The Miami Hurricanes battled adversity right from the kickoff.
Duke’s Deon Jackson bolted down the sideline for a 75-yard rushing touchdown on the first play from scrimmage to put the Blue Devils up 7-0.
And then the sky opened up, painting brush strokes of brown mud patches across the field, diverting the Hurricanes from what seemed like another audition for quarterbacks Malik Rosier and N’Kosi Perry.
Miami relied on its ground-and-pound attack, but the Blue Devils capitalized on the Hurricanes’ second-half miscues to win 20-12 Saturday evening at Hard Rock Stadium.
The loss all but ended the Hurricanes hopes of defending their ACC Coastal Division crown.