MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — For nearly eight years, Miami had been searching for a win over a top-10 opponent. The last time it happened, Notre Dame was on the other sideline. On Sunday night, history repeated itself.
Carter Davis drilled a 47-yard field goal with 1:04 remaining, providing the winning margin in a 27–24 victory for No. 10 Miami over No. 6 Notre Dame in the season opener at Hard Rock Stadium. The kick completed a 10-play drive and snapped Miami’s eight-game drought against top-10 foes.
“This is a night that so many people poured their hearts into,” head coach Mario Cristobal said. “It’s just unbelievable.”
Beck Steady in First Start, Hurricanes Make Big Plays
Quarterback Carson Beck, making his Miami debut, threw for 205 yards and two touchdowns, including a highlight-reel grab by CJ Daniels, who made a one-handed catch in the back of the end zone just before halftime. Malachi Toney added a scoring reception, and Marty Brown ran in another.
Defensively, Rueben Bain came up with a crucial interception in the fourth quarter after a pass bounced off several hands. Miami finished with a slight edge in total yardage, 324–314.
Carr Nearly Sparks Notre Dame Comeback
Freshman quarterback CJ Carr made his first career start for Notre Dame and nearly stole the night. Carr completed 19 of 30 passes for 221 yards, tossing two touchdowns and running for another. His 5-yard keeper with 3:21 to play tied the game, capping a comeback from down 14.
Micah Gilbert and Jordan Faison caught touchdown passes for the Irish.
“The effort was there,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said. “We were in a fight against a top-10 team.”
Miami Controls Possession
A key stretch came late in the second quarter and into the third:
Miami mounted a 75-yard scoring drive just before halftime, then received the second-half kickoff and marched another 75 yards. Nearly an hour of real time passed between Carr’s touchdown pass to Gilbert and his next attempt.
Daniels’ leaping 20-yard snag with 12 seconds left in the second quarter sent Miami to the locker room up 14–7. Brown’s 5-yard run midway through the third made it 21–7.
Notre Dame rallied, but Davis’ kick and two late sacks by Bain and Akheem Mesidor locked down the win.
“It was a top-10 fight,” Freeman said. “A three-point game against a great football team.”
The Takeaway
Notre Dame:
The Irish became the fourth preseason top-eight team to lose on opening weekend, joining Texas, Clemson and Alabama. Notre Dame also continued a long drought in Miami, losing its seventh straight road game against the Hurricanes dating back to 1977.
Miami:
Beck became the seventh straight quarterback to win his Miami starting debut, following D’Eriq King, Tyler Van Dyke, Jake Garcia, Jacurri Brown, Emory Williams and Cam Ward. The Hurricanes are poised to climb when the next AP Top 25 poll is released.
What’s Next
Notre Dame returns home to face Texas A&M on Sept. 13.
Miami stays at Hard Rock Stadium, hosting Bethune-Cookman on Saturday.
