|
|
MIAMI |
FLA |
Cam Ward throws for 385 yards and 3 TDs as No. 19 Miami dominates Florida in the Swamp 41-17
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) Cam Ward threw for 385 yards and three touchdowns - looking cool, calm and collected on a sweltering Saturday in the Swamp - and No. 19 Miami dominated Florida 41-17 to give coach Mario Cristobal a signature victory to start his third season at his alma mater.
The Hurricanes controlled both lines of scrimmage and never trailed in the renewal of a once-heated rivalry.
“We’re starting to look like Miami in a lot of different respects,” Cristobal said.
The latest iteration of this series was a one-sided beatdown, the kind that sent Florida fans scurrying for the exits in the third quarter and raised speculation about coach Billy Napier’s job security.
Little looked different from Napier's first two years to Year 3 and now Napier has to hope “The U” is a legit national championship contender to soften his worst home loss.
“It's embarrassing, to be quite honest with you,” Napier said. “That’s how I feel. That’s how our kids feel. We’ve got a decision to make. That's what I just told them. There’s no excuses. Keep our mouths shut, show up and work. We have to do better.”
Among the most egregious miscues: Napier, who retained play-calling duties despite outside cries for him to give them up, dialed up runs on two third-and-5 plays. And his defense committed two roughing the passer penalties to extend first-half drives that led to touchdowns.
Miami had no such issues.
Ward, the former Incarnate Word and Washington State starter, showed why he was the Atlantic Coast Conference’s preseason Player of the Year before ever playing a down in a Miami uniform. He completed 26 of 35 passes, with an interception.
“I had to prove it to myself, to my 17-, 18-year-old self when I wanted to be an SEC quarterback out of high school,” Ward said. “I'm grateful to say that God put me in position to play against an SEC team. It didn't work out how I wanted early on, but he's got a different plan for me.”
Ward became the first Miami QB since at least 1979 to throw for 300 yards in his first start with the team.
“I think we made more of a statement on physicality, not just on ourselves,” Ward said. “I think the best thing for us we did this game is we were very physical in the trenches.”
Xavier Restrepo caught seven passes for 112 yards, including a 24-yarder for a touchdown. Ward’s best throw, though, was a 23-yarder in the back of the end zone to Jacolby George.
Florida quarterback Graham Mertz headed to the locker room at the end of the third quarter after getting drilled while throwing an interception. Napier said he was in the concussion protocol.
Mertz completed 11 of 20 passes for 91 yards, with an interception. He was sacked three times.
Miami star defensive end Reuben Bain left the field after the first series and never returned. Cristobal said he has a “soft-tissue injury” that will sideline him a “week, maybe two.”
Bain had 7½ sacks last season and was projected to be one of the best defenders in the country as a sophomore.
Miami: The Hurricanes finally have a quarterback, potentially their best since Heisman Trophy finalist Ken Dorsey. Ward changed arm slots and threw receivers open all afternoon. He could be the difference for a proud program trying to return to glory.
Florida: The Gators showed no progress on the defensive side of the ball despite spending significant capital to upgrade that side of the ball. The unit allowed 38.3 points a game during the team’s five-game losing streak to end 2023 and picked up where it left off, allowing 529 yards to Miami at home.
Miami: hosts Florida A&M next Saturday.
Florida: hosts Samford next Saturday.
---
Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football
Copyright 2024 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
C. Ward
1 QB 385 PaYds, 3 PaTDs, INT, 33 RuYds |
|
M. Johnson Jr.
1 RB 106 RuYds, RuTD, ReYd, REC |
Team Stats | ||
---|---|---|
1st Downs | 24 | 17 |
Rushing | 7 | 8 |
Passing | 15 | 7 |
Penalty | 2 | 2 |
3rd Down Conv | 5-10 | 1-9 |
4th Down Conv | 0-0 | 1-2 |
Total Net Yards | 529 | 261 |
Total Plays | 69 | 54 |
Avg Gain | 7.7 | 4.8 |
Net Yards Rushing | 144 | 139 |
Rush Attempts | 33 | 28 |
Avg Rush Yards | 4.4 | 5.0 |
Yards Passing | 385 | 122 |
Comp. - Att. | 26-36 | 14-26 |
Yards Per Pass | 10.3 | 3.6 |
Penalties - Yards | 2-26 | 2-25 |
Touchdowns | 5 | 2 |
Rushing TDs | 2 | 2 |
Passing TDs | 3 | 0 |
Other | 0 | 0 |
Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
Fumbles - Lost | 0-0 | 1-0 |
Int. Thrown | 1 | 2 |
Punts - Avg | 2-48.5 | 5-47.6 |
Return Yards | 74 | 28 |
Punts - Returns | 1-7 | 2-28 |
Kickoffs - Returns | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Int. - Returns | 2-67 | 1-0 |
Safeties | 0 | 0 |
|
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
C. Ward
1 QB
|
C. Ward | 26/35 | 385 | 3 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
X. Restrepo
7 WR
|
X. Restrepo | 0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
D. Martinez
6 RB
|
D. Martinez | 15 | 65 | 0 | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Ward
1 QB
|
C. Ward | 3 | 33 | 0 | 24 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Fletcher Jr.
4 RB
|
M. Fletcher Jr. | 7 | 23 | 2 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Lyle
21 RB
|
J. Lyle | 6 | 18 | 0 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Allen
28 RB
|
A. Allen | 2 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
X. Restrepo
7 WR
|
X. Restrepo | 8 | 7 | 112 | 1 | 40 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
E. Arroyo
8 TE
|
E. Arroyo | 4 | 4 | 89 | 0 | 29 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
I. Horton
2 WR
|
I. Horton | 5 | 4 | 70 | 0 | 30 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
E. Lofton
9 TE
|
E. Lofton | 2 | 2 | 38 | 0 | 35 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. George
3 WR
|
J. George | 3 | 2 | 25 | 1 | 23 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Fletcher Jr.
4 RB
|
M. Fletcher Jr. | 1 | 1 | 22 | 0 | 22 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
S. Brown
11 WR
|
S. Brown | 7 | 3 | 19 | 0 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
C. McCormick
84 TE
|
C. McCormick | 1 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Lyle
21 RB
|
J. Lyle | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
R. Joseph
5 WR
|
R. Joseph | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Martinez
6 RB
|
D. Martinez | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
J. Richard
25 DB
|
J. Richard | 4-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
W. Bissainthe
31 LB
|
W. Bissainthe | 3-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
F. Mauigoa
1 LB
|
F. Mauigoa | 3-1 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Baron
9 DL
|
T. Baron | 3-0 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Porter Jr.
2 DB
|
D. Porter Jr. | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Brown
6 DB
|
D. Brown | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Smith
41 LB
|
C. Smith | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Bryant
24 LB
|
M. Bryant | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Harris
7 DB
|
J. Harris | 1-6 | 0.5 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
E. Alston
11 DL
|
E. Alston | 1-2 | 0.5 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Mesidor
3 DL
|
A. Mesidor | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Moten Sr.
99 DL
|
A. Moten Sr. | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Horton
8 DL
|
J. Horton | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Powell
0 DB
|
M. Powell | 1-1 | 0.0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
S. Barrow Jr.
10 DL
|
S. Barrow Jr. | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Alderman
21 LB
|
J. Alderman | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Aguirre Jr.
32 LB
|
R. Aguirre Jr. | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Clark
5 DL
|
C. Clark | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
A. Borregales
30 K
|
A. Borregales | 2/3 | 26 | 5/5 | 11 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
D. Joyce
94 P
|
D. Joyce | 2 | 48.5 | 0 | 53 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
M. Johnson Jr.
1 RB
|
M. Johnson Jr. | 11 | 106 | 1 | 71 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Lagway
2 QB
|
D. Lagway | 4 | 20 | 0 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Jackson
24 RB
|
J. Jackson | 2 | 9 | 0 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Baugh
13 RB
|
J. Baugh | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||
G. Mertz
15 QB
|
G. Mertz | 6 | 3 | 0 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Webb
5 RB
|
T. Webb | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
E. Wilson III
3 WR
|
E. Wilson III | 8 | 7 | 50 | 0 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
E. Badger
6 WR
|
E. Badger | 5 | 3 | 43 | 0 | 19 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
K. Jackson
22 WR
|
K. Jackson | 3 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
C. Dike
17 WR
|
C. Dike | 2 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
A. Boardingham
8 TE
|
A. Boardingham | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Johnson Jr.
1 RB
|
M. Johnson Jr. | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
A. Mizell
11 WR
|
A. Mizell |