Fans of the Miami Hurricanes were left holding their breath during a suspenseful conclusion last Friday night as the officials decided their team’s fate. Kyron Drones, the quarterback for Virginia Tech, attempted a Hail Mary into the end zone with seconds remaining, but it was initially declared a touchdown. The officials overturned the call after a tense six-minute review, declaring the pass incomplete and securing Miami’s 38-34 victory. Their winning run now stands at five games, and they remain in the running for their first-ever ACC championship and College Football Playoff berth. Miami moved up to No. 8 in the AP Top 25 Poll despite their victory, a minor cost for averting what may have been a disastrous defeat.
But there were several issues with the game. While the Hurricanes averted a bullet, their shaky performance shouldn’t be written off as just a bad night. If Miami wants to keep its chances of winning the championship, coach Mario Cristobal will have to address some grave issues. Cam Ward, a highly anticipated transfer from Washington State, displayed both his strengths and weaknesses. Despite being well-known for his explosive playmaking skills, Ward has a concerning turnover history, especially when it comes to fumbles. He contributed to that story on Friday night by making a mistake early in Miami’s first drive, which allowed Virginia Tech to score quickly. He then picked up two passes that were almost turned into scores. Despite these errors, Ward contributed significantly to Miami’s recovery and displayed moments of Heisman-caliber play.
Miami has been among the best defense teams in the country, but the Hokies revealed several vulnerabilities that will require fixing. After surrendering a season-high 34 points, the Hurricanes, who had a top-10 scoring defense coming into the game, fell to a tie for 19th place with Alabama. Missed tackles were a big problem; Miami’s 20 missed tackles for the game almost matched their total from the three games prior combined. Bhayshul Tuten of Virginia Tech and Kyron Drones tore through Miami’s defense; Tuten’s 141 yards and touchdown run was the most yards Miami has allowed any player to get on the ground this season.
Even though Miami is still very much in the running, there’s no denying that Friday’s game highlighted several areas that need to be tightened.
