XFactor: Duke football vs Miami

Riding a three game win streak thanks to last week’s 45-43 4OT win against Virginia Tech, Duke looks to stay in control of its destiny for the ACC Coastal Division crown Saturday against Miami at Wallace Wade Stadium. The Hurricanes have a ton of question marks heading into the matchup after falling 58-0 to Clemson last week and losing their head coach along with possibly their starting quarterback Brad Kaaya. Every week throughout the football season, we will break down a player on each team who could be the difference-maker in the upcoming contest:

Duke: running back Shaquille Powell

Powell’s ability to gain chunks of yardage on multiple runs will be key against a Miami defense that is allowing 202.9 yards per game on the ground this weekend. If Duke and Powell are able to get the ground game going early, it will allow the Blue Devils to control the game and wear out a Miami defense that has already lost linebackers Rafael Kirby and Darrion Owens for the season. The last time Duke won against the Hurricanes back in 2013, the offense posted a whopping 358 yards on the ground in the 48-30 victory. But In the game between the two teams a year ago, the Blue Devils only rushed for 85 yards en route to a 22-10 loss. 

If Powell can get going out of the backfield and break off some solid runs, it will not only tear into a suspect Miami defense, but it will also open up opportunities for quarterback Thomas Sirk to keep the ball on read-options and find open receivers down the field. If both Sirk and Powell can pound the ball into the Hurricane defense, Miami will look more like a tropical storm Saturday night. 

Miami: quarterback Malik Rosier

The Hurricanes may be tasked with replacing the leading passer in the ACC and it certainly won't be easy. But if the Hurricanes want to fly home with a victory, Rosier is going to have to find a rhythm against the Blue Devil defense. The Mobile, Ala., native struggled mightily in relief of Kaaya last week, only completing 7 of his 22 passes for 42 yards and throwing two interceptions in the loss. With Kaaya out of practice all week, Rosier will be better prepared this time around, but will face one of the league’s better defensive backfields and will need to make smart decisions. Rosier has an arsenal of weapons in wide receivers Herb Water, Braxton Berrios and Stacey Coley, but he will need to make accurate throws and big plays to keep the Hurricanes in the game. If Rosier can get off to a solid start and limit turnovers, he could keep Miami in the game long enough to put his team in a position to win a key conference matchup.