Syracuse Orange knocks Miami Hurricanes out of ACC title game

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Kyle McCord and Syracuse knocked No. 6 Miami out of the Atlantic Coast Conference title game — and potentially ended the Hurricanes’ College Football Playoff hopes — by rallying from a 21-0 deficit to 42-0. 38 win bounced back Saturday.

McCord threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns for the Orange (9-3, 5-3). LeQuint Allen ran for two scores and picked up two crucial first downs on Syracuse’s final clock-killing drive, and Devin Grant forced a fumble and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown, helping the Orange score one for the third time this season to beat opponents.

Cam Ward had 349 passing yards with two touchdowns for the Hurricanes (10-2, 6-2, No. 6 CFP), who will be out next week while Clemson faces SMU for the ACC title and is headed for one at-large 12-team playoff bid. Miami had little trouble scoring, but settled for a field goal on its final possession of the game when coach Mario Cristobal declined to shoot for it on fourth-and-goal from the 10th minute.

Miami had defeated Syracuse six straight times before this shootout, in which the teams combined for 983 yards of offense and 51 first downs. The Hurricanes started the season 9-0 but have lost two of three games, including three weeks ago at Georgia Tech.

The Hurricanes were in first place in the ACC standings for most of the season, but ultimately fell short, losing two of their last three league games. That followed a 9-0 run to open the season for a program that has never won an ACC crown.

“Both sides failed to do their job,” Ward said on the radio show after the Miami game. “Our main goal was not achieved. But I mean, we are blessed. We won ten games this year. Not many teams can do that.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.