Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Stephen Morris unloaded a 62-yard touchdown pass
to Phillip Dorsett with 19 seconds to play, lifting the Miami Hurricanes to a
thrilling 44-37 win over NC State in Atlantic Coast Conference play from Sun
Life Stadium.
Morris threw for a school-record 566 yards and five touchdowns to help the
Hurricanes (4-1, 3-0 ACC) maintain their ACC Coastal Division lead and secure
their first three-game winning streak since 2009. Dorsett finished with seven
catches for 191 yards and two scores in the win, while Rayshawn Scott tallied
six catches for 180 yards and also scored twice.
The Wolfpack (3-2, 0-1) saw their winning streak halted at three games despite
440 yards and four TDs passing by Mike Glennon. However, Glennon's
interception with 48 seconds remaining helped set up Miami's game-winning
touchdown. Tony Creecy paced the ground game with 120 yards and a touchdown on
19 carries, and he added another touchdown receiving.
NC State got on the board first with Creecy's one-yard touchdown run at the
9:29 mark of the first quarter. Creecy set up a 1st-and-goal with a 43-yard
run on the previous play.
Miami responded by reeling off 23 straight points to close out the first
quarter. Morris' 14-yard touchdown pass to Allen Hurns tied the score at 7-7
at the 8:40 mark of the opening frame. On NC State's next play from scrimmage,
the ball slipped through Glennon's hands and he was tackled in the end zone
for a safety.
Miami got the ball back and marched right down the field, and Morris tossed a
24-yard touchdown pass to Dorsett to give the Hurricanes a 16-7 lead with just
under seven minutes to play in the first half.
Morris capped Miami's first quarter scoring barrage with a 76-yard scoring
strike to Scott at the 4:18 mark. A Wolfpack defender jumped offsides on the
play and Morris, recognizing he had a free play, went downfield to Scott and
was rewarded with six points.
NC State's defense began to settle down from that point. The Wolfpack fumbled
the ball away four times in a span of five possessions, but Miami scored zero
points off those turnovers. Glennon accounted for the only points of the
second quarter with a seven-yard touchdown pass to Creecy with 14:56 remaining
in the half.
Midway through the third quarter, Glennon found Bryan Underwood for a four-
yard touchdown pass, cutting the deficit to 23-21.
Miami's Duke Johnson answered with a four-yard touchdown run with just under a
minute to play in the third quarter, capping a 10-play, 90-yard drive.
Glennon tossed his third touchdown pass of the day and second to Underwood,
this time from 28 yards out as the Wolfpack trimmed the margin to 30-27 with
10:23 remaining in regulation.
Miami responded with a seven-play, 76-yard scoring drive, punctuated by
Morris' 13-yard TD pass to Scott with eight minutes to play. But once again,
NC State refused to wilt, as Glennon tossed a six-yard TD pass to Rashard
Smith to make it a 37-34 game with 5:43 to play.
Wolfpack kicker Niklas Sade tied the score at 37-37 on a 50-yard field goal
with just under two minutes remaining. NC State got the ball back once more
but Glennon was intercepted by Thomas Finnie at the Miami 39-yard line with 48
seconds on the clock, setting up Morris' late-game heroics.
The Hurricanes racked up 652 yards of total offense for the game, yet they
still needed that late miracle after coughing up a 10-point lead in the fourth
quarter. Jake Wieclaw missed three field goals on the day, which allowed NC
State to stay close.
GAME NOTES:
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