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Just like old times for Canes tandem

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By TIM REYNOLDS The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 2, 2009

Updated: 11/02/2009 12:22 am

CORAL GABLES - Game on the line, fourth down, final moments, needing a touchdown to win.

Miami's Jacory Harris and Aldarius Johnson had been there together before.

Maybe that's why they made it look so easy Saturday, when they saved Miami's Atlantic Coast Conference hopes in a 28-27 victory against Wake Forest.

Johnson somehow outfought Wake Forest cornerback Josh Bush for a fingertip grab on fourth-and-16, a convert-or-else play that went for 29 yards with 1:32 left and was the key in a last-ditch rally that vaulted the Hurricanes past the Demon Deacons.

"That shows you how far we've come as a football team," Hurricanes coach Randy Shannon said Sunday. "That shows you what kind of character this football team has."

Miami (6-2, 3-2) led for only 68 seconds of the game.

The late heroics were enough for Miami to overcome a school-record 33 first downs, 555 yards of Wake Forest offense and a 27-14 deficit with less than 12 minutes remaining.

And on a day where there were plenty of big plays for the Hurricanes, who remained one loss behind Georgia Tech in the ACC Coastal Division, Harris-to-Johnson stood tallest.

As high school seniors in 2007, Harris and Johnson hooked up on a last-minute fourth-down play that kept Miami Northwestern's 99-yard winning drive in a state semifinal game alive. The team went on to claim the mythical national championship.

So on Saturday, was there any doubt where that fourth-down pass was going?

"Not really," Johnson said.

Johnson and Bush leaped at the same time, and for a split second as the pass arrived, both had a hand on the ball. Johnson won that joust, and suddenly, Harris could do no wrong.

Next play: Harris to Travis Benjamin down the seam for 17 yards.

Next play: Harris to Benjamin, who made a sliding 13-yard catch just past the goal line.

Touchdown, Canes win.

Miami hosts Virginia on Saturday (noon, CW, Channel 44).

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