Written by Darrell Wilkinson
MIAMI GARDENS, FL – The Miami Hurricanes upset the 24th ranked Pittsburgh Panthers with a strong performance from both the special teams and defense that sent the senior class out with a 24 to 3 win on Senior Day.
The ‘Canes defense led by seniors Gerald Willis, Jaquan Johnson and Michael Jackson took it to the Pitt offense, holding a team that averaged almost 250 yards per game on the ground to 69 rush yards and just 200 total yards for the game. Miami, which leads the nation in tackles for loss had another great game with 14 tackles for loss and six sacks. Two coming from senior corner Michael Jackson and two and a half from defensive end Joe Jackson.
Running back Travis Homer was the big spark for the Hurricanes throughout the game finishing with 168 yards on just eight carries and was really the driving force behind the Hurricanes offense that couldn’t get anything going through the air.
With the ‘Canes up 10-0 late in the 3rd quarter the game had sputtered with both offenses going stale, Pitt had just driven the field and notched a field goal that gave the Panthers a bit of momentum and then….. 64 yards to the house by Homer put Pitt right back in the hole. The junior running backs gains of 64, 37 and 47 all came at times that snatched the life out of Pitt.
Hurricanes Head Coach Mark Richt was pleased with his defense and special teams but highlighted that they just could not get anything going through the air as the team struggled with inaccurate passes and a few drops from wide open receivers.
“….. Ran for almost 300 yards, which is great.” Said Coach Richt. “Just really couldn’t get it going throwing and catching. That’s what you have to do, you have to throw and catch. We had a couple times we missed some open people, we had a couple times where we hit guys right in the heart and didn’t catch it. Just couldnt gain momentum throwing the football.”
Redshirt freshman quarterback N’Kosi Perry had some ugly numbers completing just six of his 24 passes so it was likely the offense was going to need to be bailed out with some big plays elsewhere.
That elsewhere besides the usually strong defense came in the form of a DeeJay Dallas punt return. Dallas collected the ball on a punt, cut to the left and found room ahead just before Travis Homer came in with a crunching block that Dallas said he could feel happening during the play and took it to the house 65 yards on the score.
What a way to send the senior class out. Pittsburgh just last year upset Miami in the final game of the season before the ACC Championship game and now Miami has done the same to Pitt a year later sending them to the ACC Championship game vs Clemson with a fresh loss.
Miami now awaits their fate at the hands of the bowl committee to see what bowl game the ‘Canes will be participating in.
- Darrell Wilkinson TheSkyBoat.com
- Twitter: @TheSkyBoat
- @CanesFB_SkyBoat
(Image Credit: Andrew Suarez / The SkyBoat)
