Cam Ward sets TD record and Xavier Restrepo receiving record on same play.
Cam Ward threw a 66-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Restrepo with 7:36 remaining in fourth quarter and three Miami records were set on the play. Restrepo became the Miami all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards and Ward tied the single-season program record for TD passes on the play.
Restrepo passed Santana Moss' Miami career record of 2,546 receiving yards and Miami Harley's program record of 182 receptions. Ward tied Steve Walsh with 29 TDs in a single season. Ward nearly broke the single season TD record when Sam Brown got to the one-yard line on the possession after Restrepo's score.
Restrepo finished with eight receptions for 146 yards and three TDs. Restrepo now has 182 career receptions for 2.593 yards. After his big game versus Duke, Restrepo now has 51 receptions for 876 yards and seven TDs. Restrepo is 296 receiving yards behind the single-season Miami record set by Charleston Rambo in 2021.
Rambo set the single-season receiving yardage record and Harley set the career and single game records for Miami in a 47-10 Miami win over Duke in 2021. That was the last game that Manny Diaz coached for the Hurricanes. Restrepo and Ward brought Miami back on Saturday after the Hurricanes fell behind 28-17.
The game had a plethora of momentum changes. Miami led 14-0 in the first quarter. Duke rallied with a 28-3 run to take a 28-17 lead in the third quarter. Miami outscored Duke 36-3 during the remainder of the game to earn a 53-31 win and improve to 9-0. Restrepo earned his record in front of Diaz who signed him with Miami.
Restrepo is on track to become the first Miami receiver with 200 receptions, needing just 407 yards to also be the first Miami receiver to achieve 4,000 career yards. He is undoubtedly the most productive receiver in Miami's history.