Morris leads Miami past Maryland 26-20
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True freshman Stephen Morris threw for 286 yards in his first college start and hit Leonard Hankerson for a 35-yard score with 37 seconds left Saturday, rallying Miami past Maryland 26-20.
The touchdown capped an 82-yard drive that began with 3:06 left and Miami trailing 20-18. The Hurricanes overcame 10 penalties, including one that negated a defensive score, and two blown extra-points.
Morris had an interception returned for a touchdown but finished 18 for 30 and led an offense that outgained Maryland 504-254. He was filling in for Jacory Harris, sidelined last week by a concussion.
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The Hurricanes (6-3, 4-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) kept alive their slim hopes in the league race and became bowl-eligible by beating the Terrapins (6-3, 3-2). Maryland drove to Miami's 30 before Danny O'Brien's pass into the end zone was incomplete on the final play.
A touchdown for Miami by Marcus Robinson on a 55-yard fumble return was negated when teammate Sean Smith was flagged for grabbing a face mask. Five players later, Maryland's Travis Baltz kicked a 23-yard field goal with 9:19 left for a 20-18 lead.
On the winning drive, Morris converted a third-and-11 situation with a 16-yard scramble. On the next play, he threw deep to Hankerson, who pulled away from two defenders and caught the ball over the shoulder just before crossing the goal line.
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"Great throw, great catch, I'll take that," Miami coach Randy Shannon said.
Lamar Miller ran for the 2-point conversion.
The Hurricanes had possession for nearly 37 minutes, but mistakes hurt them. A botched hold foiled their first extra-point attempt, and Joe Vellano blocked the second try. A season-long problem of penalties persisted, and the Hurricanes used up all of their second-half timeouts in the third quarter.
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Linebacker Alex Wujciak scored on a 60-yard interception return for the Terrapins, but they had trouble moving the ball. Freshman O'Brien started 1 for 10 and finished 9 for 28 for 134 yards.
O'Brien did hit Kevin Dorsey near the pylon for a 42-yard score.
Wujciak stepped in front of the intended receiver on a throw over the middle, made the interception and benefited from blocking that left two Hurricanes shaken up. The 250-pound middle linebacker sprinted untouched to the corner of the end zone to give Maryland a 14-6 lead.
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Wujciak made another interception in the third quarter to give Maryland the ball at the Miami 17, but O'Brien was intercepted in the end zone by Ray-Ray Armstrong.
Morris' first completion was a deep throw to Travis Benjamin for a 53-yard gain. That set up an 8-yard touchdown run by Miller for a 6-0 lead.
The Terrapins had a first and goal at the 2 in the second quarter, but backup quarterback Jamarr Robinson lost 8 yards after fumbling a snap and they had to settle for a field goal.
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Maryland missed four tackles on a 47-yard reception by Benjamin that set up a Miami field goal. Benjamin finished with five catches for 127 yards.