No. 10 Miami’s margin for error is gone after critical mistakes in 26-20 OT loss to SMU
DALLAS (AP) — Before Carson Beck’s second interception put SMU in perfect position to beat No. 10 Miami in overtime, Marquise Lightfoot’s critical penalty took away a chance for the Hurricanes to finish off a victory in regulation.
Michael Irvin’s alma mater isn’t completely out of the race for the College Football Playoff, but a 26-20 OT loss to the Mustangs on Saturday puts the margin for error at zero.
Irvin, the Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver for the Dallas Cowboys, was on the sideline in his old NFL city, after a pregame chat with former President George W. Bush and former first lady Laura Bush, a pair of SMU superfans.
“The Playmaker” will spend plenty of time wondering what happened before his likely return to the home sideline in South Florida next weekend.
“Obviously, a lot of self-inflicted issues for us,” said Miami coach Mario Cristobal, whose team had 12 penalties for 96 yards. “At the end, just didn’t have enough to overcome it. We always play hard till the end, every game. But a lot of penalties. It’s on all of us.”
The biggest penalty was Lightfoot’s hit on SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings with the whistles blowing after Miami (6-2, 2-2 Atlantic Coast) called a timeout just before the snap. The Mustangs were facing fourth-and-9, down 20-17 with just 1:08 remaining.
The unnecessary roughness call moved the ball to the Miami 37-yard line. Sam Keltner’s tying 38-yard kick came with 25 seconds left.
Cristobal had a timeout but didn’t try to get into field-goal range in those final seconds. The decision looked even more curious when Ahmaad Moses intercepted Beck for the second time, just outside the goal line on third down on the opening possession of overtime.
“They had a good coverage on for our play,” Beck said. “They got us, and he made a great play on the ball. So props to him.”
The Hurricanes led 7-0 in the second quarter when Joshisa Trader, who earlier caught a 36-yard touchdown pass, couldn’t hang on to a pass from Beck. The tipped ball went to Moses, and Kevin Jennings threw a 28-yard touchdown to Yamir Knight on the next play.
Miami settled for a 10-7 halftime lead after Elijah Lofton dropped a third-down pass at the goal line in the final seconds before the break. It appeared Lofton would have scored.
“We just have to be more disciplined and that’s it,” said Beck, who was 26 of 38 for 274 yards with two touchdowns and two picks. “We just have to play better, just be disciplined.”
Miami was playing at SMU for the first time ever and outside Florida for the first time this season. After two more home games — the Hurricanes were the only team in FBS to get to November having played only one game away from home — Miami finishes the regular season with road games against Virginia Tech and Pitt.
“Just stay together. We can’t separate,” Beck said. “We have to do what we’ve said that we are the entire year. And that’s having connection, that’s playing as a team. That’s staying in unity regardless of what happens.”
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