Canes Crush Cardinals to Move to 3-0
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. –– Never mind the Top 10 ranking, the weekly accolades and the gaudy stats.
The Miami Hurricanes are approaching every game this season in the same laser-focused fashion.
“The most important game of the year is at 3:30 on Saturday and we’re looking forward to it,” head coach Mario Cristobal said earlier this week.
The Canes played like it.
Miami dominated from start to finish Saturday against Ball State, defeating the Cardinals 62-0 before a crowd of 51,564 at Hard Rock Stadium in a game that was delayed more than two hours due to lightning in the area.
The 10th-ranked Canes improved to 3-0 on the season. Ball State fell to 1-1. The 62-point shutout was Miami’s largest ever shutout against an FBS opponent. The Canes racked up a program-record 750 total yards, averaging 10.6 yards per play. Miami’s 159 points through the first three games of the season are its most ever.
“From start to finish I thought we became a better football team,” Cristobal said afterwards. “I thought we left the field different than how we entered. Just finishing drives, getting them off the field on three-and-outs more successively. Our third-down defense continued to play at a high level and got a shutout. All in all, a really good performance and looking forward to a great opportunity next week.”
Quarterback Cam Ward turned in another sensational performance, completing 19 of 28 passes for 346 yards and a career-high five touchdowns. Ten of his 19 completions went for 20-plus yards.
Wide receiver Jacolby George caught six passes for 109 yards and one score — the third 100-yard game of his career. Fellow wideout Xavier Restrepo continued his strong start to the season with three receptions for 47 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Ajay Allen had 104 yards on just seven carries with a 56-yard touchdown run.
The Canes punted just once, and their eight touchdown drives averaged 1:45 of clock time.
Ball State’s 12 drives resulted in 10 punts, one interception and a turnover on downs. The Cardinals managed just 115 total yards. The Canes’ defensive front was especially ferocious. Simeon Barrow had four tackles and 1.5 sacks, Elijah Alston had a sack and an interception, and Tyler Baron registered half a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. Linebackers Wesley Bissainthe and Francisco Mauigoa paced Miami with six tackles overall.
Cardinals freshman quarterback Kadin Semonza completed 16 of 26 passes for 111 yards and one pick. Tight end Tanner Kozoil paced BSU with five catches for 39 yards.
On the game’s opening drive, Semonza completed a 20-yard pass to running back Braedon Sloan to move the ball near midfield. But Barrow sacked Semonza for a 10-yard loss on 3rd and 3 to force a punt. Miami took over at its own 17 and Ward went to work. He hit George on consecutive completions for 31 yards before finding tight end Riley Williams down the middle for 24 yards to give the Canes a first down at the Cardinals 14. Miami settled for a 30-yard field goal by Andy Borregales.
The Canes forced a quick three-and-out and got the ball back at their 40-yard line. After a personal foul penalty pushed them back, Ward connected with George for 25 yards and again for 22 yards to move the ball to the BSU 21. Ward then lofted a perfect pass to Restrepo in the left corner of the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown. Miami’s lead was 10-0 at the close of the opening quarter.
Midway through the second quarter, the Canes had a 60-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Isaiah Horton nullified by an illegal hands to the face penalty. Undaunted, Ward completed passes to running back Mark Fletcher, Jr. for 16 yards and wide receiver Sam Brown, Jr. for 22 yards before throwing a screen pass to running back Chris Johnson, Jr., who scampered 37 yards down the left sideline for Miami’s second touchdown.
On the next drive, Ball State failed to convert a 4th and 3 from the Canes 47 and Miami took over with 2:08 left in the half. Ward threw a laser to tight end Elijah Arroyo for 32 yards. On the next snap he found Arroyo again for a wide-open, 21-yard touchdown toss. Two plays later, Alston picked off Semonza and the Canes had the ball back at the BSU 20. Two plays after that, Ward hit Restrepo down the middle for a 20-yard touchdown. It was 31-0 Miami as the teams went to the locker room.
The Canes outgained the Cardinals 339 total yards to 90 in the first half with Ward accounting for 317 yards and four scores through the air.
Fletcher rushed for 43 yards on three carries on Miami’s opening drive of the second half, which set up Ward for his fifth touchdown pass, a 17-yarder to George to make it 38-0.
Emory Williams replaced Ward at quarterback on the next drive, leading a 13-play drive that resulted in a 32-yard field goal by Borregales. Allen rushed for a 56-yard touchdown on Miami’s next drive to push the lead to 48-0. The Canes forced another three-and-out and Williams capped another quick drive with a 40-yard touchdown pass to tight end Elija Lofton – his first career scoring reception.
Running back Jordan Lyle capped the scoring with a seven-yard touchdown run.
Miami has now started 3-0 for the second straight season. The Canes next head across the state to Tampa to face USF next Saturday at 7 p.m.
Cam Ward talks to media after setting a career-high with five touchdown passes against Ball State.
