Virginia Cavaliers vs Miami (FL) Hurricanes Match Player Stats On Nov 18, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Nov 18, 2017

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Malik Rosier passed for three touchdowns and rushed for another and No. 3 Miami survived a dazzling passing display by Virginia quarterback Kurt Benkert for a 44-28 victory Saturday.

Benkert passed for 384 yards, a season high against the Hurricanes, but he also threw an interception that Miami safety Jaquan Johnson returned for a touchdown. Benkert completed his first 12 pass attempts and was 28 of 37 with four touchdowns.

Rosier was 15 of 28 for 210 yards and was intercepted twice.

The Hurricanes (10-0, 7-0 ACC) twice fell behind by two touchdowns but scored 30 consecutive points and stretched their winning streak to 15 games. The Cavaliers (6-5, 3-4 ACC) lost for the fourth time in five games.

Virginia went into halftime up 21-14 after Benkert capped a six-play, 81-yard drive with his third touchdown pass, a 33-yarder to wide receiver Andre Levrone with just 30 seconds left in the second quarter after an official review overturned the on-the-field ruling of an incompletion.

Benkert also had a 33-yard scoring strike to wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus and a 75-yard bomb to running back Joe Reed to give the Cavaliers an early 14-0 lead before Miami responded.

Given the ball at Virginia's 40-yard line after recovering Virginia's onside kick attempt, the Hurricanes scored a 10-yard pass to wide receiver Ahmmon Richards. They tied it on wide receiver Dayall Harris' 36-yard touchdown reception early in the second quarter but found themselves two touchdowns behind again when Virginia scored on its first possession of the second half.

A partially blocked punt set up the Cavaliers at Miami's 21-yard line. After a loss on first down, Benkert's 26-yard pass to running back Daniel Hamm, whose muff on a fair catch attempt had helped set up Miami's first score, put Virginia back up 28-14.

NOTES: Virginia's 21-14 halftime lead marked the first time since the Georgia Tech game on Oct. 14 that Miami had trailed at the break. The Yellow Jackets led 14-13 after two quarters of that one before Miami rallied for the 25-24 win. ... RB Travis Homer became the first offensive player to don Miami's "turnover chain" when he recovered a muffed punt by Virginia TB Daniel Hamm at the Cavaliers' 36-yard line. He was the 17th player to earn that recognition that goes to a Miami player coming up with an opponent's turnover. ... Miami S Jaquan Johnson's third-quarter interception was his fourth pick of the season, tying him with CB Michael Jackson for the team lead. ... Miami junior QB Malik Rosier improved to 11-0 as a starter.