MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Mario Cristobal knows what it’s like to be on the wrong side of a controversial finish.
So, instead of describing what the agonizing final moments of Friday night’s game were really like for him and his team as officials spent at least six minutes reviewing whether or not Virginia Tech receiver Da’Quan Felton had caught a game-winning pass in the end zone, Miami’s coach kept his view of what happened simple.
“I saw an incomplete pass,” Cristobal said. “That’s all I can say.”
Luckily for him, referees saw it the same way.
The Canes hung on to beat the Hokies 38-34.
At 1:15 a.m., nearly two hours after officials ruled Kyron Drones’ last-gasp pass incomplete, an ACC spokesperson put out a statement explaining why refs overturned their initial ruling on the field.
“During the review process of the last play …,” the statement read, “it was determined that the loose ball was touched by a Miami player while he was out of bounds, which makes it an incomplete pass and immediately ends the play.”
AFTER FURTHER REVIEW THE TOUCHDOWN IS OVER TURNED THE HURRICANES WIN THE GAME!!#VirginiaTech #Miami #MiamiFL
— SportsCastProductions (@SportsCastProd) September 28, 2024
“I don’t know how that call gets overturned,” Drones said after the Hokies left Hard Rock Stadium heartbroken and 2-3 on the season. “Probably because we played here.”
Hokies coach Brent Pry said he never received an explanation on the field from referees for why they reversed the call. His record is now 1-10 in one-score games at Virginia Tech.
The Hokies are entitled to feel like they got screwed on the final play.
The Canes? They’re right to feel good they escaped this ACC opener with a win. A year ago, you might remember, Cristobal was answering a different set of questions after his team blew a 20-17 lead to Georgia Tech after one of the most boneheaded decisions we’ve ever seen a head coach make.
This time, Miami came out on the right side of a long review and 5-0 in the standings. There’s something to be said for that.
“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.
“There’s a lot to learn from this game film. It’s one of those days where you’re fortunate enough to learn a lot of your lessons without suffering the consequence of a loss. We turned the ball over uncharacteristically. We had some pressure on our own quarterback. We had about five guys go down on defense. Lot of guys had to step up. Some were ready. Some battled hard, but weren’t maybe quite as ready as some of those frontline guys.”
Cam Ward once again put the Hurricanes on his back. The Heisman front-runner according to Vegas oddsmakers threw for 343 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 57 yards and another score. He also turned it over three times, which is why Miami found itself trailing at halftime and by 10 points in the third quarter.
Brent Pry: “I hope they got it right”
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) September 28, 2024
If you want to criticize the Hurricanes for not covering the 19.5-point spread Las Vegas set earlier this week (the same spread Miami was favored by to beat Georgia Tech last season), it’s probably because they’re relying on Ward a little too much to be the hero.
Until this season, Cristobal has always banked on a stout offensive line and running game to set the tone for his teams. But Damian Martinez — the prized Oregon State transfer Miami signed after the spring — has yet to get his wheels going. He ran for 60 yards Friday and has yet to hit the 100-yard mark on the ground in a game for the Hurricanes.
Miami’s defense, which had been dominant in non-conference play, finally looked more like most of us expected them to be against a quarterback like Drones and a talented tailback like Bhayshul Tuten. That would be average.
Cristobal said he thought his team lacked juice early, but credited them for how they kept fighting until the end.
It’s scary how quickly the momentum swung in Virginia Tech’s favor after a holding penalty called on left tackle Markel Bell midway through the second quarter negated a Ward touchdown pass that would’ve put the Hurricanes ahead 21-7.
Instead of going up two scores, Ward threw his third interception of the season on the next play, and Virginia Tech scored 17 consecutive points to take a 24-17 lead into the half.
Cristobal said coaches didn’t need to say a word at halftime. Players took ownership.
Yet, still, it took Ward playing special for the Hurricanes to eke out a win over a team that lost to Vanderbilt and Rutgers.
So, are the Hurricanes really a top-10 team? Are they good enough to finally win an ACC title this year? That’s debatable.
But we know this: They’re still unbeaten.
“This team over the last 20 years lost a game like this,” Cristobal said. “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.”
He’s right about that.
(Top photo of Miami defensive back Tyler Rowe celebrating after the game-winning touchdown call for Virginia Tech was overturned: Doug Murray / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
