Hurricanes Overcome Virginia

     The Miami Hurricanes came back from a 14-point deficit twice to beat the Virginia Cavaliers 44-28 at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday. It was the final home game for the Canes this season. They finish the regular season in Pittsburgh next week and face the Clemson Tigers in the ACC Championship Game in two weeks at Charlotte, North Carolina.
     In the first quarter, Virginia(6-5, 3-4) shocked the Hurricanes as they placed the first 14 points on the scoreboard. Quarterback Kurt Benkert threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to running back Olamide Zaccheaus at 10:33. They made it 14-0 when wide receiver Joe Reed caught a 75-yard pass down the right sideline from Benkert at the 2:23 mark.
     Miami(10-0, 7-0) began to dig themselves out of the hole with 19 seconds left in the first. Quarterback Malik Rosier connected a 10-yard pass to wide receiver Ahmmon Richards, a Wellington High School grad, in the right front corner of the end zone for a score.
     The Hurricanes tied it up at the 9:20 mark of the second quarter. Travis Homer, an Oxbridge Academy grad, recovered the ball on a fumbled punt return by Virginia. On the next play, Rosier found wide receiver Dayall Harris up the middle of the field with a 36-yard strike.
     The Cavaliers regained the lead 21-14 with 30 seconds remaining in the first half. Benkert lofted a pass to the left sideline and wide receiver Andre Levrone Jr. got under it for a 33-yard touchdown catch.
     At the start of the second half, Virginia moved it back to a 14-point gap on their first possession. Benkert found running back Daniel Hamm on a 26-yard pass play.
     The Canes responded and scored 14 points in a seven-second span. They scored at the 10:04 mark when Rosier zipped a 10-yard pass to the right side of the end zone to wide receiver Lawrence Cager. On the first play of the Cavaliers next drive, defensive back Jaquan Johnson intercepted a pass from Benkert on the right sideline and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown to tie the contest 28-28 at 9:57.
     Miami finally got their first lead of the contest with 21 seconds left in the third quarter. Michael Badgley converted on a 44-yard field goal to make it 31-28.
     In the fourth quarter, Homer raced through the right side for a 36-yard run to the Virginia three-yard line. Three plays later, Rosier ran a delayed draw play through the middle for an eight-yard touchdown and a 37-28 lead with 4:03 remaining.
     After the Cavaliers turned the ball over on downs near midfield, the Canes reached the end zone gain to put the game away. Homer raced through the right side of the line and scored from 19 yards out with 1:16 to go.