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As Miami pulled off a miraculous comeback to beat Virginia Tech 38-34 on Friday, Cam Ward had his Heisman moment.
The No. 7 Hurricanes were on the brink of an upset to the Hokies, trailing by 10 in the fourth quarter. Ward cut into the deficit with just over eight minutes to go, leading Miami 70 yards down the field and finding Cam McCormick for a touchdown.
After the Hurricanes contained Virginia Tech on defense, Ward again charged 57 yards down the field to take a 38-34 lead with less than two minutes to go.
Virginia Tech’s Hail Mary attempt on the final sparked plenty of controversy. It was never clear whether the Hokies had possession of the pass, but the officials overruled the original call of a touchdown, and Miami walked away with a win.
ESPN @espn
HAIL MARY NO GOOD 😳
No. 7 Miami outlasted Virginia Tech after the Hokies’ final play was ruled incomplete. pic.twitter.com/Xrpl2UFod9
The ACC later issued a statement (h/t On3), saying that the review “determined that the loose ball was touched by a Miami player while he was out of bounds which makes it an incomplete pass and immediately ends the play.”
While it wasn’t the pummeling that most expected, Ward stepped up when it mattered most, finishing with 343 passing yards and four touchdowns, also picking up 57 rushing yards and a touchdown on the ground.
After the comeback win, fans—including Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes—praised Ward and the Hurricanes for delivering in crunch time.
ESPN @espn
ABSOLUTELY UNREAL SEQUENCE FROM CAM WARD 🤯 pic.twitter.com/FyIy5cPnwJ
Robert Griffin III @RGIII
Cam Ward is a MAGICIAN 🤯 pic.twitter.com/O05hItdWxL
Nicole Auerbach @NicoleAuerbach
Crazy to say Cam Ward has had a Heisman moment in a game in which he’s turned the ball over three times BUT
Keith A. Miller @Showcase_Keith
I’ve been tryna tell people about Cam Ward for two years. He’s really like this. Heisman. #1 overall pick.
Ward and the Hurricanes have been dominant all year, but faced their first bit of adversity on Friday. His composure down the stretch showed that he’s capable of showing up in the big moments, and it could lead to a trip to New York in December.
After Friday’s dramatic finish, the Hurricanes will be on the road for another ACC matchup against Cal next weekend.
