The Sports Xchange
Oct 21, 2017
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Quarterback Malik Rosier passed for 344 yards and two touchdowns and No. 8 Miami's defense came up with four interceptions and a late stop for a 27-19 victory over Syracuse on Saturday afternoon.
Running back Travis Homer scored on a 33-yard burst up the middle with 2:48 left in the game after the Hurricanes (6-0, 4-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) had forced the Orange (4-4, 2-2 ACC) to go for a field goal with just over five minutes left to close the deficit to 20-19.
The Orange's drive for a potential tie died at their 45-yard line when quarterback Eric Dungey's fourth-and-7 pass was incomplete. He finished 13-of-41 passing for only 137 yards but rushed for 100 yards on 20 carries.
Cornerback Michael Jackson had two of Miami's interceptions, his second and third picks of the season, while safety Jaquan Johnson and defensive end Demetrius Jackson had one each. Demetrius Jackson gave the ball right back to the Orange when he fumbled at the end of his 4-yard return on the opening series, but the other takeaways led to 10 points for the Hurricanes.
Dungey came into the game with a 64.2 percent completion rate but was only 1 of 8 in the first quarter and 7 of 22 in the first half for 62 yards. Rosier bucked his recent trend of getting off to slow starts by going 16 of 24 in the first half, including a 10-yard touchdown toss to tight end Christopher Herndon.
The win made Miami 4-0 in ACC play for the first time since the Hurricanes joined the conference in 2004 and extended the Hurricanes' overall winning streak to 11 games.
NOTES: Syracuse CB Scoop Bradshaw (seven starts, 12 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, five passes broken up) missed the game after sustaining an upper-body injury against Clemson the previous week. ... Miami CB Dee Delaney (lower extremity) and RG Navaughn Donaldson (lower extremity), who each started the first four games, were out for a second consecutive week. ... Miami WR Ahmmon Richards returned after missing the previous week with a hamstring injury. He finished with six catches for 99 yards. ... Syracuse QB Eric Dungey threw four interceptions, doubling his season total. He entered the game with four in 293 attempts for the season and none in 81 attempts in past two games. ... Syracuse's Cole Murphy hit a 53-yard field goal in the fourth quarter, a career long for the senior. His previous long was 51 yards against Virginia Tech last year.