Beck TD run with :18 left sends Hurricanes to Hard Rock Stadium for UM’s first national title game since 2003

5 days ago 1

GLENDALE, Arizona — For the first time since 2003, the Hurricanes will play for a national title.

No. 10 Miami (13-2) beat No. 6 Ole Miss (13-2) 31-27 at the Fiesta Bowl — which doubled as the College Football Playoff semifinals — at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, punching the program’s ticket to the championship game at Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 19.

Miami will play the winner of Friday’s Indiana-Oregon Peach Bowl for the national title.

When the Hurricanes needed their biggest offensive drive of the season, the team delivered. Carson Beck drove Miami down the field and scored the game-winning 3-yard rushing touchdown to send the Hurricanes to the championship game.

The Rebels elected to start the game with the ball after winning the coin toss, but it did not amount to anything. After forcing a three-and-out on Ole Miss’ first drive, the Hurricanes took a 3-0 lead on a nearly seven-minute drive that ended with a 38-yard field goal by Carter Davis.

Ole Miss landed the first big punch of the game on the first play of the second quarter. Running back Kewan Lacy, who entered the game with 23 rushing touchdowns, broke off a 73-yard run for a score to put the Rebels ahead 7-3.

The Hurricanes’ response was not nearly as quick, but the result was the same. Miami rolled to a 15-play, 75-yard drive that resulted in a 4-yard Marty Brown touchdown that put the Hurricanes back ahead by three points.

Ole Miss tied the game on a 42-yard field goal by Lucas Carneiro with 4:38 left in the first half. But the Hurricanes hit a big play of their own: a 52-yard touchdown pass to Keelan Marion that put Miami ahead 17-10.

Carneiro added a 58-yarder shortly before half to cut the Hurricanes’ lead to 17-13.

Miami got the ball to start the second half but could not turn it into points when Davis’ 51-yard attempt was no good. Carneiro missed a field goal, as well, kicking a ball off the uprights.

Miami appeared poised to take control of the game as it drove down the field in the third quarter, but an Ole Miss defensive lineman Kam Franklin tipped Beck’s pass, and Kapena Gushiken intercepted it just above the ground. Carneiro turned the turnover into three points with a 54-yard field goal.

After Ole Miss picked up key sacks on Miami’s first fourth-quarter drive, the Rebels drove 86 yards down the field — aided by disastrous Miami penalties— to seize the lead from the Hurricanes with a short field goal.

UM got the ball back with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter and moved quickly. Toney scored the go-ahead touchdown. But Ole Miss drove right down the field and scored again, giving the Rebels a three-point lead.

Miami scored late to secure the victory and punch their ticket with a Beck rushing touchdown.

Five takeaways

1. Miami’s mistakes are nearly killer

The stat sheet indicates that the Hurricanes should have won Thursday’s Fiesta Bowl. Miami had more yards and dominated time of possession. But the Hurricanes could not get out of their own way.

UM had more penalty yards in Thursday’s game than in any game since it played Virginia Tech. Miami dropped four potential interceptions — including two that appeared likely to be returned for touchdowns. The Hurricanes made other mistakes at crucial times that sapped momentum.

All that allowed the Rebels to hang around, and they took advantage of that in the second half.

2. Beck goes hunting

Beck did not look to throw the ball deep much in Miami’s first two playoff games, but he went hunting for big plays against Ole Miss.

The Hurricanes quarterback eclipsed his total passing yards from UM’s first two playoff wins in the first half alone. He hit Marion for a 52-yard score in the first half, as well.

Beck finished the game with 267 yards and the crucial, game-winning rushing touchdown.

3. Penalties kill

The Hurricanes shot themselves in the foot with penalties repeatedly against the Rebels.

Miami racked up 74 penalty yards — the most it has accrued since the Virginia Tech game — and the fouls all seemed to come at inopportune times.

4. Malachi Toney comes up big

The freshman star has delivered all season, and he made a huge play on the biggest stage yet.

Toney scored with 5:04 left in the fourth quarter, slipping through the Ole Miss defense to put Miami ahead. But the Rebels dampened the party with their go-ahead touchdown two minutes later.