Tyler Van Dyke threw four touchdown passes, including two to Charleston Rambo, as host Miami knocked off No. 18 North Carolina State 31-30 on Saturday night.
Van Dyke was 25-for-34 for 325 yards as Miami (3-4, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) snapped a two-game losing skid.
Rambo’s go-ahead catch came on a 7-yard slant play with 9:34 remaining as the Hurricanes, who entered the game with their worst record midway through a season in 24 years, moved to a 31-27 lead.
Van Dyke had another big completion on third-and-18 to help the Hurricanes run out the clock after the Wolfpack might have regained possession with about two minutes left.
Thayer Thomas caught Devin Leary’s two touchdown passes for NC State (5-2, 2-1). Leary finished 24-for-42 for 310 yards without an interception.
NC State closed within 31-30 on Christopher Dunn’s 40-yard field goal that bounced in off the left upright. This came after he missed moments earlier but was given another chance because of a running-into-the-kicker penalty on Miami.
A strong second quarter turned the momentum in NC State’s favor.
Trailing 14-3 in the second quarter, Leary connected with Thomas on a third-and-goal play covering 7 yards.
The bigger boost might have come after the Wolfpack gained possession following a Miami punt. There were just 47 seconds to play, but NC State needed just three plays to go 77 yards, capped by Leary’s 27-yard pass to Thomas.
The big play on the drive was a 46-yard throw to Emeka Emezie.
Miami scored on its first possession, finishing a 75-yard drive with Van Dyke’s 25-yard touchdown pass to Rambo.
After Dunn’s 33-yard field goal for the Wolfpack, Van Dyke connected with Jaylan Knighton for a 53-yard touchdown play on a fourth-and-1 gamble.
Dunn’s field goal in the first quarter made him NC State’s all-time leading scorer. He entered the game tied with former kicker Niklas Sade (2011-14).
This was NC State’s first visit to Miami in nine years.
–Field Level Media