No. 6 Miami loses out on ACC title berth, falls at Syracuse

Field Level Media|published: Sat 30th November, 19:37 2024

Nov 30, 2024; Syracuse, New York, USA; Miami Hurricanes linebacker Wesley Bissainthe (31) breaks up a pass intended for Syracuse Orange running back LeQuint Allen (1) during the first half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Kyle McCord passed for 380 yards and three touchdowns as the host Syracuse Orange rallied to upset the sixth-ranked Miami Hurricanes 42-38 in an ACC game on Saturday.

Syracuse trailed 21-0 but took its first lead, 35-28, in the third quarter on a 56-yard fumble recovery by Devin Grant. The Orange never trailed again.

A win would've put Miami in the ACC title game next Saturday against SMU. Instead, Miami (10-2, 6-2) ended its regular season with two upset losses in its final three games.

Syracuse (9-3, 5-3) got two touchdown receptions from Jackson Meeks (seven catches, 110 yards). Teammate Trebor Pena caught six passes for 128 yards and one TD.

Cam Ward led Miami, passing for 349 yards and two TDs. He leads the nation with 36 TD passes, and he also went over 4,000 passing yards for the season.

McCord, who leads the nation in passing yards, also went over 4,000 yards for the season.

Hurricanes wide receiver Xavier Restrepo caught nine passes for 148 yards and one touchdown. He went over 1,000 receiving yards for the second straight season, but his fumble led to Grant's TD.

After Miami's 21-0 lead, Syracuse rallied to cut its deficit to 21-14 by halftime.

On those two Orange TDs, LeQuint Allen ran eight yards, and Meeks won a 9-yard jump-ball battle against cornerback Daryl Porter Jr., who ended up on the turf.

Syracuse took the second-half kickoff and scored in three plays. McCord hit Pena with a 50-yarder and then a 25-yard touchdown, tying the score, 21-21.

Miami responded with a 75-yard TD march, capped by Mark Fletcher Jr.'s 2-yard run.

Syracuse tied the score on another 9-yard TD pass to Meeks -- this time on a slant -- and the Orange were driving again when Miami's Bobby Pruitt forced and recovered a fumble. Yasin Willis was the Syracuse running back who got stripped at the Miami 17.

But Restrepo fumbled, and Grant's return changed momentum.

Miami tied the score on Damien Martinez's 2-yard run with 13:02 left. That was set up by a 40-yard completion to Restrepo.

Syracuse went back on top, 42-35, on Allen's 3-yard run with 9:16 left.

With less than four minutes remaining, Miami faced a fourth-and-goal at the 10. Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal -- instead of going for the touchdown -- opted for a field goal. Miami closed its deficit to 42-38 on Andres Borregales' 27-yard field goal, but the Hurricanes never got the ball back.

--Field Level Media

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