Miami survives as referees overturn Virginia Tech's Hail Mary TD

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Miami and Virginia Tech took turns celebrating a win Friday night after a wild final play that sparked anger and heartbreak from one team and wild celebration from the other. Of course there can only be one winner.

Although Miami's Isaiah Horton emerged from a tangle of seven Miami and Virginia Tech players in the back of the end zone, officials concluded that Virginia Tech receiver Da'Quan Felton had come to the ground with the ball before he was wrestled away from him.

Touchdown, Virginia Tech.

The Hokies then ran onto the field in celebration with their helmets held high, believing they had won the game with a 30-yard Hail Mary throw from the Kyron Drones into the end zone. Both teams crowded onto the field, Virginia Tech believing it had won, Miami in disbelief at the call.

There was confusion. Chief referee Jerry Magallanes ordered them to return to their respective sidelines and a replay began.

Virginia Tech was confident the decision would stand locally; Miami was confident that the replay officials would call the pass incomplete. At least six minutes passed, an interminable wait that Miami coach Mario Cristobal described as “related liability issues and the heart disease of everyone on the sideline.”

Magallanes took the microphone and announced that the touchdown call had been overturned on the field, allowing the Hurricanes to celebrate a 38-34 victory.

In a statement issued two hours after the game ended, the ACC said: “During the review process of the final play of the Virginia Tech at Miami game, it was determined that the loose ball was touched by a Miami player while out. “ boundaries, making it an incomplete pass and ending the game immediately.

Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry was visibly upset and said afterward, “The way the game ended, I hope they got their decision right. To take that, turn it around and take it away from our kids, our coaches, our fans, I hope they did it right.

After the play ended, Pry said he ran up to the officials and asked, “How did you settle it?”

“He said 'touchdown,'” Pry said. “When you look at something for so long, it usually doesn’t get picked up. I didn't think there was enough evidence to overturn it. So like I said, I hope they got it right.”

The end capped a four-hour game that featured more Cam Ward magic, a stuffed fake field goal attempt, a fourth-down catch by Xavier Restrepo on his back, Bhayshul Tuten running recklessly over the Miami defense, and drones that almost wanted to bring his team to victory.

Miami overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit – its largest deficit of the season – to move to 5-0 for the first time since 2017. Virginia Tech, meanwhile, lost its third game by one point this season. Afterwards, both coaches talked about an ending that was so wild that it was hard to understand an hour later.

“I saw an incomplete pass. That’s all I can say,” Cristobal said.

When Cristobal was later asked what his emotions were as he waited for the replay to make a decision, he said, “It's wild.” [In] In college football, winning a game is never clear or easy; you're never at the very end. It just keeps going. We talked about how you don't leave a game like this to the referees because you might be disappointed. At the end of the day we just found a way to win.

While Miami's players went through various emotional stages waiting for the officials' final decision, Virginia Tech was overwhelmingly disappointed with the outcome. The Hokies led 34-31 with 8:40 left. But a quick three-pointer brought the ball back to Miami.

Even though Ward had three turnovers in the game – two interceptions and a fumble – he was a master at what turned out to be the game-winner. On fourth-and-3 at the Virginia Tech 50, Ward passed to Restrepo, who slipped and fell but still made the catch. He threw another third-down completion to Horton before making his best play of the game.

On first-and-10 at the Virginia Tech 27, Virginia Tech defensive end Keyshawn Burgos had Ward in control, but Ward escaped. Then Kaleb Spencer tried to take him down. Thinking quickly, Ward threw the ball to a waiting Riley Williams, who ran to the 2-yard line, stiff-arming an oncoming Keli Lawson. Ward said he always tells Williams in situations like this not to block but to wait for a potential outlet pass.

One play later, Ward threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Horton to give Miami the lead with 1:57 left. Then drones went to work, marching Virginia Tech across the field. With 8 seconds left, he scrambled to the Miami 30-yard line and had 3 seconds left to make one final play. Virginia Tech sent Felton, Jaylin Lane and Stephen Gosnell into the end zone; Miami had Horton, Mishael Powell, Jadais Richard and D'Yoni Hill. Everyone jumped for the ball at once. Felton managed, but he, Lane and Horton all appeared to be out of bounds and the ball appeared to be moving on the replay. Miami players involved in the play told their teammates it was an incomplete pass. “I thought it was going to be overturned just because everyone was out,” Ward said.

However, since the play was called a touchdown on the field, Virginia Tech felt it was enough to win. “I don’t know how this call can be overturned,” Drones said. “Probably because we played here.”

Pry said it was hard to find the right words to tell his team in the locker room afterward.

“They hurt. That's why I said I hope they did it right,” Pry said. “I can tell them I’m proud, and I have been, but that doesn’t help them right now.”