No. 7 Miami hangs on with wild finish, overturned Hail Mary against Virginia Tech

No. 7 Miami (Fla.) overcame a late scare and held off Virginia Tech, 38-34, in a thrilling ACC opener on Friday night at Hard Rock Stadium.

Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward gave Miami the lead with less than two minutes to play on a 1-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Horton. But Virginia Tech got into position for one final play with a Hail Mary attempt from the Miami 30. Quarterback Kyron Drones lofted a pass that ended up in a crowd of players. After the Hokies’ Da’Quan Felton was ruled as making a touchdown catch, officials overturned the call following a review.

Miami improved to 5-0 on the season and 1-0 in conference play, while the Hokies dropped to 2-3 overall and 0-1 in the ACC.

Ward’s performance showcased why he’s considered one of the early favorites for the Heisman Trophy, even with some turnovers. He completed 24 of 38 passes, throwing for 343 yards and four touchdowns. However, his night wasn’t without challenges. Ward turned the ball over three times — two interceptions and a fumble — contributing to 14 of Virginia Tech’s points.

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The Hokies started fast, taking advantage of an early fumble recovery. Drones found Benji Gosnell for a quick touchdown, giving the Hokies an early 7-0 lead. After a back-and-forth first half that featured 41 combined points, the Hokies led 24-17 at halftime as both teams converted long field goals before the break.

In the third quarter, Virginia Tech extended its lead to 27-17 with another long field goal from John Love. However, Miami began to chip away at the deficit. Ward’s 17-yard touchdown scramble late in the third quarter brought the Hurricanes within three points. Early in the fourth quarter, Drones responded with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Ayden Greene to give the Hokies a 34-24 advantage.

Miami refused to go away, however. Ward orchestrated a 70-yard drive, capped by a 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end Cam McCormick, cutting Virginia Tech’s lead to 34-31. After a defensive stop, Ward led Miami on an 89-yard drive, converting a crucial fourth-down pass to Xavier Restrepo, and eventually finding Horton for what ended up being the game-winning touchdown.

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For Virginia Tech, Drones finished with 189 passing yards and two touchdowns, while running back Bhayshul Tuten added a rushing score and 141 yards.

The win marked Miami’s first victory in an ACC opener in four years as the Hurricanes continue to push for a spot in the College Football Playoff. Virginia Tech, meanwhile, will look to regroup after a second straight loss.