Canes Rally to Beat Hokies in Wild ACC Opener
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The seventh-ranked Miami Hurricanes had raced out to a 4-0 start to their season. But they knew that conference play hits different.
In their ACC opener, the Canes and the Virginia Tech Hokies traded punches all evening long in a rollicking, roller-coaster affair at Hard Rock Stadium. In the end the game came down to one last play – and one last review – and it was Miami that left the field with its first conference win.
The Canes rallied from a 10-point fourth quarter deficit to score a wild, 38-34 win before 59,539 delirious fans on their home field. Miami improved to 5-0, 1-0 in the ACC. Virginia Tech fell to 2-3 overall, 0-1 in conference play.
Quarterback Cam Ward threw for 342 yards and four touchdowns to offset three turnovers. He also ran for 57 yards and a score, leading Miami to touchdowns on its final three drives of the game. But the Hokies drove 45 yards in the final two minutes to set up a Hail Mary throw on the last play. It was initially ruled a touchdown but then reversed, giving the Canes their first 5-0 start in seven seasons.
“Obviously a tremendous game,” head coach Mario Cristobal said. “We overcame a lot of stuff, a lot of self-inflicted issues to find a way to pull it out. They’re a really good football team…certainly it wasn’t our best performance but when you play in conference we tell our guys all the time expect it to be playoff football because that’s what you’re going to get.
“I’m proud of the way we just kept fighting, even when we were two scores down and got behind two scores again.”
Miami racked up 508 total yards and found its rushing grove in the second half with 132 yards on the ground. Wide receiver Xavier Restrepo paced the Canes with five catches for 60 yards, while wide receiver Jacolby George, wide receiver Isaiah Horton, tight end Elijah Arroyo and tight end Cam McCormick each had scoring grabs. Running back Damien Martinez gained 60 tough yards on 14 carries. Miami converted 10 of 16 on third down and possessed the ball for nearly 33 minutes.
Cornerback Jadais Richard led the Canes with eight tackles, while linebacker Wesley Bissainthe added six stops. Safety Meesh Powell had three tackles and an interception.
Quarterback Kyron Drones threw for 189 yards for the Hokes with two touchdowns and one interception. Running back Bhayshul Tuten rushed for 141 yards and one score, helping Tech amass 206 yards on the ground. Tight end Benji Gosnell and wide receiver Ayden Greene each had touchdown receptions.
Miami got the ball to open the game, but Ward fumbled on 3rd and 5 and linebacker Sam Brumfield recovered at the Canes 31. Three plays later, Drones found Gosnell wide open for a 25-yard touchdown. The Hokies had a quick 7-0 lead.
Ward responded on the next drive, throwing deep down the right sideline to Arroyo for 45 yards to the Tech 18. On the next snap he threw a dart to George in the back of the end zone and the game was tied at 7-7.
On the next drive, Drone threw down the middle to Greene, but it went through his hands and was picked off by Powell at the Miami 48. On 3rd and 1, Ward lined up under center, faked a handoff a lofted a pass to Arroyo, who glided into the end zone for a 43-yard score. The Canes had two touchdowns in less than two minutes and led 14-7.
A pass interference penalty on Miami extended Tech’s next drive but Drone was called for intentional grounding and Tech eventually had to punt. Ward picked up a first down with his feet and then dropped a dime to Restrepo for 25 yards and the Canes were back in Tech territory.
Ward converted a 3rd and 4 with another strike to Restrepo, this one for 26 yards to give Miami first and goal at the nine-yard line. Ward appeared to find George for another touchdown, but it was called back for holding. On the next play, safety Mose Phillips picked off Ward and returned it 33 yards. Three snaps later, Tuten bounced off a tackle attempt by linebacker Francisco Mauigoa and raced to the end zone for a 55-yard touchdown. The game was tied again.
Ward connected with running back Jordan Lyle for 17 yards to move the ball back into Hokies territory, but a third-down sack by defensive end Antwaun Powell-Ryland forced a Miami punt. Drones and the Hokies marched 69 yards in just five plays, capping the drive with a 20-yard touchdown run by wide receiver Jaylin Lane on a reverse. Tech was back on top by seven.
The Hokies forced another punt and Tech took over on its own 26 with 2:29 left in the half. Drones picked up a first down on a 20-yard scramble and Tech eventually reached the Canes 36. But defensive tackle C.J. Clark sacked Drones to force a 57-yard field goal attempt. John Love nailed it and the Hokies had a 10-point lead.
Running back Chris Johnson, Jr. returned the kickoff 34 yards to give the Canes a chance to snag some points in the waning seconds of the first half. A pass interference call moved the ball to the Tech 38 and Andy Borregales kicked a career-high 56-yarder. It was 24-17 Hokies at the half. Tech outgained Miami 167 total yards to 29 in the second quarter.
The Hokies got the ball to start the second half and Drones picked up a key third down with a 21-yard toss to wide receiver Stephen Gosnell. But Miami’s defense held, and Love trotted out again, this time from 52 yards out. He connected again and the Tech’s lead was back up to 10.
Martinez broke off a 17-yard run to start the next drive and Ward hit Restrepo for 15 yards to move the chains again. Three plays later, Ward looked for Restrepo again, but linebacker Kaleb Spencer picked off the pass at the six-yard line and raced 77 yards all the way to Miami’s 17. The Hokies couldn’t move the chains and eventually tried a fake field goal, but defensive end Malik Bryant stuffed the short pass play and the Canes had the ball back.
Ward connected with George and Horton on consecutive throws for 37 yards before Johnson broke off a 24-yard run to the Hokies 19. Three plays later, Ward dropped back, eluded the rush and sprinted up the middle for a 17-yard touchdown. The Canes were back within three points.
On the next drive, running back P.J. Prioleau appeared to score on a 61-yard run but it was called back on a holding penalty by guard Kaden Moore. Miami was flagged for pass interference on the next play, and Tuten carried 16 yards to the Canes 40. Two plays later Drones hit Lane down the middle for 21 yards. Tech soon faced a 3rd and 9 and Drones rolled right and found Greene for a 16-yard touchdown. It was back to a double-digit lead with 12:05 remaining.
Ward went back to work, firing a 25-yard strike to wide receiver Sam Brown, Jr., before scrambling for 19 yards to Tech’s six-yard line. Two plays later, Ward lofted a pass to tight end Cam McCormick in the back of the end zone to make it 34-31.
Miami’s defense came up huge when it needed to, forcing the game’s first three-and-out and the Canes got the ball back at their 42. Defensive tackle Aeneas Peebles sacked Ward for seven yards on first down, and Miami soon faced 4th and 3 from midfield. Ward looked for Restrepo, who fell down but reached up to snag the pass for a first down.
Ward then hit Horton on a slant for 12 yards and a first down to the Tech 27. Two plays later, Ward appeared to be wrapped up not once – but twice – by Tech defenders before alerting chest-passing the ball to tight end Riley Williams, who rumbled down the right sideline to the one-yard line.
On the next snap, Ward tossed it to a wide-open Horton in the end zone and the Canes had their first lead since the second quarter. It was a 10-play, 57-yard drive and there was 1:57 left on the clock.
The Hokies gained one first down and then faced a 3rd and 6 from their 43 with 38 seconds left. Drones hit Stephen Gosnell for eight yards to move the chains. Three plays later, Drones scrambled for 12 yards to the Miami 30. But there were just three seconds remaining.
Drones heaved the ball into the end zone. Wide receiver Da’Quan Felton appeared to come down with it…or did he? It was initially ruled a touchdown but after a long replay review the officials reversed the call. Incomplete. Canes victory.
The Canes head west on Saturday, October 5, to face new ACC member California for the first time since 1990. Kickoff is 10:30 p.m. on ESPN.
