South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
Kickin’ ’n’ screamin’
Hurricanes stunned after missing 3 field goals in regulation
MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Hurricanes just cannot get it right for two consecutive games.
This time, coming off their most impressive victory of the season over then-No. 20 Virginia last week, it led to a debacle against a Georgia Tech team that came into Saturday winless in the Atlantic Coast Conference — with one win overall — and a loss to The Citadel.
Miami, plagued by more kicking woes, an injury to star running back DeeJay Dallas and losing the time of possession battle in the second half, was on the wrong side of a fourth-down measurement in dropping a 28-21 overtime heartbreaker to the Yellow Jackets on Saturday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium.
“Certainly had more than enough chances to win this football game,” UM coach Manny Diaz said. “Some mistakes early on gave them hope, gave them life and, to their credit, they did a good job possessing the football in the second half, wearing us down.”
The Hurricanes (3-4, 1-3 ACC), although not eliminated, are essentially out of the ACC Coastal race with their third conference loss. Georgia Tech (2-5, 1-3) got its
first conference win under coach Geoff Collins.
It ended with tight end Brevin Jordan — on fourth-and-4 — called short by inches on his forward progress spot after a catch. A measurement revealing the reviewed spot was short sealed UM’s fate and brought Georgia Tech players rushing the field to celebrate a victory where they came in as 18 1⁄2 - point underdogs.
“It’s just tough the way it ended,” said N’Kosi Perry, who started a second straight game in place of Miami’s No. 1 quarterback Jarren Williams.
Georgia Tech running back Jordan Mason scored a 1-yard touchdown on the Yellow Jackets’ opening possession of overtime to force the Hurricanes to need a touchdown to force another OT, but they couldn’t have had much trust in their kicking game had it come down to a field goal.
Miami missed three field goal attempts in regulation. Redshirt sophomore walkon Turner Davidson had a potential game-winning field goal blocked with 26 seconds left, his second miss on Saturday after Bubba Baxa also missed a short one earlier in the game.
Perry, who left the game momentarily after hurting his left shoulder while lowering into a defender on a scramble, was 16 of 28 for 188 yards, threw two touchdowns and ran for another score.
Williams, who Diaz continues to call the starter when 100% healthy from his upper-extremity injury, stepped in for the drive that Perry missed.
Running back Cam’Ron Harris, seeing more snaps after Dallas’ injury, had a career-high 136 yards on 18 carries. UM had injuries to its defense as linebacker Michael Pinckney and cornerback Trajan Bandy exited without returning in a second half where Georgia Tech put together two eight-minute drives.
Mason had 141 rushing yards on 20 carries to go with the winning touchdown. Georgia Tech was 6 of 14 on third downs and converted both of its fourthdown tries.
“We didn’t execute,” said redshirt senior defensive end Trevon Hill repeatedly when asked postgame about defensive shortcomings.
Said senior linebacker Shaq Quarterman, who led the Hurricanes with 13 tackles, “It’s attention to detail. In the Coastal, games are always close. You see ups and downs in the ACC all across the board. So, it’s about attention to detail, it’s always been our downfall.”
Baxa, who entered with four field-goal misses and two extra-point fails on the season, missed a potential go-ahead 27-yard field goal that kept the game tied with 5:41 remaining. Baxa was back in for the kick after Davidson missed an earlier attempt from 34 yards.
“This week in practice, they were unbelievable kicking the ball,” Diaz said. “You get them out there, it is what it is. Is it a momentum effect where one [leads] to the next one and whatever? It’s hard.”
Georgia Tech missed its own fourth-quarter opportunity to take the lead after a 16-play, 72-yard drive that took 8:26 off the clock resulted in a Quarterman fumble recovery to give UM the ball back.
Miami gave up a touchdown in all three phases of the game — offense, defense and special teams — in a first half that had the Hurricanes tied at, 21, with Georgia Tech.
The Hurricanes’ opening possession resulted in Perry getting strip-sacked by Yellow Jackets outside linebacker Demetrius Knight, coming free untouched off the edge, and a fumble recovery in the end zone by defensive tackle Ja’Quaon Griffin for the opening touchdown.
After Miami responded with a pair of touchdowns, Georgia Tech evened things at, 14, before the end of the first quarter with its special teams touchdown. On a fake punt on fourth-and-7 from the UM 41-yard line, cornerback DJ Ivey stopped running with the Georgia Tech gunner he was set to block. It resulted in Nathan Cottrell catching the touchdown pass from Pressley Harvin.
Ivey was then burned for a touchdown again on defense when receiver Ahmarean Brown beat him on a post-corner route for a 35-yard score at the front pylon delivered to the outside shoulder by Graham.
Perry threw touchdown passes to K.J. Osborn and Harris in the first half while also rushing in a 1-yard score.
The 13-yard pass to Osborn followed Osborn’s 52-yard punt return, in place of the suspended Jeff Thomas in return duties on Saturday. Harris’ touchdown was on a 19-yard screen that was sprung by a block from center Corey Gaynor.
As injuries to Miami’s defense began to pile up between Pinckney and Bandy in the third quarter, the Yellow Jackets went on a 14-play, 56-yard drive that didn’t result in points but ate up 7:58.
Miami plays at Pittsburgh at noon next Saturday.
“We will stay unified in our locker room,” Diaz said. “We will stay together. We will go to Pittsburgh next week, and we will compete the way the Miami Hurricanes compete.”