The new Miami: Affirmative action, Club Space, ‘canes football and more
Best horror movies to ring in Halloween
Horror as a genre has had a steady stream of new additions of movies over the years, and there’s no better time to watch one than Halloween! With so many fantastic movies, both new and old, which ones are worth the watch?
Check out our list of some of the best horror movies to get properly in the mood for a spooky season.
Midsommar (2019)
When one thinks of Sweden, they probably don’t imagine a hedonistic cult intent on sacrificing its visitors. College student Dani and her friends soon find that this is exactly what they are dealing with.
When they are invited to visit a Swedish rural hometown for a Midsummer festival, Dani comes face to face with terror unlike any.
Midsommar is a movie that gets better with every watch. Every scene is packed with metaphors, symbolism and foreshadowing. It is a psychological folk thriller that never lets you go.
Evil Dead (2013)
“Evil Dead” follows a group of friends that accidentally unleash a curse from an ancient book of the dead.. The 2013 remake serves as a retelling and continuation to the original trilogy.
While missing Bruce Campbell’s iconic character Ash Williams, the remake makes up for this with updated special effects, creative and terrifying situations and a compelling subplot.
Jane Levy’s performance as Mia is a ferocious example of the absolute menace of a final girl as she is forced to battle a sadistic demon.
The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
If you think you’ve seen it all when it comes to horror, “The Cabin in the Woods” is the film that will prove you wrong. This film takes a different approach on explaining the root behind all horror
A group of friends take a weekend camping trip and are forced into the classic horror scenario of being chased by a killer, but then discover a world ending truth.
It’s a slow burn that builds to a riveting last act. With an intriguing plot, excellent writing, absolutely terrifying monster designs and an absolutely stacked cast including Chris Hemsworth and Sigourney Weaver, “The Cabin in the Woods” truly stands out.
The Thing (1982)
Regarded as John Carpenter’s masterpiece following Halloween, “The Thing” is a brutal science fiction thriller that takes the line between sci fi and body horror and plays jump rope with it.
After a group of American researchers in Antarctica stumble upon a deadly alien that imitates people, they are left to try to survive amidst paranoia and fear that any one of them could be “The Thing.”.
While it is an early 80s movie, Carpenter’s special effects team jumped through every hoop to ensure that the practical gory effects look realistic.
Halloween (1978)
Many are likely familiar with Michael Myers, the slasher who terrorizes Haddonfield Illinois. The iconic killer has been recast into several sequels, remakes and prequels, but it’s hard to beat John Carpenter’s original depiction of the silent serial killer.
In “Halloween,” 15 years after murdering his sister as a child, Myers escapes prison to wreak havoc. Tension rises as Myers hones in on high school student Laurie Strode, forcing her into a deadly game of cat and mouse.
It seems that nothing can end Michael’s pursuit, taking rounds of gunfire, explosions and wounds. Halloween is a suspenseful slasher that practically created the horror trope of guessing: “is it really dead?”
Aliens (1986)
It’s a rare feat in cinema when a sequel holds more recognition than the original, but many would argue that “Aliens,” sequel to the 1979 film “Alien,” is a perfect example.
Taking place years after the first, Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley, last seen in the original movie as the sole survivor of an alien attack, is recruited to investigate a colony that has settled on the remains of the alien ship from the first movie.
While Sigourney is a massive part of what makes this movie successful, the designs of the XenoMorphs are absolutely worth watching. The writing will have you jumping at every small noise you hear and giving every shadow a second glance.
The Descent (2005)
Few movies can play on claustrophobic situations quite like “The Descent.” Following a group of female cave spelunkers, “The Descent” goes deep into the panic and fear of the unknown. It plays on the fear of being underground in total darkness and kicks it up to a ten.
Partnered with one of the absolutely most terrifying monster designs, “The Descent” is a great show of what the British Horror genre has to offer. It combines psychological horror with the feel of a classic thriller to provide a film that will truly make you never want to turn a light off again.
Get Out (2017)
If you’re a fan of psychological horror, you’ve probably heard of Jordan Peele. “Get Out” is Peele’s first smash hit horror film.
The film follows an African American photographer named Chris who is meeting his girlfriend Rose’s wealthy caucasian family for the first time. Things start to feel off when Rose’s family begins acting sinister toward Chris.
As he uncovers more and more of their secrets, he learns the family’s most terrifying one. “Get Out” is the peak of psychological horror. It’s guaranteed to leave you breathless.
Ready or Not (2019)
What happens when the family you marry into has a deadly newlywed ritual?
“Ready or Not” follows Grace as she participates in a deadly game of hide and seek till dawn in order to stay in the family.
While not the scariest movie by far, “Ready or Not” is a gripping dark comedy with plenty of action sequences to raise your pulse. Samara Weaving’s performance as Grace is worth the watch.
It Follows (2014)
“It Follows” is a masterful suspense horror where a teenager named Jay becomes the victim of a supernatural curse. Jay will now be relentlessly followed by the terrifying manifestation of the curse that is , invisible to everyone else.
The film is a wonderful commentary on the dangers of STDs that provides enough scares to keep tension going.
Other horror flics too good not to mention are “Scream,” “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and “Insidious.”
No matter how much of a horror fan you are, there’s not many things that can match the feel of gathering your friends and snacks, turning the lights off, and scaring yourself silly. Take this list and get ready for the chilling movie marathon.
REVIEW: ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ is a dramatic flip on a classic Joker story
When the trailer dropped for the sequel to the smash hit “Joker” movie, many fans of the movie were rightfully excited. The announcement that Lady Gaga would be joining Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker as Harley Quinn only made anticipation for the movie to grow higher and higher.
What no fan probably expected was the announcement that Joker: Folie à Deux would be released as a musical, with Gaga releasing a companion album to the movie.
The sequel, “Joker: Folie à Deux” focuses on the aftermath of the first Joker movie, where failing comedian Arthur Fleck, spurred by the scorn directed at him by society, on live camera murders a TV show host before being taken into custody.
Now, two years after this crime, Arthur is being evaluated at Arkham Asylum awaiting trial. Arthur has been a model patient, barely saying a word, with his defense lawyer believing his Joker persona to be a split personality. This peaceful behavior changes however when he meets Harley Quinzel, an inmate who claims to have been incarcerated due to arson.
Gaga’s Harley right off the bat gives us a different feel than the classic Harley. We’ve been used to the professional psychiatrist who eventually falls for her patient. This version of Harley however is already aware of him. It’s a nice touch that immediately gives us insight into the differences this movie will have with classic depictions of Harley.
Harley is deeply infatuated with Arthur, but more specifically, his Joker side. The two quickly connect, even attempting to escape the Asylum during a film screening. However, the escape is botched and Arthur placed in solitary confinement.
These first few scenes do a great job of building Harley and Arthur’s relationship. As a musical, any scene that has importance in developing one of the characters is almost always accompanied by a musical scene.
This is used by the movie repeatedly to portray the typical love story of Joker and Harley Quinn. While Harley’s personality is drastically different, it appears at face value that we are getting the expected outcomes of their relationship.
We see scenes of them romantically dancing through the rain, and Arthur performs a cover of “For Once in My Life” by Ron Miller, announcing his newly discovered love for Harley. These musical moments show that despite their circumstances, Harley and Arthur feel absolutely unstoppable together.
Before he is taken to trial, Harley reveals she is being released and promises to attend every day of the trial, making an appearance in the iconic Harley Quin makeup. The trial takes place over the span of three days, and is the majority of the movie from this point onward. Arthur ultimately starts to lose himself more and more as he leans into the Joker persona as a defense mechanism.
It’s important to note that this is not originally his own idea, but rather at the insistence of Harley. In a way, it’s a similar situation to Joker forming Harley in traditional comics. Instead, Harley is shaping the Joker into the perfect man that she wants. Eventually, Arthur is so pressured by his circumstances that on the final day of the trial, he rejects the identity of Joker.
While the closing statements are being given, a car bomb explodes, taking out a section of the courtroom and allowing Arthur to escape. He makes his way to Harley’s apartment, where she scorns him for renouncing his persona, and leaves as he is surrounded by police cars and taken into custody.
Harley’s refusal of this version of Arthur is where I believe the movie truly showed originality within the story of Joker. Audiences have become well acquainted with the idea of Joker and Harley’s dynamic, with most classic depictions showing Joker as a manipulative lover who does not actually care whatsoever about Harley.
In this version however, the roles are swapped. Harley instead has been the one in control, subtly pushing Arthur more and more to fall into insanity so that he will fulfill this role as Joker.
Arthur is madly in love with Harley, to the point where upon escaping, his first instinct is to go to her. This makes Harley’s rejection all the more painful to Arthur. He finally has felt that he has a tie to someone who understands him, when in reality he was simply being used to fulfill a fantasy that Harley had.
Critics and fans regard Joaquin’s Joker as being much more humanistic, almost pitiable. This carries through into the sequel, establishing Arthur as much more of a victim of circumstance rather than a criminal mastermind. Harley in this movie is much closer to the typical role of the Joker.
In fact, when Arthur does try to lean back into this role of Joker at Harley’s insistence, he ends up in much more trouble, and ultimately rejects it.
“Joker: Folie A Deux” ultimately had a promising start, but there were some issues with the movie. While this film was teased as the development of Harley and Joker, it feels almost as if the producers forgot that they had Harley to work with outside of the supporting musical roles.
Besides the beginning of the movie, she rarely makes screen time outside of the musical numbers. While Gaga truly put an impressive amount of effort into this role and absolutely had some iconic moments within the music numbers, it felt like she was given a disadvantage with the writing.
Lots of the situations in the movie progressed too slowly. The movie is really just the trial of Arthur Fleck, and the mental struggles that he goes through in determining if he truly is Joker. The three days of the trial are the majority of the movie, and it’s overly apparent with the lack of actual activity going on.
Folie à Deux has moments where it did not need a song at that moment. Tense plot points peak, and then all of that tension would get killed off by the sudden break into song and dance.
That said, the musical moments did have a great impact on the movie, the portrayal of Joker and Harley’s relationship in each number is almost completely different each time. Joaquin and Gaga do an incredible job of demonstrating the subtle emotional changes that their characters were going through.
During “Gonna Build a Mountain”, where Harley and Arthur imagine their life after the trial, we are implicitly told this musical is all happening inside of his head. This bleed over of fantasy into reality did an excellent job of showing the Joker’s psychosis.
The lack of actual plot points dragged these moments into the ground. While maybe not the best sequel to the 2019 Joker film, “Folie à Deux” is still a vivid and great piece of cinematography and art.
Affirmative action is dead, but diversity isn’t doomed
After the Supreme Court ruled that affirmative action could not be used in college admissions in June of 2023, experts predicted that history would repeat itself and colleges would become less racially diverse.
When California banned affirmative action in 1998, it experienced an immediate 40-50% decline in Black and Hispanic enrollment at its highest-ranked state universities, the University of California, Berkeley and UCLA.
However, when examining the demographics of freshmen arriving at colleges across the country in the fall of 2024, early evidence is mixed. This is the first admissions class affected by the Supreme Court decision.
Schools like MIT, Amherst and UNC Chapel Hill all experienced a substantial drop in minority student enrollment. On the other hand, some schools seemed to be unaffected by the Supreme Court ruling. At Dartmouth, the number of Hispanic students enrolled in the class of 2028 increased by three percentage points, while the enrollment of every other racial group decreased slightly. Yale and Princeton saw no change at all in Black student enrollment. Hispanic student enrollment increased by 1 percentage point at Yale and decreased by 1 percentage point at Princeton, both negligible changes.
At UM, though Black student enrollment in the class of 2028 plummeted from 9% to 5%, Hispanic student enrollment jumped from 24% to 28%.
The data suggests that school-specific policies on diversity have the potential to have an impact great enough to compensate for and maybe even surpass the loss of affirmative action. Just because affirmative action is no more, diversity at UM and other institutions is not doomed. Universities should take into account applicants’ entire backgrounds, implement targeted outreach programs through the admissions process, and reconsider admissions policies proven to hinder diversity. By doing so, universities can ensure that they are admitting a diverse class of students.
According to the Department of Education and Department of Justice’s Questions and Answers resource regarding the Supreme Court’s decision, “Universities may continue to embrace appropriate considerations through holistic application-review processes and (for example) provide opportunities to assess how applicants’ individual backgrounds and attributes—including those related to their race, experiences of racial discrimination, or the racial composition of their neighborhoods and schools—position them to contribute to campus in unique ways.”
When making admissions decisions, colleges already claim to use “holistic review” to evaluate each student in the context of their experiences. However, a study done in 2017 found that at 38 colleges in the U.S., including five in the Ivy League, more students came from the top 1% of the income scale than the bottom 60%.
This enormous disparity shows that many top colleges largely choose to admit privileged students who, prior to attending college, have had much greater access to educational opportunities, in the classroom and beyond, over their equally-talented, less-privileged peers.
Furthermore, 88% of people in the top 1% of the income scale identify as white, as opposed to 68% of those in the bottom 99%, illustrating a connection between wealth and racial inequality.
Colleges need to acknowledge and take steps to remedy this clear disparity.
Many selective institutions worsen the problem by recruiting heavily from private and public high schools that have predominantly wealthy students. One solution is to implement targeted recruitment programs where colleges could connect with students in communities with higher proportions of low-income students and students of color.
Another solution could address the fact that underrepresented minority students disproportionately attend under-resourced institutions. Through transfer partnerships with community colleges, which are more likely to enroll underserved students, four-year institutions can admit a more diverse class.
However, to truly have holistic admissions policies, colleges must consider applicants’ achievements in the context of the high school and neighborhood of the applicant. Colleges must consider how applicants’ backgrounds affect their access to resources and education. Moreover, admissions policies that mainly bolster the privileged should be eliminated.
Legacy admissions is one such policy. At Ivy League and “Ivy-Plus” institutions (University of Chicago, Duke, MIT, and Stanford), a 2023 study suggests that high-income legacy applicants are five times more likely to be admitted than non-legacy applicants with similar qualifications. 32% of Harvard’s 2027 class are legacy students.
Since there are so few spots at selective institutions, prioritizing children of alumni penalizes students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. After Johns Hopkins University ended legacy admissions in 2014, the university increased its percentage of federal Pell Grant recipients, which are students who have demonstrated exceptional financial need, from 13% to 22% and increased the percentage of Black, Latino and Native American students from 18% to 34%.
The use of standardized tests in admissions can also bolster high-income students, though the effect is not as pronounced as legacy admissions. Applicants with substantial economic means are able to take standardized tests multiple times and are more likely to attend high schools that offer advanced coursework and test preparation. Additionally, these applicants are also able to hire a private tutor or obtain additional support outside of their high school.
Preliminary research on the effect of test-optional admissions policies shows a 3 to 4 percent increase in federal Pell Grant recipients and a 10 to 12 percent increase in students of color admitted.
Another solution is an increased focus on personal statements and supplemental essays, which allow colleges to assess not only quantitative experiences but qualitative ones. UM changed its supplemental essay prompt in 2023 to give applicants a place to write about their unique experiences, challenges, or skills. Admissions officers use responses to this new prompt to help evaluate applicants holistically.
Another policy that benefits wealthy students is the early decision program. When scrolling through various “UM Class of 2028” Instagram pages designed to connect incoming UM students, I noticed that many students claim to be committed to the university through early decision. Research shows that students enrolling through an early admissions program are more likely to be from a higher socioeconomic background, receive private college counseling and attend a high-resourced high school. At the time of application, a student applying through early decision does not know how much they will be asked to pay and will not be able to compare financial aid packages across institutions. For low-income students, making such a commitment is simply not a possibility.
Many of UM’s admissions policies promote diversity. However, wealth inequality is still present. According to a 2017 study, 60% of students attending UMiami are from the top 20% of the income scale and only 5.5% of students are from the bottom 20%. The same study shows that 13% of students attending UMiami are from the top 1% of the income scale. Though UM meets 100% of demonstrated financial need, the nearly six-figure yearly full cost of attendance for students who live on campus of $93,892 can discourage lower-income students from even applying.
To promote diversity, colleges must reconsider how they evaluate applicants. Though the data regarding the effects of the ban on using affirmative action in admissions is inconclusive, the data regarding the benefits of diversity in colleges is most decidedly not. Diversity in colleges encourages self-reflection, better prepares all students for career opportunities and promotes creative thinking. With inclusive admissions policies, a diverse college class is achievable, even without affirmative action.
Jay Wheeler brings unbridled passion to Miami
Puerto Rican lover boy and rapper Jay Wheeler delivered a heart wrenching performance to a sold out crowd in Miami on Oct. 20 at the Kaseya Center. Once Wheeler came out, the crowd sang along for six songs straight.
Wheeler’s first time on that stage took place four years ago as a guest appearance for Farruko’s concert in January 2020. Back then when he performed “Otra Noche Más”, almost no one knew him. This time around, he performed the song at his own show to a sold out crowd.
Wheeler’s distinctive vocals roared through the venue as the band provided some much appreciated backup sound.
The stage mimicked an old home building that was equipped with a second story balcony where the guitarist, bassist and secondary vocalist sang. The lower level featured a homemade basketball hoop, garage door and porch where the drummer was.
Dancers wore a brown, white and silver color pallet. While the men rocked brown jumpsuits and silver durags, the girls sported brown jumpsuit pants with a tight white top. Their choreography acted out the story told by Wheeler’s lyrics.
One of Wheeler’s biggest hits sparked an uproar from the crowd. As “No Te Enamores” blasted through the speakers, fans cried out the lyrics and happily danced energetically to the chorus.
As Wheeler’s verse hit, he delivered an emphatically toned worthy performance.
The show hit its first turning point as red and blue lights flashed all over. The screen slowly lowered in front of the set to display an interrogation cell digital background.
Wheeler, while being cuffed to a chair center stage, gave a restricted yet intense performance of “La Ultima Canción.”
In stark contrast, Wheeler’s most renowned love song “Me Enamore” ignited, not one but two proposals right next to me. Wheeler likes to keep his fans guessing.
The next stint of songs featured guest appearances by Noreh and Greeicy. Accompanied by beautiful garden-like backgrounds and vibrant colors, tracks like “Lugar Seguro,” “Maquillaje” and “¿Qué Te Pasó?” brought life to the venue.
When Zhamira Zambrano, Wheeler’s wife, took the stage and performed “Dicelo” and “Extranandote” with him, the crowd was in awe. The couple shared a loving hand grip, stood simultaneously and split the stage to display their joint performative capabilities.
This Miami show marks a new era for the couple as this was the first show their newborn daughter, Aiunii, was in present for.
As the screen lifts to welcome in the show’s final act, we can see Wheeler equipped in a white-out outfit with some color accents that match that of his album “Música Buena Para Días Malos.”
Kicking it off were the 2021 hits, “Viendo el Techo” and “Desnudarte” which was brought to life by the anime visuals of a kid chasing after airplanes in a grass field, a girl dancing under the rain and the same girl jumping into a river.
After a stint of underwhelming songs, Wheeler re-energized the audience with the up-beat drum and bass track, “SOS,” hit track “Textos Fríos,” party anthem “No Confió,” and “Si Te Veo.”
Wheeler saved the best for last as he performed the global hits “La Curiosidad” and “Pacto” which got everyone, even security, on their feet.
I have only one gripe: the absence of guest tracks.
The setlist was all that kept this from being a near-perfect night. The exclusion of all the more known recent urban tracks left fans wanting more. Tracks like “WYA REMIX RED,” “Aunque Llegue Otro,” “Quítenme el Teléfono,” “Suelta” and “Carro Nuevo” were never played.
Jay Wheeler might have delivered what he promised, but he disappointed fans who were waiting for him to play the hits.
‘Canes WBB pummels Palm Beach Atlantic in Exhibition Matchup
Hurricanes women’s basketball started their season off strong with a dominating 89-30 win over Palm Beach Atlantic on Sunday afternoon in Coral Gables, Florida.
Coming out hot right from the tip off, the Hurricanes showed fans a preview of what is to come in the 2024-25 season. With multiple new faces on the roster, as well as new head coach Tricia Cullop, the team did exactly what it needed to do to enter the regular season on the right foot.
Miami’s defense from the beginning proved to be an important contribution to their success, as they held PBA to only two points in the first quarter. They then capitalized on their achievements with their cohesive offense and court vision.
While Palm Beach Atlantic only grabbed 26 overall rebounds, Miami totaled 49. They also had an impressive 22 steals, which allowed them to add points with easy breakaway layups.
After leaving the ‘Canes in the 2023-24 season, Miami’s renowned twins Haley (#14) and Hanna (#15) Cavinder reclaimed their jerseys as they wowed the crowd with their agility and speed. Haley tallied 13 points, 10 rebounds, and Hanna put up 12 points and two rebounds.
One remarkable aspect of the ‘Canes game that was clear in their performance was their court chemistry. They shared the ball and were able to read each other in a way that made stopping them in the paint impossible.
6’5” graduate student Natalija Marshall, a new addition to the 2024-25 team, made a name for herself as a Hurricane with 13 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks.In addition, Michigan transfer Cameron Williams made her ‘Cane debut as a presence in the paint with 10 points and four rebounds of her own.
The Hurricanes take on Stetson University to kick off their regular season on Nov. 4th.
Miami goes cold in last road match of 2024 to Boston College, 3-0
It was a chilly afternoon in the Boston suburb of Newton, Massachusetts, where Miami dropped their final road match of the season, 3-0, to the Boston College Eagles.
The ‘Canes were coming off perhaps their best performance of the season, emphatically defeating Syracuse 3-1 for their first ACC win in the 2024 campaign. It was also the first ACC win for first-year head coach Ken Masuhr in his career at Miami.
As Miami looked to end their Northeast road trip on the right note, they got off to a hot start. Star freshman Giovana Canali sent a shot towards the goal in the seventh minute but it was swiftly saved by Eagles goalkeeper Wiebke Willebrandt.
After some ensuing back and forth, Miami conceded a goal to Aislin Streicek off of an assist by Ella Richards in the 14th minute.
Down 1-0, Miami responded by forcing the issue in order to try to find the equalizer. This led to a shot on goal by senior Adrianna Serna which was once again saved by Willebrandt, who ended up with four saves on the day.
The first half ended with the score remaining at 1-0, and the Hurricanes wasted absolutely no time getting right back to work.
Canali once again pressed the issue, with a shot sent to the top left corner of the goal after just 30 seconds had elapsed in the second half. It was a great opportunity, but Willebrandt continued her dominance with a save. She would replicate this about 20 minutes later, when the Boston College transfer and Massachusetts native Maddie Landers had a chance to score over the middle but it was sent back by the freshman goalkeeper.
After Miami was able to possess the ball and have a couple more quality chances, Boston College took off in transition and converted on another goal, this time coming off the foot of Georgina Clarke. Paige Peltier was credited with the assist on the 70th minute conversion.
Just three minutes later, the Eagles sealed the game with Peltier getting a goal of her own (assisted by Ava Lung).
The ensuing time resulted in few concrete opportunities for either side, and the Eagles ended up with the 3-0 victory.
Although the matchup didn’t end how the ‘Canes intended, they will have a chance to respond in their final game of the season on Thursday night. The Halloween matchup will take place in Coral Gables at Cobb Stadium against rival Florida State. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 PM.
Takeaways from Miami’s 36-14 romping of rival Florida State
In front of a sold-out crowd of 66,200 at Hard Rock Stadium, the Miami Hurricanes sent a message to a national audience, toying with their rival Florida State to the tune of a 36-14 victory.
While it was not always pretty, the ‘Canes showed their dominance from the start with a seven play, 67 yard drive that resulted in a touchdown for running back Mark Fletcher Jr. in less than two and a half minutes.
Florida State’s offense was unable to muster much momentum which resulted in a quarterback change after two drives. Redshirt freshman Brock Glenn struggled and was pulled in favor of true freshman Luke Kromenhoek who played for the majority of the game. Kromenhoek was a surprising catalyst for the Seminoles, as he garnered 71 yards rushing which easily made him the rushing leader on the night.
On the contrary, Miami’s rushing attack was ferocious and persistent during the rivalry affair, with Damien Martinez netting 148 yards on 15 carries with two touchdowns and Mark Fletcher Jr. having 71 yards of his own with the same carry count.
It was an especially emotional night for the team as they rallied around the aforementioned Fletcher, who tragically lost his father this past week yet rallied to score a touchdown to contribute to the ‘Canes efforts.
Speaking about Fletcher, Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal said, “That he was a guy that you trust with your life because he does everything the right way, regardless of situation and circumstance.”
“He’s just an elite, unique, off-the-charts human being. He’s just made of the right stuff, and that’s a credit to his parents. He was raised a certain way. That guy is as resilient as it gets.”
College football in Florida runs through Coral Gables
On a massive night for Miami’s recruiting efforts, recruits from the classes of 2025 and 2026 witnessed Miami win a game that was never really a question against their biggest in-state rival. Not only did Miami handle Florida State with ease, but they physically beat down their other traditional powerhouse rival in the state, the Florida Gators, 41-17 to open the season. Cristobal noted in his postgame presser how recruits “can now clearly see the trajectory of this program versus the other programs [in the state].” Florida State had lofty playoff expectations coming into their 2024 campaign, but now have a record of 1-7 and they will not even be playing in a bowl game. Florida has been mired in turmoil since the beginning of the season, with questions surrounding the future of head coach Billy Napier. And the newcomer to the power conferences, UCF, has lost five straight games and is freefalling down the Big 12 standings. Miami has won the Florida Cup this year and clearly has the brightest future of any college football program in the state, which could loom large in the minds of in-state recruits who have previously drifted towards Florida and FSU in past recruiting cycles.
Miami’s backfield talent is an undeniable, constant force
Coming into the season, there was great anticipation for what Damien Martinez could bring to Miami’s offense. However, his start to the season was slower than expected. He seemingly broke out with three touchdowns against South Florida, and has now begun to show the player he truly is after a vicious touchdown run against Louisville and nearly 150 yards against FSU. Mark Fletcher Jr. has also been a great complement to Martinez’s physical running style, scoring two touchdowns over the past three games. Even Ajay Allen has been getting involved for the Hurricanes, most notably in the Louisville game where he became the workhorse on a drive where he finished with a bruising touchdown run. Miami must continue to lean on their run game as they close out their regular season and enter postseason play because it has balanced their offensive attack and made them tougher to defend overall.
Self-inflicted errors have continually plagued the ‘Canes
In spite of the rivalry win which should be celebrated, Miami did not always make it easy on themselves throughout the game. Early on, a quarterback sneak by Kromenhoek was seemingly bottled up on a short fourth down, but Miami inexplicably let him escape for a massive 40 yard gain that set up an eventual Seminole touchdown. Additionally, early in the fourth quarter, defensive lineman Tyler Baron committed an inexplicable roughing the passer penalty which extended Florida State’s possession when Miami had a chance to put them away. Although it may not have mattered for this game specifically, the Hurricanes must do a better job of eliminating the mistakes, especially as games against excellent competition loom on the postseason radar.
Miami volleyball defeats Duke in a close match on the road
Miami volleyball extended their win streak to three this past Friday when they defeated the Duke Blue Devils, 3-2, in a tough match of five sets in Durham, N.C.
The final scores of the match were 18-25, 25-21, 25-20, 23-25 and 15-11, with the ’Canes, in total, tallying 56 kills, 67 digs, eight service aces and 12 blocks. The top two players of the match were junior Flormarie Heredia Colon with 18 kills, 12 digs and two blocks and redshirt freshman Ariana Rodriguez who tallied 12 kills, 16 digs, six blocks and an ace. Sophomore Grace Lopez also tallied three aces along with her 10 kills.
The first set did not go in Miami’s favor. It started off close with the set tied at nine a piece after a kill by senior Paula Guersching. After that tie, Duke had the lead for the rest of the set and they finished it off with a kill by junior Kerry Keefe to give them the set win 25-18 and the early match lead of one set to nothing.
Set two had a better outcome for the Hurricanes. After back-to-back kills by Rodriguez and Guersching, the set was tied at six. Miami then went on a 8-1 run to make the score 14-7. The ‘Canes still had that lead late after a kill by Heredia Colon made it 24-17, putting Miami within a point to tie up the match, but the Blue Devils then went on a 4-0 run to make the score 24-21. However, the late run did not change the eventual outcome because the ‘Canes finished it off right after to win the second set 25-21.
The third set started out with a 4-2 lead for the Hurricanes after an ace by Guersching. However the Blue Devils later took a 8-7 lead after an ace by graduate student Grace Penn. The score remained close for much of the rest of the set with the score tied up again, this time at 14 for each side after a kill by Duke freshman Taylor Williams.
After the tie, the Hurricanes went on a 5-1 run to make the score 19-15. The run featured a kill by Rodriguez and two kills by Heredia Colon. The ‘Canes kept that momentum as well as the lead to win the set 25-20, which was capped off by a kill from Guersching.
The fourth set, much like most of the previous ones, started off close. It was tied up early after a kill by Williams to make the score six each. The Hurricanes then went on a 5-0 run, which featured two kills by Rodriguez and an ace by junior Milana Moisio, to give them a 11-6 lead. However, the Blue Devils went on a run of their own, winning five out the next six points to put them within one to the Hurricanes with the score now at 12-11.
Both teams battled the rest of the way through and the score remained neck-and-neck. It stayed that way late with the score tied at 19. It looked as if the set could go into extra points after an ace by senior Yaidaliz Rosado put Miami within one with the Blue Devils, making the score 24-23. Unfortunately for the ‘Canes, that was not the case after a kill by Keefe gave Duke the 25-23 set win and sent the match into the fifth and final set to decide the winner.
The final set started off with a tie at eight a piece after a kill by Lopez. The Hurricanes proceeded to go on a 4-0 run that included an ace by Lopez to give the ‘Canes a 12-8 lead. Miami never gave up the lead for the rest of the set and building off two kills by Rodriguez, the Hurricanes ended up winning the final set 15-11 as well as the match 3-2.
After the win, the Hurricanes now sit at 14-6 on the season with a record of 5-4 in the conference. This is the first time this season that the ‘Canes have had a winning record in the ACC. As for Duke, they fall to an overall record of 8-12 with a conference record of 4-5. For their next match, the Hurricanes will head down the road from Durham to face the No. 25 North Carolina Tar Heels (16-2, 8-1 ACC) in Raleigh, N.C. today, Oct. 27. Miami will then head back to Coral Gables to face the Stanford Cardinal (16-3, 8-2 ACC) on Friday, Nov. 1 at 7:00 pm.
Miami football tops rival FSU 36-14 on homecoming weekend
On a beautiful Saturday night in Miami Gardens, 66,200 fans packed out Hard Rock Stadium as the sixth ranked Miami Hurricanes (8-0, 4-0 ACC) toppled their in-state rival Florida State Seminoles (1-7, 1-6 ACC) 36-14 on homecoming night for UM.
With under five minutes left in the game, Miami used some trickery to put the game at rest. On second down, Miami quarterback Cam Ward handed the ball off to Damien Martinez, who flipped the ball to tight end Elijah Arroyo, who found Ward wide open in the back of the endzone.
That touchdown was the exclamation point on Miami’s victory over the Seminoles.
“We’ve been repping that for two weeks,” Ward said. “I’m just happy he called the play.”
Miami picked up right where they left off from its win over Louisville. Ward completed four of his first five throws, capitalizing the drive on a Mark Fletcher Jr. one yard touchdown run.
The Hurricanes rushing attack was dominant this evening, torching the struggling Seminole run defense. Martinez and Fletcher led the way, combining for 219 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
“[Damien] is feeling really comfortable in the system,” Miami head coach Mario Cristobal said. “What you see is just a very physical tough dude that is tough to bring down.”
Miami’s third drive of the game was led almost entirely through Martinez and Fletcher. In the series alone, Martinez had eight touches, totaling 79 yards, and capping off the drive with an 18 yard touchdown run.
Following Miami’s punt on the second drive of the game, the Hurricanes scored on every possession after. UM finished the game scoring on seven of their eight drives. Three of those drives ended in Andy Borregales field goals.
Despite not having his usual heisman-esque stats, Ward had a fine showing in the victory. The Washington State transfer quarterback threw for 208 yards, completing 63 percent of his throws and catching one touchdown in the process.
“We were not good on offense as a whole,” Ward said. “We don’t settle for field goals, we settle for touchdowns.”
One area of concern for the Hurricanes tonight was inconsistent offensive line play. For most of the season, Ward had been mainly untouched, getting help from the big guys up front. Tonight, the FSU defense got to Ward four separate times.
Miami got a big contribution from its defense tonight, specifically in the secondary. After allowing over 30 points in three straight games, UM held FSU to 14 points on 248 total yards. The secondary allowed just 115 yards from the Florida State quarterbacks.
“The defense was the story of the game,” Cristobal said. “They were putting pressure on the quarterback, they made it really difficult to run the football.”
True freshman Luke Kromenhoek struggled through the air against the Hurricane defense, throwing for just 61 yards while completing 42 percent of his passes. However, the Seminole quarterback was effective with his legs, running 11 times for 72 yards.
With this win Miami secures the Florida Cup for the first time since 2004. This is Miami’s fourth time since 2002 of defeating Florida State and the University of Florida in the same season. It was previously held by UF in 2019.
UM also clinches a perfect 4-0 record against the state of Florida for the first time since 2009.
Miami will stay home next week and host the Duke Blue Devils (6-2) on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium. There is no time set for this game at this moment. It will be broadcasted on one of the ESPN networks.
Sold-out crowds and detained mascots: the history of Miami vs. FSU
“The Battle of the Sunshine State” is a popular rivalry matchup in college football. The face-off between the University of Miami ‘Canes and the Florida State University ‘Noles is a highly anticipated game for Floridian sports fans everywhere.
Where did the rivalry start?
The first game between the two Floridian powerhouses was on Oct. 5, 1951 in Miami. The ‘Canes dominated the ‘Noles for the following decade, winning all their games but one.
The competition got intense with FSU’s developing football program in the ‘60s. The Seminoles improved throughout the ‘70s with them going on a seven game winning streak against Miami.
After many difficult years for UM’s football program, Howard Schnellenberger arrived and revolutionized player recruitment.
His practice of recruiting players from South Florida became known as the “State of Miami,” and the team benefited greatly from his tenure as head coach, bringing national attention as he led the program to a 41-16 record over his five years at Miami.
Miami became an unstoppable force, winning multiple national championships throughout the 1980s and, more importantly, reigning over FSU and UF as the best team in Florida.
In 1989, the bitter rivalry came to a head as Sebastian was detained by police on the Seminoles’ home field.
John Routh, who donned the costume from 1984-92, was stopped by Tallahassee officers for carrying a fire extinguisher onto the field at the ‘89 game.
The intention was to douse the Seminoles’ flaming spear, but he instead was held against a wall as Miami fans threw cups of ice down onto the field in protest.
The biggest game between the two teams was held in 1991, when No. 1 in the nation FSU hosted No. 2 Miami in a thriller that ended with a wide right kick that sealed the ‘Canes victory, and crumbled FSU’s playoff hopes.
Miami would later go on to win the national championship. Presently, it seems as though Miami is returning as the dominant program in this rivalry.
The last three games have gone to FSU, trending with a string of disappointing seasons from the Hurricanes. Last year especially, the ‘Noles were ACC champions, having beaten a struggling Miami team to lead an undefeated regular season.
Now, a lot has changed.
FSU has won just one game this season, and has struggled against conference opponents.
Miami is undefeated, touting a dominant offense and a quarterback in contention for the Heisman trophy.
While the history of the rivalry and current state of both programs favors the Hurricanes, these historic games are often nail-biters.
Oct. 26 will be a factor in determining Miami’s playoff hopes, as well as wrapping up unfinished business from last year’s matchup.
Hurricanes Soccer coast to a 3-1 road victory vs Syracuse
The best orange comes from Florida.
The Miami Hurricanes Soccer team captured an impressive 3-1 road victory over Syracuse, marking a season-high for goals scored in an away conference match. With this win, the Hurricanes improved their record to 5-6-4, displaying a strong offensive effort led by Giovani Canali, Gisselle Kozarski, and Hallie Salas, who each found the back of the net.
Head coach Ken Masuhr commented on the game, commending his team’s tenacity and precision during the match. “The margin of victory tonight was found in the details, and our players fought to manage those across the full 90 minutes. Despite holding the lead into halftime, we knew there was more in the game for us. We did enough to earn the full three points and hopefully we can carry some momentum into our next match at Boston College.”
The Hurricanes quickly opened up the scoring early in the match, setting an aggressive tone. During the 10th minute, Canali intercepted a loose ball in the final third, demonstrating her offensive prowess. She beat a Syracuse defender with ease, and Canali sent a perfect ball to the bottom left corner of the net, giving Miami the 1-0 advantage. This marks her ninth goal of the season, continuing her contributions on offense.
Miami maintained the pressure, keeping possession and having control over the tempo of the game. Syracuse struggled to break through the Miami defense, and the ‘Canes held on to their 1-0 lead going into halftime.
During the second half, Miami’s dominance continued, but Syracuse capitalized on a quick counterattack in the 66th minute to tie the game at 1-1. While the momentum might’ve shifted in favor of the Orange, the Hurricanes maintained their composure and continued to pressure.
Miami struck back just 10 minutes after Syracuse’s goal with a score of their own. Adrianna Serna whipped a dangerous cross into the box, which then deflected to Kozarski. Taking a clean first touch, Kozarski fired a powerful shot past the goalkeeper, restoring Miami’s lead at 2-1.
The Hurricanes didn’t stop at this. Three minutes after this, Miami earned a corner kick and continued their attacking pressure. The ‘Canes played a short ball that was crossed into the box and deflected to Salas, who positioned herself well for a one-touch shot. Placing the ball in the upper third of the net, Salas marked her first career goal whilst giving Miami a decisive 3-1 lead.
Miami ended the game with 14 shots, eight on target, holding Syracuse to only 10 shots, and only two on frame. It was a dominant display of offense and defense that showcased the team’s resilience and execution.
The Hurricanes will look to carry this momentum into this Sunday when they face Boston College at 12:30 p.m.