WCGSports: Controversial Duke game tops off rough week for Miami Hurricanes

Feature photo courtesy HurricaneSports.com.

Larry Scott definitely got his first taste as head coach after the Miami Hurricanes defeated the Duke Blue Devils 30-27 on Saturday. It was almost too heroic to be true.

After Duke quarterback Thomas Sirk ran the ball into the end zone, all hope seemed lost for the Hurricanes as the team trailed 27-24 with six seconds to go. What happened next had everyone’s eyes glued to the TV screen for the next 15 minutes.

Duke squibbed the kickoff, but the Canes handled it anyway. Eight lateral passes later, Corn Elder ran down the field and scored the winning touchdown after time expired, causing the Hurricane sideline to pile on the field in celebration.

Now, a win is a win, but the referees mishandled this play for several reasons:

  • Running back Mark Walton’s knee was down when he tossed the ball backwards after being tackled. That would have ended the game.
  • The block in the back at the Canes’ 16-yard line was not called by the refs. Miami would’ve had an untimely down at the eight-yard line.
  • Wide receiver Rashawn Scott charged the field with his helmet off as Elder was still running toward the end zone.

No wonder the officials were suspended by the ACC. You cannot review a possible block in the back play that was not called on the field.

Throughout history, we’ve witnessed similar (in)famous plays, such as “The Play,” where Stanford band members ran on the field after they thought they had defeated the University of California, Berkeley.

A little excitement out of the Hurricanes was needed after a rough loss to Clemson, a change in head coaches and Brad Kaaya’s concussion. A road win over a top-25 team was the perfect way to cap off the week, no matter how crazy it got.

For more from Wyatt Geller, visit his personal website.