Social media was ablaze after Miami’s nail-biting 38-34 victory over Virginia Tech, which saw a dramatic ending as a potential Hokies’ game-winning Hail Mary was overturned on the final play. The decision left fans, analysts, and media personalities buzzing, with reactions ranging from disbelief to celebration.
The controversy centered around the last-second Hail Mary from Virginia Tech, which was initially ruled a touchdown but later overturned. Fans and pundits alike flocked to platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to voice their opinions. As expected, the responses varied widely, with many expressing frustration over the decision, while others backed the call.
National media personalities and local reporters offered some of the most insightful takes. David Furones of the *Miami Herald* shared a critical end-zone angle of the play that wasn’t shown during the broadcast, highlighting the crucial moment when the ball appeared to come loose. This perspective quickly became a focal point for discussions, helping clarify the situation for fans.
Check out this end zone angle from Only In Dade of the final play of Miami-Virginia Tech game.
Honestly, tienes que ser tremendo comemierda to call that a touchdown on the field. https://t.co/LrA8AfyYMA pic.twitter.com/EXFzjazEOv
— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) September 28, 2024
Miami football alumni were also vocal online, with former Hurricanes players like Deon Bush sharing their thoughts on the win. Even NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes chimed in after seeing Bush’s post, showing how widespread the reaction became. Many neutral observers, including sports media professionals, sided with the ruling that favored Miami.
ESPN’s Andrea Adelson and David Hale provided further breakdowns of the overturned call, explaining the rule that ultimately determined the outcome. According to their analysis and ACC officials, the Virginia Tech receiver did not maintain control of the ball, and because a player was out of bounds during the play, the call was correctly ruled dead. Their explanations aimed to clear up confusion for those questioning the decision.
From the ACC on the final play: "During the review process of the last play of the Virginia Tech at Miami game, it was determined that the loose ball was touched by a Miami player while he was out of bounds which makes it an incomplete pass and immediately ends the play."
— Andrea Adelson (@aadelsonESPN) September 28, 2024
I’m not sure how that got called a TD on the field, so ultimately, this is prob the right result. But they did call it a TD, and I’m not sure how that’s overturned other than you just decided you weren’t gonna let Miami lose that way.
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) September 28, 2024
The aftermath of the game also had a nostalgic flair for Miami fans, as former Miami greats like Alonzo Highsmith and other alums from the program’s dominant eras in the 1980s and early 2000s weighed in. Highsmith, once the general manager of the Hurricanes and now an NFL executive, represented the voice of the program’s history as he and others expressed pride in the win.
For Miami fans, personalities like Billy Corben (director of *ESPN 30 for 30’s* “The U”) and Ryan Ruiz (of *The Dan Le Batard Show*) captured the collective sigh of relief that spread across the fan base. Ruiz’s post summed up the emotions of the Hurricanes faithful, reflecting the nervousness and ultimate joy after surviving such a close call.
THE U IS BACK BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!
— Billy Corben (@BillyCorben) September 28, 2024
UGA had one against UK. We had ours. Just like we did against them when we had the best CFB team of all time. Great rivalry. Seasons are defined by your ability to survive and advance. That was terrifying because the better team on the night was undoubtedly BY on the scorecards
— Mike Ryan (Ruiz) 🙌🏽 (@MichaelRyanRuiz) September 28, 2024
While Miami secured the win, the controversy surrounding the overturned Hail Mary is likely to remain a talking point throughout the rest of the season. It was the kind of win that championship-caliber teams are often required to grind out, leaving Miami’s supporters hopeful for what’s to come but also sparking debates that will linger in the weeks ahead.
