Carson Beck threw for 320 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions to lead No. 13 Miami to a 34-17 win over Virginia Tech on Saturday afternoon in Blacksburg, Va.
Beck completed 27 of 32 passes, including 12 to Malachi Toney, who finished with 146 yards and a receiving touchdown. Toney also ran for 16 yards and completed a 15-yard pass.
The Hurricanes (9-2, 5-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) won their third in a row and kept themselves in the hunt for a potential berth in the College Football Playoff while beating the Hokies (3-8, 2-5) for the fifth consecutive time.
Virginia Tech lost its third in a row and has dropped five of its last six.
The Hokies made it close late after quarterback Kyron Drones exited with an apparent injury with 3:58 left in the fourth. Backup William Watson III converted a fourth-and-11 with a 39-yard pass to Aidan Greene to Miami’s 3-yard line. Watson powered his way into the end zone on the next play to cut the Hurricanes’ lead to 27-17 with 3:21 remaining.
The Hokies then recovered an onside kick at their own 39.
The Hurricanes forced a game-clinching turnover four plays later when Akheem Mesidor stripped Watson, Zechariah Poyser recovered and returned it to Virginia Tech’s 40. Miami sealed the outcome on Beck’s fourth touchdown pass — a 20-yarder to Toney — on fourth down.
Drones completed 12 of 21 passes for 124 yards while Virginia Tech totaled 194 rushing yards against a Miami defense which lost another key starter when Jakobe Thomas left with 10:32 left in the second quarter with an apparent left arm injury and did not return.
Marcellous Hawkins totaled 72 rushing yards on eight carries and Jeffrey Overton had 69 yards and a touchdown on seven carries. Greene led all Virginia Tech pass catchers with five receptions for 95 yards.
The Hurricanes, who led 20-3 at the half, finished with five sacks led by Ahmad Moten, who had two.
Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr. returned after missing two games with an injury and caught a 3-yard touchdown pass with 12:50 left in the first quarter.
Girard Pringle Jr. led Miami rushers with 49 yards on 14 carries and also caught a 16-yard touchdown.
