD…

• Give the Hurricanes a share of the ACC Coastal Division title, its first title (division or conference) since joining the ACC prior to the 2004 season.
• Be its seventh of the season, tying for its second-most wins in the ACC era.
• Improve Al Golden’s Miami record to 13-11 overall and 8-8 in ACC play.

BIG PLAY CANES

• Freshman KR Duke Johnson leads the nation with 5 kickoff returns of 50+ yards and is also tied for the nationally lead with 4 returns of 60+ yards, 4 returns of 70+ yards and 3 returns of 80+ yards.
• Johnson is tied for the national lead with 10 all-purpose plays of 50+ yards and is one of only 12 FBS players with at least two plays of 90+ yards.
• Junior QB Stephen Morris is tied for third nationally with 14 passes of 40+ yards and 8 passes of 50+ yards

THE DUKE OF ALL TRADES

• With each play, freshman RB Duke Johnson is becoming one of the best freshmen in Miami Hurricanes football history. Johnson accumulated a school-record 368 all-purpose yards – fourth-most in ACC history – in Miami’s 41-40 road loss Nov. 10 at Virginia. Included in his 368 all-purpose yards were a 95-yard kickoff return for a TD and a career-high 150 rushing yards.
• The four-time ACC Rookie of the Week also threw his career-first TD pass – an 8-yard halfback pass to Allen Hurns for Miami’s first points of the game. On his very next touch, he raced 95 yards for a touchdown on the ensuing Virginia kickoff.
• Johnson is only the third FBS player since 2000 with a TD pass and kickoff return for a TD in the same game, joining Charles Pauley (San Jose State) in 2002 and Eric Page (Toledo) in 2010.
• With his all-purpose total of 1,793 this season, Johnson ranks second on Miami’s single-season all-purpose yards list. He trails Willis McGahee (2,108) by 315 yards.

ON THE RIGHT PATH

• Senior PK Jake Wieclaw is 18-of-23 on field goals this season and has made 10 consecutive tries. Wieclaw, who started the season 7-of-7, missed five of his next six tries before his current streak.
• Wieclaw has made every PAT on his UM career, a perfect 76-of-76 on point-after attempts.
• The senior is 29-of-37 on field goal attempts as a Miami Hurricane.

HEALTHY GREEN PAYING DIVIDENDS

• After his first three injury-plagued seasons in Coral Gables, redshirt junior DE Shayon Green is finally healthy and making huge contributions along the defensive line.
• In 11 starts at defense end, Green leads all Hurricanes defenders with 65 total tackles, including 37 solo stops.
• Prior to this season, the Tifton, Ga., native and 2011 Training Room Comeback Player of the Year had 7 total tackles in six career games.

MAKING TURNOVERS HAPPEN

• Miami’s defense forced three turnovers in its 40-9 rout Nov. 17 vs. USF, the fourth time this season forcing 3+ turnovers (UM 4-0 in those contests).
• Through 11 games, Miami has forced 22 turnovers (11 INT, 11 fumbles), seven more than the Hurricanes forced during the 2011 season (15 turnovers).

30-SOMETHING

• In all 6 wins this season, Miami has scored at least 30 points, including 4 wins when scoring 40+ points.
• Miami’s 41-40 road loss Nov. 10 at Virginia snapped the Hurricanes’ 7-game winning streak when scoring 30+ points; Miami is now 16-2 in its last 18 games when scoring 30 or more.
• The loss also snapped Miami’s impressive 95-game winning streak when scoring 40+ points in a game. Prior to falling at UVA, Miami’s last loss when scoring 40+ points was Nov. 23, 1984 – otherwise known as the “Hail Flutie” game, a 47-45 loss to Boston College.

TIME OF POSSESSION BATTLE

• Before leading in time of possession in its 18-14 loss Oct. 13 against North Carolina (30:18-29:42), Miami had trailed in time of possession in seven consecutive games. That streak dated back to the 2011 season finale against Boston College. Miami has trailed the time of possession battle in 9 of 10 games this season and is averaging 25:26 (12th in ACC).
• Miami, which also won the possession battle Nov. 17 vs. USF (30:33/29:27) has led in time of possession in only 12 of 44 quarters this season.