It was a tough conference game made even more difficult on the road in a legendarily hostile environment. And things -- namely passes and some pretty alarming officiating -- didn't always go Miami's way.

But the Hurricanes kept their composure, and forcing six turnovers helped Randy Shannon's squad fend off Clemson (2-2, 0-1) to open ACC conference play with a 30-21 win.

Quarterback Jacory Harris recovered from two consecutive interceptions in the second quarter to tie his career best with four touchdown passes.

Three of those were to senior wide receiver Leonard Hankerson, who filled out his NFL job application with his own career best: Hankerson became just the fourth player in Miami history to notch three TDs in a game, after Santana Moss (1998), Tony Gaiter (1996), and Lamar Thomas (1990).

"They stayed focused," said Shannon. "Didn't panic... Defensively, they showed a lot of poise."

After all four of Harris' touchdown passes sent Miami into the half 27-14, it was decidedly the defense's time to shine.

Clemson, who entered the game having turned the ball over just twice in three games, were pressured into six. Quarterback Kyle Parker threw three interceptions -- yes, more than Harris -- and the other Tigers contributed a matching trio of fumbles.

Ahead just six points in the fourth quarter, cornerback Brandon Harris made an incredible stop on the shifty Andre Ellington on 4th-and-1 to seal the Tigers' fate.

"As a player here in Miami, those are the situations you want to be in," Other Harris said. "Come up and make a big stop for your team. I just didn't want to let anybody down."

Matt Bosher punctuated the win with a 29-yard-field goal after Jacory Harris led the 'Canes on a clean 62-yard drive.

Harris finished the game with a bizarre stat line of 13-for-33, 205 yards, four touchdown passes, and two interceptions. Hankerson averaged 21 yards per catch while hauling in seven catches for 147 of the Hurricanes' 205 receiving yards, and junior linebacker Sean Spense led the defense with 14 tackles. 

Harris was unavailable to the media for the second week in a row. Though his decision-making remained too often questionable for comfort, the other Hurricanes expressed their support. 

"If he thinks about the picks, it's going to hurt us in the end," Hankerson said. "So he put it behind him, made plays, made throws... and we won the game."