DURHAM, N.C. (AP) — Freshman Duke Johnson rushed for season highs of 176 yards and three touchdowns, Stephen Morris had three passing scores and Miami held on to beat Duke 52-45 on Saturday and claim a share of the ACC's Coastal Division title.
In a wild affair in which the teams combined for 1,229 total yards, Morris finished 15 of 25 for 369 yards for the Hurricanes (7-5, 5-3) — who never trailed but could never really breathe easy, either.
Morris' touchdown passes covered 11 yards to Clive Walford, 72 yards to Mike James and 65 yards to Herb Waters. James also had a 1-yard scoring plunge late in the first half.
Johnson scored on runs of 18, 6 and 65 yards. He finished his freshman year with 947 yards rushing, easily surpassing Clinton Portis' 13-year-old school freshman rushing record of 838 yards.
Johnson nearly threw a touchdown pass, too, but replay officials determined that his late 1-yard jump pass to Walford on fourth-and-goal bounced off the end zone turf before he could pull it in.
The Hurricanes were playing their first game since announcing earlier in the week that they would stay home from the postseason for the second straight year because of an NCAA investigation that is expected to eventually lead to stiff sanctions against them.
With Georgia Tech — which Miami beat two months ago — headed to Charlotte for this weekend's title game, some fans in the Hurricanes' corner of Wallace Wade Stadium held posters bearing anti-NCAA messages.
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