In a game pushed back over two hours by a weather delay, the real downpour was Miami’s scoring outburst as the No. 10 Hurricanes pummeled Ball State, 62-0.
It was a dominant performance on both sides of the ball, as the Hurricanes gained 750 yards while holding the Cardinals to a measly 115. That yardage mark is a single-game record for the ’Canes, surpassing the previous record of 739, which was set against Central Connecticut State in 2021.
Quarterback Cam Ward had yet another surgical performance, carving up the Cardinals to the tune of 346 yards and five touchdowns despite playing just over two quarters. The performance brings him up to 1035 passing yards on the year, a clear sign that the signal-caller is in full command of the offense.
“He knows where to go with the ball,” head coach Mario Cristobal said. “We’re getting on all cylinders in the passing game.”
Ward took advantage of the Ball State secondary early and often, and Miami’s receivers feasted as a result. Senior Xavier Restrepo brought in two touchdown passes, bringing him up to six scores in his last six games.
Jacolby George was the star of the air attack. The senior receiver wasn’t perfect early, dropping a pass and barely stepping out of bounds on what would have been a long touchdown catch-and-run. But he rebounded quickly, hauling in six passes for 109 yards and a score.
“You just gotta have that next play mentality,” the receiver said. “You just gotta do what you got to do to make that next play.”
The passing offense as a whole put on a show, as the Hurricanes amassed over 500 yards through the air. 12 different players caught passes for the Hurricanes, and nine of them had over 20 yards. It’s a testament to the depth and skill of Miami’s receiver room.
“You can’t just double team one person,” George said. “You gotta cover everybody.”
While the offense provided plenty of fireworks, the defense put on a show of its own, putting up four sacks and an interception during the shutout. In particular, the Hurricanes smothered Ball State’s run game, holding the Cardinals to a paltry six yards on the ground.
“We feed off each other’s energy,” said defensive lineman Elijah Alston, who had a sack and an interception. “I’m enjoying it a lot.”
The game got out of hand quickly, allowing the Hurricanes’ starters to rest for the majority of the second half. But the backups kept the momentum going, running up the score while preserving the shutout.
“Those guys upheld a high standard,” Cristobal said. “It’s good to see them get valuable, meaningful snaps against a solid football team.”
Sophomore quarterback Emory Williams, who got his first game action of the season, took advantage of the opportunity, going 11-for-12 and throwing for 161 yards and a touchdown.
“We all motivate each other, so it’s good to see Emory out there,” Ward said. “That boy played good.”
The win moves Miami to a 3-0 record. During the three game stretch, the ’Canes have outscored their opponents 159-26. Despite the early success, Cristobal and his team are more focused on the road ahead.
“We could be the best offense in the country,” George said. “We just gotta keep working.”
“These guys want to get better now, they want to go win,” Cristobal said. “We’re just getting started.”
The Hurricanes will head to Tampa, Florida next week to take on the South Florida Bulls. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.