Does Miami's Close Win Suggest Cal Could Upset the Hurricanes?

Bears host Miami next Saturday after the Hurricanes escape with a Friday win on a controversial call

Miami quarterback Cam Ward (1) after the Hurricanes' close win / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Miami will come into Berkeley next Saturday as an undefeated top-10 team, but the Hurricanes and quarterback Cam Ward showed in Friday’s 38-34 escape against Virginia Tech that they are vulnerable.

Whether they are vulnerable enough for Cal to stay close or pull an upset next week is the question.

You can argue whether it’s better for Cal’s chances that Miami squeaked out a win instead of being angered by a close, disputed loss, but that’s pure speculation.

What is notable is that Ward showed a penchant for turnovers, which has been Cal’s defensive strength, and that Miami’s defense is susceptible to the run.

All that will be addressed later in this report, but it is impossible not to start with the final play of Friday’s game.  For a while Virginia Tech players and coaches thought they had pulled off the upset, when the Hail Mary pass was initially ruled a completion and a touchdown.  Then, after a long review of five or six minutes, the pass was declared incomplete, giving Miami the win and keeping the Hurricanes undefeated.

Here’s a look at that final play:

One could argue that there was not “indisputable video evidence” to overturn the call on the field, prompting the official to declare the decision “stands.” But the officiating expert on the TV broadcast seemed to think the pass should be ruled incomplete based on the evidence.

It’s an odd situation when you know the game is over but you don’t know who won, but that was the case Friday until the official signaled that the ruling on the field had been overturned several excruciating minutes after Virginia Tech thought it had won.

“Normally, when you look at something that long it doesn’t get overturned,” Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry said afterward. “I didn’t think there was enough evidence to overturn it.”

It was a different response on the Miami side.

“Just saw an incomplete pass, that’s all I’ve got to say,” said Miami coach Mario Cristobal.

Ward described the long wait during the review as “pain.”

“Leave it up to the white hat is a position you don’t want to be in,” he said.

Ward threw four touchdown passes, giving him 18 for the season, which was five more than anyone else in the country heading into Saturday’s action.  

However, he also turned the ball over three times – an early fumble and two interceptions.  And Cal’s strength on defense has been its ability to pick off passes.  Entering Saturday’s action, the Bears led the nation in interceptions with 10, and it may be the biggest reason Cal is 3-1 with a bye this week and a home game against Miami next Saturday night.

“I don’t feel good about this game,” said Ward, who was also sacked three times.

Ward had a big game against Cal last year while playing for Washington State, throwing for 354 yards and three touchdowns, but the Bears won that game 42-39. The question is whether Cal can mount enough of a pass rush to force Ward into some mistakes while playing with a more talented surrounding cast.

Miami’s defense had been strong in its first four games, but Virginia Tech scored 34 points against the Hurricanes and rolled up 206 yards on the ground. Hokies running back Bhayshul Tuten ran for 141 yards, his fourth 100-yard game of the season.

Cal’s strength on offense was supposed to be its running game with all-Pac-12 running back Jaydn Ott leading the charge.  But the Bears are averaging just 3.86 yards per rushing attempt, which ranks near the bottom in the ACC. 

Ott has been slowed by an ankle injury and is averaging 3.3 yards per carry, while teammate Jaivian Thomas is averaging 7.0 yard per attempt.

Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones also had a strong game against Miami, recording his best total quarterback rating of the season.

But the bottom line here is that Virginia Tech, which had losses to Vanderbilt and Rutgers this season, came within a controversial call of upsetting Miami on the Hurricanes’ home field.

Does that suggest Cal has a chance against Miami in the Bears first ACC home game next Saturday night?

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