College Football HQ

Miami clings to win vs. Virginia Tech on controversial Hail Mary ruling: Video

Watch as officials at first awarded, and then took away, a controversial touchdown to Virginia Tech as time expired against Miami.

James Parks

Officials ruled a Hail Mary pass a touchdown that seemed to give Virginia Tech a win over Miami. Until it didn't.
Officials ruled a Hail Mary pass a touchdown that seemed to give Virginia Tech a win over Miami. Until it didn't. / ESPN
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The refs giveth, and the refs taketh away, as Virginia Tech learned the hard way against Miami after initially being given a game-winning touchdown that was taken off the board after review.

College football had its own “Sea of Hands” moment at the end of Friday night’s game between Miami and Virginia Tech as the Hokies attempted a last-second Hail Mary pass into the end zone as time expired.

With 3 seconds left on the game clock and trailing by 4 points, Virginia Tech quarterback Kyron Drones launched a bomb intended for Da’Quan Felton, one of several players gathered around the pass and all of whom fell to the turf, and the ball apparently in someone’s hands.

After a slight delay when it appeared Miami secured the ball and won the game, officials stunned fans in the stadium by ruling that Virginia Tech had, in fact, scored a touchdown and won the game.

Officials reviewed the footage for several minutes before changing the initial ruling on the field, and saying the pass was incomplete, giving Miami the dramatic last-second victory.

Virginia Tech took a lead against No. 7 Miami on the road early on, but the Hurricanes made a furious comeback effort behind the play of quarterback Cam Ward.

Tech held a 27-17 lead over the Canes before Ward ran for a 17-yard touchdown, but the Hokies got back on top after Kyron Drones connected with Ayden Greene on a 16-yard scoring play.

Ward then led two touchdown drives, hitting Cam McCormick from 6 yards out and Isaiah Horton from 1 yard to take a 38-34 lead.

That was the final score that Miami held on to win by and preserve its undefeated record, but not without some very tense moments at the end of regulation.

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James Parks
JAMES PARKS

James Parks is the founder and publisher of College Football HQ. He previously covered football for 247Sports and CBS Interactive. College Football HQ joined the Sports Illustrated Fannation Network in 2022.

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