Miami’s Defense Dominates in 42-7 Win over Stanford
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – After yielding 74 yards and a touchdown on their opening drive, the Miami Hurricanes delivered a defensive performance for the ages against the Stanford Cardinal Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium.
Stanford wouldn’t score again and could only muster 70 yards of real estate the rest of the game. The result was a comfortable 42-7 win for the ninth-ranked Canes Saturday night before a crowd of 63,892.
Miami improved to 6-1 overall, 2-1 in ACC play. Stanford fell to 3-5 overall, 2-3 in conference play. It was the first meeting between the schools.
The Canes scored touchdowns on five of their six second half possessions to blow open a game that was knotted 7-7 at halftime. Miami rushed for 199 yards, led by running back Mark Fletcher, who racked up 106 yards on 23 carries and set a career-high with three touchdowns. The Canes possessed the ball for nearly 37 minutes.
Quarterback Carson Beck completed 21 of 28 passes for 189 yards and one touchdown, a five-yard scoring toss to wide receiver CJ Daniels. Wide receiver Malachi Toney not only paced Miami with five catches for 52 yards but amassed 73 yards on two electric punt returns.
Cornerback Keionte Scott paced the Canes with five tackles, while fellow corner Xavier Lucas and linebacker Wesley Bissainthe each had interceptions that led to touchdowns. Overall, Miami had two sacks, six tackles for loss and held Stanford to 2.7 yards per play.
“Certainly proud of the way our guys just stuck with it after starting a little but sluggishly on the offensive side of the ball,” head coach Mario Cristobal said. “The defense did a phenomenal job after the first drive just shutting down the opponent and giving us an opportunity to get back in it. Closed out the first half with a scoring drive and that certainly built some momentum. We came out with great defense, great special teams and we started clicking and playing more Miami Hurricanes football.”
Stanford quarterback Ben Gulbranson completed just 9 of 21 passes for 50 yards with one touchdown and two picks. Running back Cole Tabb rushed for 64 yards, and wide receiver Caden High had three catches for 36 yards and a score. Linebacker Matt Rose registered 12 tackles.
The Canes got the ball first and Beck quickly moved the Canes into plus territory, hitting Toney for 10 yards on the first snap before connecting with wide receiver Tony Johnson for a 32-yard gain to the Cardinal 33. But the drive stalled at the 26-yard line and Carter Davis missed a 43-yard field goal, his first miss of the season.
Tabb picked up a 4th and 1 at midfield before scampering down the left sideline for a 28-yard gain into the red zone. Gulbranson converted a 3rd and 8 with an eight-yard completion to running back Sedrick Irvin, and two plays later lofted a nine-yard scoring toss to High. Stanford had a 7-0 lead.
The teams exchanged punts and the Canes again crossed midfield before Beck converted a 4th and 4 with a six-yard completion to Toney. Miami then faced another fourth down, but Daniels dropped a pass from Beck and the Cardinal took over at its 30.
The Canes forced a three-and-out and Beck started the next drive with a 16-yard strike to Toney. Miami went for it on 4th and 1 from the Stanford 30 and Fletcher picked up three tough yards to move the chains. Toney then gained 13 yards on an end around to set up first and goal at the six-yard line. On 3rd and goal Beck threw a fade to Daniels, who made a sensational catch in the end zone. The game was tied 7-7 heading into halftime.
Defensive tackle Armondo Blount sacked Gulbranson to thwart Stanford’s opening drive of the second half and the Canes took over at the Cardinal 40 after a 31-yard punt return by Toney. On the next snap Beck hit Johnson on a 22-yard crossing route and Miami was back inside the red zone.
Beck connected with Fletcher on a seven-yard pass to set up first and goal, and Fletcher took care of the rest, following up a six-yard run with a one-yard scoring plunge to give Miami its first lead of the night at 14-7.
The Canes’ defense forced another punt and Toney delivered another terrific return – this one for 42 yards – to set Miami up at the Stanford 30. But the Cardinal defense stiffened, stuffing Fletcher on 4th and 1 to give the ball back to its offense.
Stanford gained a first down on a pass interference call, but two snaps later Gulbranson rolled right, threw across the middle and was picked up by Bissainthe, who raced 32 yards to the Cardinal 3. Fletcher scored on the next play and the Canes had a two-touchdown lead.
Lucas leaped high to intercept Gulbranson on the ensuing drive, once again setting up Miami with terrific field position at the Stanford 45. Fletcher carried the Canes from there, rushing for 12, 10, 16 yards to set up his seven-yard scoring run. It was 28-7.
Miami’s defense forced yet another punt, and the Canes responded with their third straight touchdown drive, this one an eight-play, 76-march. Beck completed 4 of 4 passes for 49 yards and running back Jordan Lyle scored on a 17-yard run to push the lead to 28 points.
Elijah Brown replaced Gulbranson under center and completed a 21-yard pass to High. But Miami broke up a pass on fourth down and took over at its 45 with 6:19 left. Emory Williams came in at quarterback for Beck and led the Canes down the field for one touchdown drive, punctuated by a three-yard touchdown run by running back Girard Pringle.
The Canes next head to Dallas to face SMU for the first time since 1965. Kickoff is TBD on Saturday, November 1.
