Van Dyke's 357 yards helps Miami top Virginia Tech 38-26

Updated Nov. 20, 2021 11:01 p.m. ET

Associated Press

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Tyler Van Dyke passed for 357 yards and three touchdowns, the last of them a 55-yarder to Mike Harley with 10:39 remaining that helped Miami hold off Virginia Tech 38-26 on Saturday night.

The win ensured Miami (6-5, 4-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) will be bowl-eligible. It also ended a six-game run of the Hurricanes playing games decided by no more than four points.

Van Dyke — who also had a 75-yard touchdown throw to Brashard Smith — became the first Miami quarterback with multiple TD passes of at least 55 yards in an ACC game since Brad Kaaya did it against Duke on Nov. 26, 2016.

Will Mallory also caught a scoring pass for Miami and Jaylan Knighton had two short touchdown runs for the Hurricanes. Mallory had a 72-yard touchdown called back as well and Van Dyke completed 19 of 33 passes.

Connor Blumrick had two touchdown passes for Virginia Tech (5-6, 3-4), along with a team-best 132 rushing yards in the debut of interim coach J.C. Price.

Starting quarterback Braxton Burmeister also had a scoring throw for the Hokies, who trailed 31-13 early in the second half before — aided by a successful onside kick — getting within 31-26 late in the third quarter.

Tre Turner, Da’Wain Lofton and Kaleb Smith had TD grabs for the Hokies.

It was the end to a difficult week for both teams, with Miami letting athletic director Blake James go on Monday and Virginia Tech announcing on Tuesday that Fuente was out with two games left in his sixth season.

For the Hurricanes, at least it was a winning end to a few tough days — and Van Dyke topped the 300-yard passing mark for a fifth consecutive game. He's passed for 1,813 in that span, with Miami going 4-1 in that stretch.

For the Hokies, bowl eligibility now hinges on next week’s regular-season finale at rival Virginia.

BIG PICTURE

Virginia Tech: The Hokies got into a 21-3 early hole, in part because their offense was slow to get rolling. Burmeister completed his first seven passes, but only for a total of 16 yards. In order, those completions went for zero, three, two, four, minus-1, three and five yards.

Miami: The Hurricanes honored 24 seniors in a pregame ceremony before the final home game of the regular season. Among the honorees: injured QB D’Eriq King, and DE Zach McCloud -- who extended his Miami school record by playing in his 63rd career game.

WORTH THE TRIP

Turner had a spectacular scoring catch, adding to a most memorable trip for him. He is dealing with a respiratory issue and Virginia Tech’s medical staff wouldn’t allow him to fly to the game — a devastating blow for the receiver, since he’d been picked to wear No. 25 for the game, the Hokies’ most revered number. So, he and two Hokies staffers made the 13-hour drive to the game,

RAMBO’S MILESTONE

Miami WR Charleston Rambo finished with seven catches for 116 yards. He became the fifth Miami receiver to record a 1,000-yard season — he’s now at 1,070 — and he’s up to 71 catches for the year. That’s one away from the Hurricanes’ single-season record of 72 set by Leonard Hankerson in 2010. Allen Hurns’ school record for yards in a season, 1,162 in 2013, is well within reach as well.

UP NEXT

Virginia Tech: Visit Virginia on Nov. 27.

Miami: Visit Duke on Nov. 27.

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