Miami football defeats Virginia 17-9 behind elite red zone defense

The Miami football team repeatedly stopped Virginia in the red zone to get a much needed 17-9 victory over Virginia at Hard Rock Stadium on Friday night.

The victory by the Miami football team broke a four-game losing streak against Power Five teams that went back to the Hurricanes 35-3 loss to Wisconsin in the Pinstripe Bowl. The Miami defense held the Cavaliers to nine points despite six trips inside the Hurricanes 25 yard line. The Hurricanes red zone defense was elite.

The way the defense played for the Miami football team on Friday night was the difference in the game. The Hurricanes entered Friday night’s game with one of the worst red-zone defenses in the country. Miami was 95th allowing teams to score 87.5 percent of the time inside the RedZone and to score TDs at 68.75 percent.

Virginia had a 318-265 advantage in total yards. The Miami offense went 78 yards on the opening drive. The Hurricanes took the lead on an N’Kosi Perry to DeeJay Dallas 17 yard touchdown via a screen pass. The Miami offense had 40 yards outside of the fourth quarter and the opening drive of the game.

Perry finished the night 16-27 for 182 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. He added nine carries for 18 yards and another TD. Dallas finished with 13 carries for 69 yards and two receptions for 14 and the TD. The Miami defense made big plays throughout the night.

The Hurricanes had seven tackles for loss, six sacks, six pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. The loss avenged a 16-13 loss in Charlottesville last season. Miami has now won four of the last five games against Virginia. Greg Rousseau was the star of the game for the Miami defense.

Rousseau had seven tackles, two TFLs and one sack in his first collegiate start. Romeo Finley led Miami with eight tackles. The Hurricanes did a great job containing Virginia QB Bryce Perkins. Perkins was 24-41 for 244 yards and ran 17 times for 27 yards with yards lost on sacks included. Virginia moved the ball continually.

Five of the Cavaliers drives were at least 40 yards. Miami continuously stopped Virginia in the RedZone and holding them to field goals or no points was the biggest difference in the game. It made up for Miami again struggling with their third-down defense. Virginia was 8-16 on third down.

K.J. Osborn led the Miami football team with four receptions for 60 yards. Tight end Brevin Jordan was held to two receptions for 48 yards. Jordan’s receptions came on both touchdown drives. The biggest was in the fourth quarter. Jordan went 35 yards on a short completion from Perry to put the Hurricanes in the RedZone.

One of the unsung heroes for Miami on Friday night was kicker Turner Davidson. Davidson was named the starter after pregame warmups. He was 2-2 on extra points and added a 19-yard field in the fourth quarter.

With their first ACC win of 2019, Miami gets an extra day off before hosting Georgia Tech next Saturday at noon. The Hurricanes are now a game behind North Carolina and Virginia in the ACC Coastal. The Yellow Jackets host Duke at 12:30 PM ET on Saturday.