SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Kyle McCord and Syracuse knocked No. 6 Miami out of Atlantic Coast Convention title competition — and probably ended the Hurricanes’ Faculty Soccer Playoff hopes — by rallying from a 21-0 deficit for a 42-38 win on Saturday.
McCord threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns for the Orange (9-3, 5-3 ACC). LeQuint Allen ran for 2 scores and picked up two crucial first downs on Syracuse’s ultimate, clock-killing drive, and Devin Grant compelled a fumble that he returned 56 yards for a landing to assist the Orange beat a ranked foe for the third time this season.
Cam Ward had 349 yards passing with two touchdowns for the Hurricanes (10-2, 6-2 ACC, No. 6 CFP), who can be off subsequent week whereas Clemson faces SMU within the ACC championship sport. The Canes must hope for an at-large bid into the 12-team playoff.
Miami had little bother scoring towards the Orange however settled for a discipline purpose on what turned out to be its ultimate possession when coach Mario Cristobal declined to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 10-yard line.
“We got here up quick, and that is on all of us, beginning with myself,” Cristobal mentioned. “We do not shrink back from it. We’re not in any means, form or type something however exhausting staff and accountable folks. And it is brutally tough.”
Miami had defeated Syracuse six straight occasions earlier than this shootout, during which the groups mixed for 983 yards of offense and 51 first downs. The Hurricanes started the season 9-0, however they’ve misplaced two of three after falling three weeks in the past at Georgia Tech.
“We’re dedicated. We love one another. We actually love one another. It is superb,” Syracuse coach Fran Brown mentioned in his on-field interview on ESPN after the sport. “I am simply very grateful for these followers. Syracuse is again. We’re again. I simply like it.”
The Hurricanes sat in first place within the ACC standings for many of the season however fizzled on the finish, shedding two of their ultimate three league video games. That adopted a 9-0 run to open the season for a program that has by no means received an ACC crown.
“Each side did not get the job finished,” Ward mentioned on Miami’s postgame radio present. “Our predominant purpose wasn’t completed. However, I imply, we’re blessed. We received 10 video games this 12 months. Not loads of groups can do this.”
Ward, thought-about a Heisman Trophy front-runner many of the season, won’t have the convention title sport to pad his statistics.
“If we get an opportunity to enter the playoff,” he mentioned, “we will take advantage of it.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.
