MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami hadn’t beaten a top-10 team in nearly eight years. The opponent that night was Notre Dame.
It happened again Sunday night — and once again, at Notre Dame’s expense.
Carter Davis made a 47-yard field goal with 1:04 left for the go-ahead score, Carson Beck threw for 205 yards and two touchdowns in his Miami debut, and the 10th-ranked Hurricanes beat the sixth-ranked Fighting Irish 27-24 in the opener for both teams.
“It’s just an unbelievable night,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said after the Hurricanes snapped an eight-game slide against top-10 opponents. “Unbelievable night for so many people that poured so much into this.”
CJ Daniels made a spectacular one-handed touchdown grab and Rueben Bain had an interception on a thrice-deflected pass in the fourth quarter for the Hurricanes, who outgained Notre Dame 324 yards to 314. Malachi Toney had a touchdown catch and Marty Brown added a TD run for Miami.
CJ Carr, in his first start for Notre Dame, finished 19 of 30 for 221 yards with two touchdown passes and an interception — plus a rushing score with 3:21 left that tied the game, capping a rally from 14 points down. Micah Gilbert and Jordan Faison had the scoring grabs for the Irish.
“The effort was there,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said.
Miami went 46 yards on 10 plays on the ensuing drive, with Davis — a transfer from FAU — delivering for the lead. Notre Dame got the ball at its own 25, out of timeouts, and went nowhere before time expired.
“Gosh, I was nervous.” Beck said. “But we got it done.”
Miami won the coin toss and deferred, which proved relevant — since the Hurricanes essentially ran out the clock on the first half with a 75-yard TD drive, then started the second half with another 75-yard TD…
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