Miami Hurricanes Outlast Nebraska, 36-33 (OT)

Miami’s Corn Elder picked off Nebraska quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. on the Huskers’ first play in overtime and moments later Michael Badgley kicked a 28-yarder through the uprights for a 36-33 Hurricanes victory at Sun Life Stadium.

Had Miami faithful been told that’d be the headline days back, few—if any—would’ve protested those results. Has all the makings of a hard-fought win at home; punctuated by perseverance in the end.

The Hurricanes were steamrolled by the Huskers in Lincoln last fall and while nothing about this year’s showdown of unranked teams ever screamed “signature game” for head coach Al Golden, Miami needed to pass an early season test and to simply notch a win as part of a bigger process.

Of course all that “just get the win” stuff goes out the window when leading by 23 midway through the fourth. A pour-it-on mentality takes over and the home crowd is out for blood and wants to see that proverbial foot on the throat.

Instead, the Canes let the road team knot things up and a would-be dominant win quickly became an exercise in endurance and survival. Yes, emerging victorious was the day’s most-important stat, but how the Canes got there and where it was all almost lost are important regarding the overall narrative, too.

So is learning to be all right with this win; focusing on the positives, Miami’s ability to hang in there and responding well to adversity, opposed to dwelling on the short-lived collapse.

The Cliff Notes version regarding the highs and lows of Saturday’s showdown at Sun Life Stadium between two once-powers:

Miami was on fire early; quarterback Brad Kaaya picking apart the Nebraska secondary. Five plays, 65 yards and an early 7-0 lead with Rashawn Scott and Chris Herndon hauling in key passes. Next possession, four plays went 60 yards and it was Herb Waters and Tyre Brady as Kaaya’s favorite targets. In-between passes, Joseph Yearby carried three times for 22 yards as the run was also established.

The Canes’ defense clamped down on the Huskers early and it seemed Miami could do no wrong. On their third possession the Canes faced a 3rd-and-1 from the one-yard line but a false start and a Kaaya incompletion had Miami settling for three; the day’s first mini-setback.

Nebraska finally got on the board with three, but Miami immediately answered back with another Badgley field goal—abandoning the run and Kaaya attempting two passes after a gimmicky first down play with Malik Rosier under center resulted in a two-yard loss.

Up 20-3 late in the first half, Artie Burns picked off Armstrong at the Canes’ 14-yard line—staling momentum back and again keeping the Huskers off the board.

Yearby tore off a 41-yard score to get the second half rolling but Miami went field goal, punt, interception, field goal, punt and punt to end regulation. Meanwhile, Nebraska gained some momentum and scored 23 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to force overtime.

Elder came up big on defense in overtime and Badgley sealed the deal, but a rough half-quarter of football damn near undid what was a picture-perfect afternoon, thus far.

In the end, Miami won. That deserves a ton of credit and remains the the big-picture focus. No, this wasn’t a dominant nineties-era Nebraska squad—but it was a team capable of beating a Hurricanes program that’s struggled over the past few years and to The U’s credit, it found a way to persevere.

No, a 23-point lead with 8:36 remaining in regulation should never go to overtime—but it did and Miami kept its cool, forced a turnover, played things smart offensively, scored and emerged victorious. All of that is something this fan base needs to beat into its collective head over this bye week.

A disastrous fourth quarter was followed by a triumphant overtime period, despite Nebraska snatching all momentum. The good greatly outweighed the bad and again, Miami won. No more important stat.

Some other random good, bad and ugly sentiments in regards the Canes’ win over the Huskers:

Miami hit the ground running, which can’t be overlooked. The Canes were sleepwalking early against Bethune-Cookman and Florida Atlantic. A slow start wouldn’t have played well against the Huskers and before anyone could blink, Miami was up 14-0.

A maligned offensive line stepped up in both pass protection and the ground game, a bevy of receivers were getting open and doing their job, while Kaaya again played well beyond his years—the true sophomore connecting 25 times for a career-best 379 yards, two touchdowns and a late-game pick.

Yearby ran well; carrying 17 times for 125 yards and a score—while Mark Walton showed his skills, albeit on a few long runs that were called back.

Seeing Miami’s depth at receiver and tight end was impressive. Herndon, Scott, Waters and Brady all active early and showing that Kaaya can spread it around. David Njoku had two grabs for 23 yards. True freshman Lawrence Cager had two haul-ins for 10 yards. Walton and tight end Standish Dobard each had a reception.

Lots of initial concern with Stacy Coley and Braxton Berrios going down injured, but these Canes receivers have truly adapted a next-man-in mentality and each seem as capable as the next.

A far cry from Miami lining up punter Brian Monroe at receiver eight years back as the position was that thin.

Regarding some bad and ugly—fourth quarter collapse aside—a few things stand out. Most-notably, the penalties; including a few sideline infractions and Golden getting dinged for running too far on the field to protest a call.

Leading 33-18, the Canes can’t convert a 3rd-and-2; throwing what was technically an “incomplete” pass from Kaaya-to-Scott—some long-drawn definition of a receiver leaving his feet, needing to control the ball when he hits the ground and what-not.

Scott got three feet and a knee in and made the necessary football move, but the ground actually can cause a fumble in this case because he leapt in the air. Something like that.

Illegal formation made it 4th-and-7; the difference in a roughing the kicker five-year penalty that wasn’t enough to extend the drive.

Golden’s sideline flip-out added 15 yards to that and after a false start, Miami was punting from their own 37-yard line instead of the Nebraska 43 and the Huskers drove 80 yards in nine plays—capped off by a  4th-and-12 touchdown pass.

The Canes wound up getting dinged 13 times for 114 yards—helped out by the fact the Huskers self-imploded with 12 penalties for 98 yards.

Canes’ safties Deon Bush and Jamal Carter were lost late for helmet-to-helmet targeting offenses; which Nebraska’s offense thrived on. The duo will also sit the first half of next Thursday’s road trip to Cincinnati.

As for those third down woes; the Canes were a disastrous 3-of-14—unable to solve this offense’s biggest long-running trouble spot.

All of this leads to a bigger issue regarding close-ability and that lack of a killer instinct.

Forget the whole Decade of Dominance-era of Miami football; this recent collapse felt like a concentrated version of last year’s loss to Florida State. The Canes struggled with prosperity, blowing a 23-10 halftime lead and falling 30-26 to the Noles.

This time around, Miami closed out Nebraska—but not before several missed opportunities to put the Huskers away.

The Canes first field goal opportunity came after a false start on 3rd-and-Goal from the one. The next; 1st-and-Goal from the 8-yard line and a quirky offensive play call, bringing Malik Rosier into the game for Kaaya—the dual-threat quarterback losing two yards and Miami’s possession derailing after back-to-back incomplete passes.

Mid-third quarter another 3rd-and-1 pick-up was negated for holding. Instead of a five-yard Walton gain and the Canes with a fresh set of downs from the Huskers’ 14-yard line—another untimely hold and incomplete Kaaya pass on 3rd-and-6 before Badgley drilled the 41-yarder.

Two drives later a Bush interception was wasted after Miami’s offense was staring down a 3rd-and-7 from the Nebraska 8-yard line and Kaaya was picked in the end zone.

What was a 30-10 lead at the time could’ve easily been 45-10. Still, the 20-point lead had the Canes settling for another field goal on a 4th-and-1 from the Huskers’ 11-yard line—Miami with no indication it wouldn’t score again in regulation, nor that Nebraska was gearing up for a 23-point tear.

All of that is a long-winded way of both celebrating a much-needed win, while acknowledging that Miami’s inability to close out under Golden definitely remains cause for concern. Supporters and detractors are both pushing their agendas and truth be told, each is half correct.

Hanging in there late against the Huskers; it will either serve as a learning stone for these on-the-mend Canes, or it will be a sign of things to come. Another one of those situations where there will be answers by season’s end, one way or another.

Florida State. Virginia Tech. Clemson. Duke. North Carolina. Georgia Tech.

Miami still has a slew of games on the docket that are going to require sixty minutes of football. The warm-ups and exhibitions are in the rear view, while the Canes got a break this year with the Huskers at home, sporting a new coach, losing some key talent and obviously working out some kinks.

Miami also got up on Nebraska early and gave itself a big cushion and a ton of breathing room—yet that still almost wasn’t enough.

It’s a win to be celebrated and the Canes are 3-0 with ten days to clean up mistakes before a Thursday night road trip to Cincinnati.

From there, an October 10th showdown at Florida State and a measuring stick that will show if the Canes are indeed turning a corner, or if we’re to expect more of the same. Consolation prize from there? Virginia Tech and Clemson rolling south back-to-back weekends.

In closing; enjoy the three-game win-streak and hang on tight as the next few weeks should provide some excitement and answers.

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