Incredibly, Miami (heroes galore) still in ACC title chase after 2-OT win vs. Clemson
Two hands to the sky (as in touchdown) if you thought before Saturday that the Miami Hurricanes were out of the Atlantic Coast Conference title race.
You’re not alone.
After the Hurricanes pulled off the double-overtime 28-20 stunner over Clemson at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday night, the University of Miami is still alive in the race to get to Charlotte on Dec. 2 for the ACC Championship Game.
The Canes (5-2, 1-2 ACC) would need some help along the way (No. 20 Duke, for example, only has one ACC loss after losing Saturday to undefeated No. 4 FSU), but UM’s most important goal now is to win out in the remaining five regular-season games. The wild journey continues at 3:30 p.m. Saturday (ACC Network) at Hard Rock Stadium, where formerly scorned Virginia (2-5, 1-2) comes to meet the Canes after upsetting then-No. 10 and now-No. 17 North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
After that, it’s back-to-back road games at North Carolina State (4-3, 1-2) and FSU (7-0, 5-0), the November 18 home finale against No. 18 Louisville (6-1, 3-1) and the regular-season finale at Boston College (4-3, 2-2).
“Very proud of our players, very proud of our program, for showing just a ton of resiliency and coming out and playing every snap with a lot of juice, a lot of energy [and] executing at a higher level,’’ Miami coach Mario Cristobal said after the game ended at midnight. “Certainly the value of each snap showed for us today.’’
There were Hurricane heroes galore Saturday, starting with true freshman quarterback Emory Williams, who completed 24 of 33 passes for 151 yards and a touchdown, with one interception. The 6-5, 220-pound rookie from Milton, Florida, got his first career start because veteran Tyler Van Dyke was pummeled in the previous week’s loss at North Carolina, didn’t actively practice all week, and was internally ruled out going into the game, sources told the Miami Herald.
Cristobal indicated it was a game-time decision, though Van Dyke wasn’t in uniform and never warmed up. “It was the right thing to play Emory because he was getting most of the reps,’’ the coach said, adding that Van Dyke’s physical condition “flared up’’ later in the week and “caught us off guard.’’
“But he’s good,’’ Cristobal said of Van Dyke, who hurt his right leg, back and torso at UNC. “I feel like he’s ready to go next week, but I’ll hold comment on that until we get back to the training room so I can give you more accurate [information] then.’’
Williams/Van Dyke
Williams, who couldn’t stop smiling and said “good question” after almost every query in the post-game news conference, was 24 of 33 (73 percent) for 151 yards and one touchdown, with one interception. He was 14 of 17 for 120 yards in the second half, staying close to Van Dyke on the sideline when he wasn’t on the field.
Williams said he got plenty of advice from Van Dyke, who mentored him and was candid when the young signal caller would ask for pointers after telling the veteran what he had chosen to do in certain situations.
“I would just comment, like, ‘Hey, I saw this’ and ‘I checked this,’’’ said Williams, “And he’d say, ‘Probably not the wisest,’ and he was right. He was like, ‘Hey, this matchup is there. You can take it,’ and he was right. So, everything he advised me was spot on.
“...I’m glad he was there, because I wouldn’t be able to do what I did without him.’’
What went through Williams’ mind when coaches told him he’d be starting?
“First of all, ‘Thanks, Jesus,’ as I get to play the game I love on this platform. The rest was just, ‘Do my job.’’’
Fourth quarter/overtime
For those who might have fallen asleep before the four-hour game ended, UM scored 10 points in the final quarter to force overtime. First, a 75-yard, 15-play drive that ate up nine minutes from the clock, was culminated by a 11-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Colbie Young with eight minutes left. UM rushed on 12 of 15 plays during that drive.
Next, Andy Borregales kicked a 38-yard field goal with 1:51 left in regulation to tie the score at 17.
UM started its last drive in regulation at its own 28-yard line with 1:26 left, and got as far as the 38 with 26 seconds remaining. But UM huddled, and an incomplete pass was followed by a 4-yard rush to run out the clock — forcing overtime because the Canes, who still had an available timeout, weren’t close enough for a field goal.
“We felt we could pop a run and get more positive yardage, maybe get to the 50 or cross it and be a little more aggressive,’’ Cristobal said. “They’ve got a really good pass-rush and extensive blitz package. We thought that the way we were controlling the line of scrimmage, the risk-reward side favored us taking the game in overtime.’’
The teams exchanged 31-yard (Clemson) and 35-yard (Miami) field goals in their first overtime possessions, before tailback Ajay Allen ran for the 3-yard winning touchdown, followed by his two-point conversion run.
Other heroes
The Miami defense, which recovered two fumbles and had one interception, as a whole was smothering. UM sacked quarterback Cade Klubnik five times. After the 50 yards lost on those plays (and four yards lost by tailback Will Shipley), UM allowed Clemson only 31 yards rushing.
Freshman defensive end starter Rueben Bain (eight tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble, two quarterback hurries) was outstanding, as was safety James Williams (seven tackles, forced fumble and fumble recovery), linebacker Francisco Mauigoa (six tackles, one sack, two tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry) and several others.
And of course, the play of the game was when linebacker Corey Flagg Jr. stopped Klubnik for an 8-yard loss on fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line to give UM the victory. “Unbelievable job,’’ said Cristobal, who embraced Flagg after the play.
On offense, Colbie Young had 76 yards and a touchdown on six catches.
Brashard Smith had four carries for 87 yards, including an 80-yard run that turned into a touchdown after he fumbled and receiver Jacolby George recovered in the end zone.
And kicker Borregales continued his dominant season with his clutch, fourth-quarter 38-yarder and 35-yarder in the first overtime.
“Some really bloody, muddy yards,’’ Cristobal said. “I’m sure both teams will be incredibly sore [Sunday] because that thing was a legitimate slugfest. “Credit to them,’’ the coach said of Clemson (4-3, 2-3). “They’re an excellent offense and defense. [But] the night belongs to us.’’
This story was originally published October 22, 2023 at 3:33 PM.
