No. 3 Miami escapes Virginia's upset bid with big second half
No. 3 Miami is still undefeated. But Saturday’s win against Virginia was not nearly as convincing as its previous two wins over Virginia Tech and Notre Dame.
The Hurricanes trailed by 14 points on two different occasions before storming back with 30 unanswered points in the second half to win 44-28.
Virginia, 6-5, took a 28-14 lead in the third quarter when QB Kurt Benkert found WR Daniel Hamm for a 36-yard touchdown. And then the game was tied after Virginia’s next offensive play.
Miami, 10-0 scored a touchdown on its next possession to cut the lead to 28-21. Then on Virginia’s first offensive play following Miami’s TD, safety Jaquan Johnson took a Benkert pass 30 yards for a pick-six.
The interception was Miami’s third forced turnover of the day. Yes, the turnover chain got a lot of use. Following Johnson’s pick, the game was all Miami. The Hurricanes scored 16-straight points in the fourth quarter.
Virginia had a 21-14 lead thanks to Benkert’s efficient first half. He was 17-18 passing for 262 yards. But Miami’s defense stepped up in the second half, not only forcing turnovers but pressuring Benkert.
Miami plays Pitt on Friday to close out the regular season before playing No. 2 Clemson in the ACC Championship Game. Virginia ends its regular season against Virginia Tech.
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Nick Bromberg is the editor of Dr. Saturday and From the Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!
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