The Duke Blue Devils have received a rather surprising take after a wild offseason.
The Duke Blue Devils entered the offseason full of hope after winning the ACC championship and appearing to establish itself as a serious contender on the college football landscape moving forward.
But then, things completely unraveled.
Quarterback Darian Mensah — who had previously pledged his commitment to return to Duke for 2026 — entered the transfer portal at the very last minute, reneging on a two-year NIL deal he signed with the Blue Devils to join the Miami Hurricanes.
Because Mensah was breaching his contract, legal ramifications with Duke ensued, but the star signal-caller was ultimately able to take his talents to South Beach.
The Blue Devils will face the Hurricanes next November, and Ari Wasserman of On 3 has actually listed the matchup as one of the "10 juiciest games" of the 2026 college football season.
"Miami was preparing for the national title game against Indiana when news broke that Duke quarterback Darian Mensah was entering the transfer portal. Everyone knew why. Miami needed a quarterback, and Mensah, who had just led the Blue Devils to the ACC title, felt the Hurricanes were a better fit for his expectations," Wasserman wrote. "Duke travels to Miami in November. If it is as good as last year, that could be one of Miami’s four toughest games. And Duke will have a point to prove."
Darian Mensah. Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images.Mensah enjoyed a brilliant season at Durham in 2025, throwing for 3,973 yards, 34 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 66.8 percent of his passes.
NFL Draft speculation surged around the 21-year-old following the Blue Devils' ACC championship victory, but Mensah decided to return to school. He also vowed not to enter the transfer portal.
But in the final hours of the portal window, Mensah bolted, and Duke fans were rightfully irate with his decision.
This marks the second time Mensah has transferred.
Mensah spent the first couple of years of his collegiate career at Tulane, breaking out in 2024 before moving on to Duke.
Now, the San Luis Obispo, Ca. native is taking another step up, joining one of the top programs in the country in Miami. The Hurricanes just lost to Indiana in the National Championship Game.
It's rare you see Duke get this type of publicity when it comes to football, but nevertheless, here we are. It should be interesting, to say the least.
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