MKRob Sports

Relief was the biggest expression of their faces.

As the Miami Hurricanes left BB&T Field Saturday, they had the look of a fortunate team. This was escaping at its finest, the submerged magician finding the key to the handcuffs at the last minute.

The Hurricanes hung on for a 28-27 comeback victory against Wake Forest that featured a last-second drive, a remarkable fourth-down catch and a missed field-goal attempt as time expired. Their only reaction afterward was letting out a collective “whew” to signal their survival.

“It was a very tough one, you’ve got to give it to Wake Forest,” UM quarterback Jacory Harris said. “It just happened that we came out with the victory.”

No. 18 Miami (6-2, 3-2) needed every bit of its talent, and luck, to avoid the upset. Despite one of its more forgettable performances, the Hurricanes scored the winning touchdown on a 13-yard pass from Harris to Travis Benjamin with 1:08 left. Wake Forest, which played the final 6:22 without standout quarterback Riley Skinner, had one last shot but fell short when Jimmy Newman missed a 60-yard field-goal attempt on the last play.

“Well, we responded on this night,” UM coach Randy Shannon said. “Offense couldn’t do anything, defense struggled in the first half. And then finally we started getting turnovers and the offense started moving it a little bit … And I think that shows you where this team can be.”

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