MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The No. 10 Miami Hurricanes survived a late surge from No. 6 Notre Dame to hold on for a 27-24 victory Sunday night at Hard Rock Stadium, with a clutch field goal, a key interception, and disciplined clock management sealing the win.
Miami quarterback Carson Beck led the Hurricanes efficiently, going 20 of 30 for 205 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Freshman quarterback CJ Carr kept Notre Dame in the game with key completions and scrambles in the fourth quarter.
Earlier, the Hurricanes built a 21-7 lead midway through the third quarter behind a balanced offensive attack.
Miami leaned on running back Mark Fletcher Jr. for a series of hard-nosed carries, while wide receiver Malachi Toney contributed multiple critical first-down receptions to keep drives alive.
Running back Marty Brown capped a 12-play, 75-yard march with a touchdown run that was assisted by his offensive lineman, giving Miami a two-touchdown lead.
CJ Daniels’ spectacular one-handed touchdown grab earlier had Hard Rock Stadium erupt as the Canes took a 14-7 lead at halftime.
However, Notre Dame responded late in the third and into the fourth quarter. Malachi Fields caught a 20-yard pass on what appeared to be busted coverage, giving the Fighting Irish a spark.
A ferocious Miami pass rush forced Carr into an intentional grounding penalty, but Carr quickly rebounded by connecting with running back Jeremiyah Love for a 10-yard gain. Love was held in check by the Canes’ front 7 after recording 33 yards on 10 carries.
That series culminated in a 10-play, 54-yard drive capped by a 39-yard field goal from kicker Noah Burnette, narrowing Miami’s lead to 24-17.
The Fighting Irish weren’t done.
Carr took advantage of another coverage breakdown, hitting tight end Eli Raridon for a 65-yard completion before scrambling into the end zone on the next play, tying the game at 24-24 with 3:21 remaining.
Miami regained control in the final minutes through careful clock management and a methodical rushing attack.
Earlier in the fourth quarter, linebacker Reuben Bain made a pivotal interception on a broken bubble-screen play.
The pass, intended for a Notre Dame receiver, ricocheted off Hurricanes cornerback Damari Brown’s foot and into Bain’s hands at the Notre Dame 21-yard line, giving Miami the ball and swinging momentum back toward the Hurricanes.
Brown then converted a key first down to help drain the clock, while Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal called two consecutive run plays to set up an eventual game-winning 47-yard field goal from kicker Carter Davis. The kick gave Miami a 27-24 lead with 1:04 remaining.
Earlier on Notre Dame’s possession, linebacker Reuben Bain made a pivotal interception on a broken bubble-screen play intended for Damari Brown, giving Miami the ball at the Irish 21-yard line and helping swing momentum back toward the Hurricanes.
Notre Dame had one last opportunity to reclaim the lead. Raridon hauled in a 12-yard reception to move the chains, but the drive stalled after a sack and an intentional grounding penalty pushed the Fighting Irish back.
Bain delivered the final blow with a sack on Carr, ending the comeback bid and securing Miami’s hard-fought victory.
Offensively, Miami relied on a balanced mix of short passes and physical runs.
Fletcher and Brown consistently gained yards on the ground, controlling the clock and keeping Notre Dame off balance. Daniels’ one-handed sideline grab and Toney’s timely receptions helped sustain drives and maintain momentum.
Beck’s two touchdown passes earlier in the game had given Miami a comfortable cushion, and the Hurricanes executed just enough in the final minutes to preserve the win.
Miami’s home winning streak against Notre Dame continued. The Fighting Irish have not picked up a win against the Hurricanes in South Florida since 1977.
Sunday’s game marked just the fifth meeting between the teams since 1990, reviving echoes of the old “Catholics vs. Convicts” battles that defined college football in the late 1980s.
With the win, Miami improves to 1-0 and will host Bethune Cookman (0-1) on Saturday.
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