Duke Fans Now Have 1 Game Circled on 2026 Schedule

The Duke football program was hit with the hardest punch possible on the afternoon of Jan. 16, as it was reported that star quarterback Darian Mensah intended to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal less than a month after confirming his return to Durham for the 2026 season. Now, Manny Diaz and his staff have been sent back quite a ways at the quarterback position.

Reports surfaced early in the offseason that Mensah was considering entering the 2026 NFL Draft, but was only deciding between the draft and a return to Duke in 2026. Mensah later released a video confirming his intentions to play for the Blue Devils for one more year.

Dec 6, 2025; Charlotte, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils quarterback Darian Mensah (10) celebrates after the Blue Devils score a touchdown in overtime during the ACC Championship game at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Miami is the early frontrunner to steal Mensah from Duke, and its offer to the rising redshirt junior would be nearly impossible for any college athlete to turn down.

The Hurricanes are rumored to be offering to buyout the remainder of Mensah's two-year deal with Duke, which he signed last offseason, estimated to be around $7.5 million. Additionally, Miami is rumored to be offering to pay $10 million total for the transfer to go down, provide country housing for Mensah, and throw in an Adidas brand deal.

Manny Diaz, head football coach at Duke, shouts during the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl against Arizona State at Sun Bowl Stadium in El Paso, Texas, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. | Gaby Velasquez/ El Paso Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Contract Issues With Mensah’s Transfer to Miami

Duke owns Mensah's NIL rights as he still has one more year left on his deal with the program. The transfer going down is reported to be "a legal entanglement that must be resolved."

"Like most rev-share contracts, Duke's deal prohibits another university from using Mensah's NIL - a legal entanglement that must be resolved," Yahoo! Sports' Ross Dellenger said.

QB Darian Mensah is in the second year of a 2-year deal with Duke at $4M annually. Per @flasportsbuzz, he is expected to sign with Miami.

Like most rev-share contracts, Duke's deal prohibits another university from using Mensah's NIL - a legal entanglement that must be resolved. https://t.co/khOKJ035wR
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) January 16, 2026

"If a buyout is paid by Mensah's new school - possibly the value of the contract ($4M) - it will be reduced from the revenue-share pool of his new school, according to House settlement rules."

Jan 8, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal against the Mississippi Rebels during the 2026 Fiesta Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Duke Fans Will Be Ready for Duke vs. Miami in 2026

If this transfer process ultimately moves through and Mensah becomes a Hurricane, Duke fans will have one specific game circled on the Blue Devils' 2026 slate.

The Blue Devils will face Miami on the road next season. The ACC is moving to a nine-game conference slate for a "transition year" for the conference in 2026, and 11 other schools will play nine ACC games along with the Blue Devils.

When I left the Duke NIL world in July, I really thought one of the only things that could temper the craziness of college football was multi-year deals. That is exactly what Duke did with Darian Mensah. They did everything right. I hope they hold strong and get a 100% buyout.
— Josh Cox (@joshuacox) January 17, 2026

With the portal window now closed, Diaz and his staff will now be scrambling to figure out who their QB in 2026 will be. So far, the Blue Devils have landed a commitment from Ari Patu, a North Alabama transfer who appeared in seven games in 2025.

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