As Virginia Tech Hokies wide receiver Da’Quon Felton mocked Miami quarterback Cam Ward’s viral touchdown celebration after officials ruled the last-second heave from VT quarterback Kyron Drones, this felt like it was going to be déjà vu for Miami.
Another year, another disappointing year for Hurricanes football. So much hope, so much anticipation, only to be undone in a week 5 home game against an ACC program that the ‘Canes should have soundly defeated.
We’ve been here before. A very similar situation unplayed in Miami Gardens in week 5 last season, when the Hurricanes let the Georgia Tech game slip due to a poor coaching decision from Mario Cristobal.
Tyler Rowe had come out of the pile with the ball, but the referees called it a touchdown on the field, and there was not clear enough evidence to overturn the play. Minutes felt like years as the officials looked over the play. The dread of the tension of this call by the officials sat in the air at Hard Rock Stadium. What felt like heartbreak for the ’Canes seemed inevitable.
Except it wasn’t.
The head official overturned the call, and Miami emerged victorious. What a turn of events. Miami failed to execute on numerous occasions. The ’Canes were begging the Hokies to put the game away. UM was favored by as much as 19.5 points heading into this contest. Tech was talented, but Miami was supposed to be far superior.
The ’Canes I know would have lost that game. They would not have clawed back and fought back to win a tough ACC game at home. At the first sign of things not going their way, they would have bowed out and another year of disappointing UM football would have followed as too many South Floridians are used to.
But in the words of Herb Brooks, not tonight. The ’Canes showed something I haven’t seen in a long time from them – heart. Led by their Heisman quarterback candidate Cam Ward, who played his worst game of the season on Friday, Miami battled.
“This team over the last 20 years lost a game like this,” Cristobal said to reporters. “This team found a way to win. People can take that however they want. I’m proud of the effort. I’m not proud of the way we coached and played. But, sometimes, you’ve just got to find a way to find a W. And we found a way to win.”
The game turned on a critical holding penalty on Miami left tackle Markel Bell, who was filling in for Jalen Rivers. Ward found wide receiver Jacolby George in the back of the endzone, which would have made the score 21-7 in favor of the Hurricanes early on in the second quarter.
Instead, on the next play, Ward tossed an interception, and the Hokies went on to score 17-straight points to make it 24-17 at the half.
Ward came into this game with two turnovers to his name through the first four weeks of the season. The fifth-year senior ended the game with three turnovers: two interceptions and a fumble. Tech was able to capitalize on these mistakes from the ’Canes on the fumble on the first drive and the interception in the red zone in the second quarter and turn it into 14 points.
Miami played its sloppiest game of the season on both sides of the ball. The offense seemed to miscommunicate on key play calls as Ward was sacked, threw the ball away or was intercepted far too often. The running game was not as explosive as it had been.
The defense was undisciplined and missed a plethora of tackles. Through the first four weeks, the Miami defense missed a combined 22 tackles. Against the Hokies, UM missed a whopping 21 tackles. The U pressured Drones 31 times but were only able to put him on the ground once.
Hokies running back Bhayshul Tuten tore up Miami’s defense. The senior torched the Hurricanes to the tune of 141 yards on 14 carries, including a backbreaking 55 yarder that led to his only score of the night where Miami’s defense looked pedestrian. Drones was able to make plays with his legs too, scrambling 10 times for 43 yards.
“We overcame a lot of stuff — a lot of self-inflicted issues,” Cristobal said. “It certainly wasn’t our best performance. But when you play conference (opponents), expect it to be playoff football.”
Some stellar efforts brought Miami back and ultimately allowed it to win this game – something that would not have happened in years past. Cristobal mentioned that he did not need to say anything to motivate his group at halftime; the players knew.
In the third quarter, after Ward’s second interception, tight end Elijah Arroyo chased down the ball carrier from the opposite side of the field in order for the interception not to be returned for a touchdown.
The Hurricanes’ defense was then able to hold the Hokies, and defensive end Malik Bryant was able to stop a fake field goal attempt from Tech that swung momentum back in Miami’s favor.
“I just saw an opportunity, and I knew the team needed a stop,” Bryant said. “Glad I was in a position to make a play, but it’s a team effort, always.” This kind of mentality is always something that has been preached at The U, just rarely seen in action.”
While Ward struggled with turnovers, he still made plays when it mattered. Driving late in the fourth, down three points, facing a blitz from the Hokies, Ward evaded two separate potential sacks and was able to flip the ball to his tight end, sophomore Riley Williams, who took the ball near the goal line and set up the Hurricanes to take the lead.
While the game ended with controversy, this play will be on all of the Ward Heisman highlight reels if he is indeed on his way to New York for the ceremony in December.
This is a game Miami teams of old would have lost. Whether you think that the refs made the right call at the end of the game, the fact that the ’Canes were even in a position to benefit from a controversial call speaks volumes to how far this team has come and the spirit inside the locker room.
A win is a win. Start brewing your coffee for next weekend’s 10:30 p.m. kickoff against California.