Miami captures SEC Championship in debut season following 48-38 shootout with Bulldogs
It was a party for the Georgia Bulldogs and their fans inside of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta as the 'hometown' Bulldogs jumped out to a fourteen point lead over the defending national champion Miami Hurricanes.
The Hurricanes didn't flinch, didn't waver and didn't take long to rally back as the Hurricanes outscored twenty one unanswered points to retake the lead and never look back in their 48-38 win over No. 9 Georgia to win the SEC Championship and lock in a spot in the College Football Playoffs with a bye.
Bernie Flowers' early interception fazed him none, throwing for a career high 462 yards and three touchdowns over the course of the next three quarterbacks, including a 54-yard bomb to Max North to open the third quarter and extend Miami's lead to eleven.
Georgia would make it a game in the final minutes, connecting with two long touchdown passes in the span of ninety seconds to make it 48-38 with 1:38 remaining but with no timeouts and unable to recover the onside kick, it was too little, too late for Georgia who now find themselves on the bubble of making the playoffs while its conference counterparts -- Alabama and Ole Miss -- are projected to make the playoffs despite not making it to the SEC Championship Game. Scoring Summary Quarter 1 Joel Bootle 75 Yd pass from Dylan Harris (11:52) Cam Felton, 2 Yd run (4:59) Javier Torrez, 2 Yd run (1:35)
Quarter 2 Aidan Teague, 12 Yd run (5:24) Max North 6 Yd pass from Bernie Flowers (0:38) Britton Virgin, 52 Yd FG (0:00)
Quarter 3 Max North 54 Yd pass from Bernie Flowers (11:15) Jason DeLong, 51 Yd FG (4:16) Joel Bootle 7 Yd pass from Dylan Harris (1:05)
Quarter 4 Javier Torrez, 1 Yd run (9:48) Max North 20 Yd pass from Bernie Flowers (3:29) Tremaine Stanford 63 Yd pass from Dylan Harris (2:54) Jason DeLong, 35 Yd FG (1:46) Prince Egboh 75 Yd pass from Dylan Harris (1:38) Player Stats QB Bernie Flowers: 36-43, 462 yards, 3 touchdowns, interception, sacked once QB Dylan Harris: 20-33, 416 yards, 4 touchdowns, sacked once
Miami Hurricanes football returns to practice as a potential rematch with the Tide loom Carlos Navarro -- The Athletic Staff Writer
The Miami Hurricanes were back at practice on Monday as the defending national champions begin their quest to become the first team in modern college football history to win the national championship three years in a row. The Hurricanes underwent a walk-through as they are enjoying a bye this week before playing the winner of Alabama vs. Illinois with a potential rematch against the Crimson Tide on the horizon.
Miami beat Alabama 28-21 earlier in the year, needing a late interception from Jason Wall to clinch the victory over the Tide in what was a battle between the top two ranked teams in the country. Alabama is favored against Illinois, which nearly upset top-seeded Oregon in the Big Ten Championship, falling to the Ducks 25-24.
Hurricanes keep the Doak Walker, Jim Thorpe Award in Coral Gables
For the second year in a row, a Miami Hurricane won both the Doak Walker Award and the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the best running back and defensive back respectively as Aidan Teague and Bobby Haslam took home the two awards.
Last year, it was Deron Tryon and Paul Webb who took home the honors. Teague was a semi-finalist last season, playing behind Tryon, and took on a bigger role with the graduation of Tryon. The former Michigan transfer averaged 6.2 yards per carry this season with twelve touchdowns and 1,173 rushing yards, most in the country.
Haslam finished the season with 87 tackles, six tackles for loss, four pass breakups with a sack and interception. Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal has often praised Haslam as being the pivotal piece of Miami's defense.
Hurricanes likely to be down to just three healthy running backs in the playoffs
Miami was without two of their running backs in the SEC Championship Game as both Kaseem Dalton, recovering from a dislocated ankle, and Sammy Ramey did not play against Georgia with Cristobal announcing after the game that Ramey had picked up an injury in the season finale against Tennessee.
Neither Dalton or Ramey were present at the public portion of practice on Monday, a sign that the Hurricanes could once again be down to just three running backs in Teague, Broderick Booker and Javier Torrez.
Hurricanes DC Skylor Magee to interview with Florida State, Auburn
Skylor Magee has won a national championship in all but his first season with the Miami Hurricanes since being hired as their defensive coordinator. Magee is a hot name in the coaching carrousel so far with Magee expected to interview with both Florida State and Auburn for their head coaching role.
Magee won the Broyle Award, given to the nation's top assistant coach, in 2028 as the Hurricanes went on to win the first of two national championships.
Joel Bootle 75 Yd pass from Dylan Harris (11:52)
Javier Torrez, 2 Yd run (1:35)
HC GJ Kinne (fired)
HC Tim Skipper (fired)
HC Chuck Martin (fired)
HC Everrett Withers (retired)
HC Brian Kelly (retired)
HC Bret Bielema (fired)
HC Trent Bray (fired)
HC James Franklin (fired)
HC Rhett Lashlee (fired)
HC Gus Malzahn (fired)
HC Brent Pry (fired)
