The sixth-ranked Miami Hurricanes took on the Syracuse Orange with one goal in mind: win and get into the ACC Championship. And after 12 games of on-the-edge of your seat action, the “Canes regular season has come to a close, losing to Syracuse 42-38.
Two of the best offenses in the country went toe-to-toe, a shootout-style game typical of the “Cardiac Canes”.
Mark Fletcher Jr. ran the ball in to get the scoring underway on the opening drive after Cam Ward extended the play on third down to hit Jacolby George for 19 yards.
As expected, the potent Syracuse offense came out gunslinging with Kyle McCord dishing the ball across the field. But after a touchdown from Trebor Pena was wiped out due to an illegal formation, Syracuse opted to go for it on 4th down and turned the ball over on downs.
“There were explosive plays on both sides,” said head coach Mario Cristobal.
On Miami’s second drive, Ward and Restrepo connected on a 16-yard touchdown to make it a 14-0 ballgame. And after getting another defensive stop, the ‘Canes began to pour it on after Ward connected with Elijah Arroyo for a 3-yard touchdown pass.
Syracuse finally answered in the second quarter after LeQuint Allen ran for an 8-yard touchdown and McCord connected to Jackson Meeks on a 9-yard touchdown catch; making it a 21-14 game heading into the half.
Syracuse carried this momentum into the second half with a 39-second drive ending with a 25 touchdown pass to Trebor Pena to tie the game. But the Canes answered back to retake the lead after Fletcher ran it in again for his second touchdown.
Even twelve games into the year, the Canes simply cannot get defensive stops; Syracuse immediately re-tied the game after Meeks got his 2nd receiving touchdown of the game.
But just as hopes in defense faded, Syracuse’s Yasin Willis fumbled and recovered by Cam Pruitt, just for Xavier Restrepo to fumble and Syracuse scored on a scoop-and-score to take the lead heading into the 4th quarter.
Coach Cristobal emphasized the need to “Make simple plays” going into the fourth, and that’s exactly what the squad did, driving down the field to tie the game at 35 a piece after a Damien Martinez touchdown.
Syracuse retook the lead after attacking freshman O.J Frederique constantly, before Allen ran it in for his second touchdown of the day.
The Canes looked set to tie the game before an unsportsmanlike penalty from Jacolby George forced the Canes to take a field goal.
Like always, the defense could not get a stop to give the offense a chance and Syracuse took a knee to close the game.
“Credit to them, they had a great plan offensively and kept putting points on the board,” said coach Cristobal.
The Hurricanes now sit and wait, hoping the committee gives them a place in the College Football Playoff; a place that remains unlikely after 2 losses in the last 3 games.