MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Miami and Virginia Tech took turns celebrating a victory Friday night after a wild final game that left anger and heartbreak for one team and wild cheers for the other. Of course, there can only be one winner.

Although Miami’s Isaiah Horton emerged from a tangle of seven Miami and Virginia Tech players in the back of the end zone, officials ruled that Virginia Tech receiver Da’Quan Felton had come down with the ball before it was wrestled away from him.

Touchdown, Virginia Tech.

The Hokies then ran onto the field in celebration, helmets raised, believing they had won the game after a 30-yard Hail Mary pass into the end zone by Kyron Drones. Both teams walked down the field, Virginia Tech believing it had won and Miami incredulous at the call.

There was confusion. Head referee Jerry Magallanes ordered them back to their respective sidelines, and a replay review began.

Virginia Tech was confident the call would hold up on the field; Miami was confident the replay officials would call the pass incomplete. At least six minutes passed, an interminable wait that Miami coach Mario Cristobal described as “liability issues that come with that, with the heart condition of everyone on the sideline.”

Magallanes got to the microphone and announced that the on-field touchdown call had been overturned, allowing the Hurricanes to celebrate a 38-34 win.

In a statement issued two hours after the end of the game, the ACC said: “During the review process of the final play of the Virginia Tech game at Miami, it was determined that the loose ball was touched by a Miami player while out the match was. boundaries, making it an incomplete pass and immediately ending the game.”

Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry said afterward, visibly upset, “The way the game ended, I hope they got that call right.” To accept that, to undo it and take over from our kids, our coaches, our fans, I hope they do well.”

After the play ended, Pry said he ran up to the officials and asked, “How did you call it?”

“He said, ‘Touchdown,’” Pry said. “Normally, if you look at something for that long, it doesn’t unsee it. I didn’t think there was enough evidence to unsee it. So, like I said, I hope they get it right. “

The ending capped a four-hour game with more Cam Ward magic, a set-up fake field goal attempt, a Xavier Restrepo fourth-down catch while on his back, Bhayshul Tuten running over the Miami defense and Drones flying nearly prepared his team for victory. .

Miami overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit – its largest of the season – to move to 5-0 for the first time since 2017. Virginia Tech, meanwhile, dropped its third one-score game this season. In the aftermath, both coaches talked about an ending so wild that it seemed difficult to comprehend an hour later.

“I saw an incomplete pass. That’s all I can say,” Cristobal said.

When later asked what his emotions were like waiting for replay to make a ruling, Cristobal said, “It’s wild. (In) college football you’re never completely clear and easy to win a game, you “You’re never completely the best. It just keeps going. We’ve talked about not leaving a match like this to the referees, because you might end up being disappointed.”

While the Miami players went through various stages of emotion awaiting the referees’ final decision, Virginia Tech was left with overwhelming disappointment over the outcome. The Hokies led 34-31 with 8:40 to go. But a quick three-and-out gave the ball back to Miami.

Although Ward had three turnovers in the game – two interceptions and one fumble – he was a wizard on what turned out to be the winning drive. On fourth-and-3 from the Virginia Tech 50, Ward passed to Restrepo, who slipped and fell but still made the catch. He threw another third-down completion to Horton for his best play of the game.

On first-and-10 from the Virginia Tech 27, Virginia Tech defenseman Keyshawn Burgos had Ward in his grasp, but Ward slipped away. Then Kaleb Spencer tried to take him down. Thinking quickly, Ward turned the ball to a waiting Riley Williams, who ran to the 2-yard line, stiff-arming an oncoming Keli Lawson. Ward said that in such situations he always tells Williams not to block, but to wait for a possible outlet pass.

One play later, Ward threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Horton to give Miami the lead with 1:57 remaining. Drones then went to work, marching Virginia Tech down the field. With 8 seconds left, he scrambled to the Miami 30-yard line, leaving 3 seconds for one final play. Virginia Tech sent Felton, Jaylin Lane and Stephen Gosnell into the end zone; Miami had Horton, Mishael Powell, Jadais Richard and D’Yoni Hill. They all jumped for the ball at the same time. Felton fell with it, but he, Lane and Horton all appeared to be out of bounds, and the ball appeared to move on replay. Miami players involved in the play told their teammates it was an incomplete pass. “I thought it was going to be destroyed just because everyone was out of bounds,” Ward said.

But because the play was called a touchdown on the field, Virginia Tech felt that was enough to win. “I don’t know how that call gets overturned,” Drones said. “Probably because we played here.”

Pry said it was hard to find the words to tell his team in the locker room afterward.

‘They hurt. That’s why I said I hope they did a good job,” Pry said. “I can tell them I’m proud, and I have, but that doesn’t help them right now.”