The Duke Blue Devils have an opportunity to put themselves on the national stage with an upset in Coral Gables against the No. 5-ranked Miami Hurricanes.
It is the ultimate test for coach Manny Diaz, who faces his former team with a chance to unseat a couple of former Blue Devils stars: quarterback Darian Mensah and wide receiver Cooper Barkate. While Duke has plenty of talent, the Hurricanes offer a litany of players who have futures in the NFL.
With all that in mind, here are four Miami Hurricanes the Blue Devils must account for on Saturday at noon Eastern on ABC.
Darian Mensah, Quarterback
The Blue Devils may know Mensah as well as any team in the country, considering their history from last season. One of the Heisman Trophy candidates has had a remarkable season, with 2,694 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and only two interceptions.
Mensah is without superstar wide receiver Malachi Toney, and his presence was missed against Notre Dame in last week’s loss, but Duke knows how to beat him, whether with disguised pressures or blitzes to overwhelm him in the pocket.
JJ Dunnigan, Safety
One of Miami’s best players is not one of the key veterans on the roster, but a true freshman who continues to light the world on fire with a bright future ahead.
Dunnigan is third in tackles for the Hurricanes and plays everywhere in the secondary, which showcases his incredible versatility and football intelligence for his age. This is a player that quarterback Walker Eget must be careful targeting, as Dunnigan has a pick-six to his name this season.
Cooper Barkate, Wide Receiver
One of the best wide receivers to come through Durham in some time, Barkate left for Miami for an opportunity to produce for a national championship contender. While his production hasn’t been the same as last season, he remains effective when targeted.
Winning at the catch point as a defensive back is going to be key for Duke against Barkate, who catches everything thrown his way and is the ultra security blanket.
Marquise Lightfoot, Edge Rusher
One of the best pass rushers in the ACC, Lightfoot has had an incredible season for the Hurricanes as their top edge rusher, sitting patiently behind Rueben Bain Jr. and Ahkeem Mesidor last season.
He is using his experience behind the two first-round picks to his advantage, utilizing his speed, quickness, and explosiveness off the edge to be the disruptive pass rusher he has been all year, with seven sacks. This will be a tough matchup for offensive tackles Braden Miller and Nick Del Grande.
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