Well, that was…..interesting. The Hurricanes defeated the Hokies on Saturday afternoon at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg 34-17 to improve to 9-2 (8-2) on the season.
Carson Beck had an excellent day, going 27/32 passing for 320 yards and 4 touchdowns with no picks. Girard Pringle, Jr. lead all rushers with 49 yards on 14 carries. Malachi Toney led all Miami pass catchers with 12 catches for 146 yards and a touchdown.
Miami got out front quickly, going 75 yards in 8 plays for a touchdown. On 2nd and 12 at the 20, Beck waited for Elija Lofton to come free behind the linebackers in zone coverage, and he was wide open in the middle of the end zone.
The offense kept things going positively on the next drive, going on a long 14-play, 75-yard touchdown drive the next time they touched the ball for a 14-3 lead. Mark Fletcher, Jr. swung out from the backfield and caught a 3-yard score. In fact, the Hurricanes would score on all 4 drives they touched the ball in the half, adding field goals on their next two drives for an impressive 20-3 halftime lead.
But that’s where the good times largely stopped. Miami’s defense, which aside from a few plays, were lockdown in the first half, especially in short yardage, allowed a touchdown on the opening drive. It looked like they had a 4th down stop, but Cam Pruitt was flagged for a facemask that didn’t appear to be one on replay. The next play, Tech broke through the middle and to the end zone for a 38-yard score.
Miami answered with their fifth score in as many drives, going 11 plays for 75 yards and topping it off with a beautiful lob to Pringle on a wheel route for a diving touchdown in the back of the end zone.
And that would be it from the offense until the game’s final seconds. Tech forced two fourth quarter punts that kept the Hokies within shouting distance.
And Tech would make things uncomfortably close in the fourth quarter. On 4th and 11 – after a fumble was overturned to an incomplete pass by what can only be described as a disastrously bad officiating crew on Saturday – Kyren Drones completed a 39-yard pass to Ayden Greene for goal to go. Greene ate Miami’s lunch too often in the second half. One play later, it was 27-17.
And to make matters worse, the Hokies recovered the onside kick. In case you didn’t hear it 5000 times in the fourth quarter, the ESPN broadcasting crew kept harping on how Miami needed to win with style points, and it looked like Miami wouldn’t get them.
But fortunately, a sack fumble that was reviewed for an incomplete pass and upheld gave Miami the ball back in plus territory. On 4th and 2 at the Tech 20 with just seconds left, Mario Cristobal realized Miami needed those style points. Beck lobbed a deep ball into the end zone to Toney, who caught it over the defenders back for a desperately needed final touchdown and a 34-17 margin.
We’ll see what happens elsewhere, but the Canes won by 3 scores, so we’ll see how the committee handles that next week.