No. 8 Miami Hurricanes continued their impressive start to the 2024 season with a dominant 50-15 victory over the South Florida Bulls on Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium. Quarterback Cam Ward made history, throwing for 404 yards and three touchdowns, surpassing 15,000 career passing yards and becoming just the 13th player in NCAA history to achieve that milestone.
The Hurricanes (4-0) faced their first real challenge of the season after cruising through their first three games against Florida (41-17), Florida A&M (56-9), and Ball State (62-0). South Florida (2-2), however, kept things interesting for much of the first half. With a strong start, the Bulls even held a 15-14 lead late in the second quarter, sparking hope in the crowd of 58,616 that an upset might be in the making.
Cam Ward’s poise and leadership were on full display as the senior quarterback orchestrated a high-powered Miami offense. He threw three touchdown passes, starting with a 6-yard strike to Isaiah Horton and a 5-yard connection with Xavier Restrepo. His most explosive play of the night came on a 76-yard bomb to Sam Brown, giving Miami the lead for good with just over two minutes left in the first half.
Ward’s 404 passing yards brought him to over 15,000 for his career, adding another highlight to an already stellar collegiate run. “It’s a blessing to be in this position,” Ward said postgame. “I’ve worked hard for this, but I’m just focused on the team and what we’re trying to accomplish this year.”
Miami leaned on the running game to extend their lead in the second half, with running back Damien Martinez pounding in three touchdowns, including two 1-yard scores that capped off long, methodical drives. Martinez’s ability to grind down the South Florida defense helped Miami take complete control of the game, building the lead to 36-15 by the third quarter.
The Hurricanes’ defense also stepped up, shutting out South Florida in the second half after giving up 15 points in the first two quarters. South Florida managed to stay in the game early thanks to a trick play—a 12-yard touchdown pass from receiver Sean Atkins to quarterback Byrum Brown—and three long field goals, two of which were hit from beyond 50 yards by Nico Gramatica.
The Bulls gave Miami all they could handle in the first half, taking a 15-14 lead with 2:36 left in the second quarter on the strength of Gramatica’s 58-yard and 51-yard field goals, as well as a 45-yard kick from John Cannon. Atkins was a bright spot for South Florida, finishing with 11 catches for 125 yards, and his trick-play touchdown pass provided a spark for the offense. However, Miami’s defense tightened up after halftime, stifling the Bulls’ efforts.
Quarterback Byrum Brown struggled to move the ball against Miami’s pass rush, and once the Hurricanes began building their lead, the Bulls were unable to recover. Brown finished with modest passing numbers and was under constant pressure from Miami’s defensive front.
With the non-conference schedule behind them, the Hurricanes now turn their focus to Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play, where their national title hopes will be put to the test. Miami’s commanding performance against South Florida may serve as a tune-up for tougher battles ahead, but they’ve proven capable of excelling in all phases of the game.
For South Florida, the loss marks their second defeat of the season, but they will look to regroup as they head into conference play with a 2-2 record. Despite the final score, head coach Alex Golesh was encouraged by his team’s early fight against a top-10 opponent.
“We showed we can compete,” Golesh said. “But we’ve got to be more consistent to take down teams like Miami.”
In front of a packed Raymond James Stadium, the Miami Hurricanes passed their first significant test of the season in style. Cam Ward’s historic night, combined with a strong second half, propelled Miami to a 50-15 rout over South Florida. The win keeps Miami undefeated as they prepare for the grind of ACC competition, while South Florida will look to rebound after a promising, albeit frustrating, effort against one of the nation’s top teams.
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