SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Kyle McCord and Syracuse knocked No. 6 Miami out of the Atlantic Coast Conference title game — and potentially ended the Hurricanes’ College Football Playoff hopes — by rallying from a 21-0 deficit to 42-0. 38 win bounced back Saturday.

McCord threw for 380 yards and three touchdowns for the Orange (9-3, 5-3 ACC). LeQuint Allen ran for two scores and picked up two crucial first downs on Syracuse’s final clock-killing drive, and Devin Grant forced a fumble and returned it 56 yards for a touchdown, helping the Orange score one for the third time this season to beat opponents.

Cam Ward had 349 passing yards with two touchdowns for the Hurricanes (10-2, 6-2 ACC, No. 6 CFP), who will miss next week while Clemson faces SMU in the ACC championship game. The Canes will have to hope for an at-large berth in the 12-team playoffs.

Miami had little trouble scoring against the Orange, but settled for a field goal on what turned out to be the final possession of the game when coach Mario Cristobal declined to allow it on fourth-and-goal from the 10-yard line. line to try.

“We fell short, and that affects all of us, starting with myself,” Cristobal said. “We don’t shy away from it. We are in no way anything other than hard workers and responsible people. And it’s brutally difficult.”

Miami had defeated Syracuse six straight times before this shootout, in which the teams combined for 983 yards of offense and 51 first downs. The Hurricanes started the season 9-0 but have lost two of three games after falling at Georgia Tech three weeks ago.

“We are committed. We love each other. We really love each other. It’s amazing,” Syracuse coach Fran Brown said in his on-field interview on ESPN after the game. “I’m just very grateful to these fans. Syracuse is back. We’re back. I just love it.”

The Hurricanes were in first place in the ACC standings for most of the season, but ultimately fell short, losing two of their last three league games. That followed a 9-0 run to open the season for a program that has never won an ACC crown.

“Both sides failed to do their job,” Ward said on the radio show after the Miami game. “Our main goal was not achieved. But I mean, we are blessed. We won ten games this year. Not many teams can do that.”

Ward, who has been considered a leading Heisman Trophy candidate for most of the season, will not have the conference title game to pad his stats.

“If we get a chance to get into the playoffs,” he said, “we’re going to make the most of it.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.