SportsDirect Inc. staff
Oct 2, 2010
Miami quarterback Jacory Harris passed for four touchdowns, including three to Leonard Hankerson, and the Hurricanes capitalized on six Clemson turnovers to earn a 30-21 road victory against the Tigers in the ACC opener for both teams.
Itกฏs the second consecutive road win for the 17th-ranked Hurricanes, who improve to 3-1. It also spoiled homecoming for Clemson (2-2), which had won its eight previous homecoming games. The visiting team has won each of the last four meetings between the กฎCanes and Tigers.
Harris completed only 13 of 33 passes for 205 yards and threw two interceptions, but out-dueled Clemsonกฏs Kyle Parker. The Tigers' quarterback threw three interceptions and also fumbled on their final possession for their sixth turnover.
Hankerson caught seven passes for 147 yards and Damien Berry rushed for 102 yards on 24 carries for Miami. Those performances overshadowed a big day for Clemson tailback Andre Ellington, who rushed for 107 yards and three touchdowns.
Harris was 8 of 22 passing with two interceptions in the first half, but four of his eight completions were for touchdowns, including three to Hankerson that covered 22, 65 and 7 yards. The last one came with 14 seconds remaining in the first half and gave Miami a 27-14 lead at the intermission. Only minutes earlier, the 'Canes had a scoring opportunity thwarted when Harris threw an interception in the end zone, his eighth of the season.
The Hurricanesกฏ other touchdown in the first half was an 18-yard scoring strike from Harris to Mike James. The score was set up by an interception by Miami, which picked off Parker twice in the first half. Clemson wide receivers had no catches in the first half.
Ellington, the ACCกฏs second-leading rusher entering the game, was the bright spot for Clemson, scoring both of the Tigersกฏ first-half touchdowns on runs of 71 and 14 yards. Ellingtonกฏs 3-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter narrowed Miamiกฏs lead to 27-21.
Matt Bosherกฏs 29-yard field goal with 2:40 remaining accounted for the final scoring.