‘Tis the season! Spooky season, that is, and Blumhouse Productions is calling all horror lovers to watch “The Exorcist: Believer.”
“The Exorcist: Believer” is the sixth installation of the infamously devilish movie franchise. However, unlike the other movies, this film is directly related to the original “The Exorcist” of 1973, and the parallels are simply undeniable.
Co-protagonists Angela and Katherine directly mirror Regan’s demonic possession in the “The Exorcist: Believer.” Horror fans will feel déjà vu when they see the pair of best friends begin deteriorating just like Regan.
The parallels between Angela and Katherine’s and Regan’s possession makes it no surprise that the demon — you guessed it — is the same one. In “The Exorcist: Believer,” this hellish fiend revels in terrorizing Regan’s mother, who after becoming an expert on demonic possession, is sought out by Angela’s father to assist in the exorcism.
There are countless similarities between “The Exorcist: Believer” and “The Exorcist,” and references to the original film, but I won’t spoil the fun. I will say, however, that this movie was pleasantly surprising with regard to quality.
The cinematography from the start was mesmerizing, which became terrifying as the film went on. Like “The Exorcist,” the film employed a cinematography technique called psychorama, meaning the images flashed so quickly that the conscious mind could not comprehend them. In the original 1973 film and in this one, this technique is used to instill fear and apprehension.
Meticulous use of sound effects throughout the film made it even more tense and horror-inducing. The audio emphasized realism, with identifiable background noises included in every shot. Coupled with the theater’s surround sound, I felt like I was inside the film.
Both the visual and auditory effects were facilitated by the modernization of film technology. But, the modern age affected more than just the technical quality of the film.
In film and in reality, mental illnesses have historically been mistaken by religious people as demonic possession and exorcisms were encouraged. In this film, however, this precedent is reversed — the church refused to sanction the exorcism and instead encourages psychiatric help. This switch modernizes the story without compromising the plot of the original “Exorcist.”
“The Exorcist: Believer” is an excellent film to kick off the Halloween season, but it’s not for the faint of heart. Horror buffs are sure to enjoy the parallels, and non-horror buffs — prepare to be scared.
Catch “The Exorcist: Believer” in theaters at The Landmark in Merrick Park or AMC Sunset Place 24, or on streaming platforms later this month.
Lana Del Rey performing live at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles on Oct. 13, 2019. Photo credit: Justin Higuchi from Los Angeles, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Common
I said “Yes to Heaven.” On Sep. 23, singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey performed live at the Ithink Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach. Her first tour since 2018, the singer hit ten U.S. cities, and South Florida landed among them.
Her setlist mostly featured songs from her most recent album, “Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd” and her debut album “Born to Die,” a reflection on who she was and a celebration of who she has become.
Fans disliked that the singer chose smaller venues for her tour. Since Del Rey is an artist who could easily sell out stadiums, the limited ticket availability disappointed some fans who missed out.
However, upon arriving at the venue, I understood why she chose these venues. I had never been to a concert that felt so personal and intimate, which is difficult to achieve in a large stadium.
What took me by surprise was how respectful Del Rey’s fans were. When she performed, it felt like everyone knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and wanted to soak it all in. No one was disrespectful towards her or invaded her space.
When she began singing, I got chills all over my body as I had never heard an artist sing so well live. Del Rey has the voice of a siren. I couldn’t get enough of her hypnotic, mesmerizing voice.
Despite being a talented vocalist, many have criticized her live singing as off-key and tone-deaf. But upon hearing her voice live, I was wonderstruck — I had never heard such a beautiful voice.
The room was bathed in blue, in line with the generally mellow theme of her songs. This mood lighting made the experience more intimate — a dark but also soothing experience like her song “Dark Paradise.”
To my surprise, Del Rey’s backup dancers added a lot to the show. Since Lana’s music is not necessarily “dancy,” it was interesting to speculate about what kind of choreography they would perform. But watching the dancers felt like watching waves in the ocean. Their movement flowed and enhanced the show.
When performing most of her songs, Del Rey sat in a chair onstage, a choice that made it feel like she was singing lullabies to the whole crowd.
Her set also featured a flower-woven swing that she swung on as she sang “Video Games,” her 2011 breakthrough hit. This song is known as one of her most beautiful, and adding the swing made it that much more nostalgic — a trip back to simpler times.
The level of gratitude and appreciation Del Rey expressed to the crowd gave me a newfound respect for her. Throughout the entire show, she repeatedly thanked the audience for coming to watch her and for making this possible for her.
My only complaint is how short her show was. Clocking in around an hour and ten minutes, her set flew by, and I wish it was a little longer.
The length, however, did not take away from the show’s high quality. After all, time flies when you’re having fun.
With the ‘Canes trying to avoid going 0-3 in ACC play for the first time since 2016, the Miami Hurricanes sent out true freshman quarterback Emory Williams to rebound against a premier Clemson defense. On 4th and goal at the one-yard line, junior linebacker Corey Flagg made the play of his career, stopping Cade Klubnik to seal a 28-20 win in the second overtime, sealing the rebound that they were looking for.
Replacing the injured Tyler Van Dyke, Emory Williams, and the ‘Cane offense struggled to get anything going, with the freshman tallying an abysmal 31 yards on ten completions and an interception on one of the few deep balls thrown by the young quarterback in the first half. However, the Hurricane defense would step up to keep the Hurricanes in the game.
“Kinda playing and getting more reps… it’s a different speed when you play in a game like this against a great team,” Williams said about being more confident in the later stages of the game, “Clemson is a great defense, the more you can see what they’re doing, how they’re playing.”
With over four minutes left in the first, Clemson running back Will Shipley fumbled just before crossing the goal line, getting punched out by junior safety James Williams, forcing a touchback. In the following play, ‘Canes receiver Brashard Smith would break free to the 1-yard line, where he would get chased down and lose the football in the endzone himself. Fortunately for the Hurricanes, Jacolby George made the effort of staying with the play and landed on the ball in the endzone to take an early 7-0 lead.
After some poor offense from Miami, Clemson would get on the board with a touchdown of their own, with Klubnik finding tight end Jake Briningstool. The throw was just out of reach over the head of linebacker K.J. Cloyd, giving the Tigers the 31-yard score. The junior tight end was the catalyst for the Tiger offense all night, ending with five catches for 126 yards and two touchdowns.
With less than a minute left in the first half, Kiko Mauigoa got to Cade Klubnik in the endzone for a play that looked like a safety, but officials ruled down at the one. After a further review, the officials confirmed the call, bringing out enormous amounts of boos at Hard Rock Stadium.
The offensive struggles continued in the 3rd quarter for the ‘Canes, putting themselves in a 10-point hole following another Briningstool touchdown and a field goal. The Hurricane offense was almost non-existent, with most of the plays being screens and short passes that would force the offense to a punt and a failed 4th down conversion.
The run game would finally come alive for the Hurricane offense, opening up the offense for Miami to move forward for the first time. After some big runs from a run game of Ajay Allen, Don Chaney Jr., and Brashard Smith, Emory would send the ball deep to the physical ‘Canes wideout Colbie Young for a 30-yard touchdown, bringing Miami right back into the game with eight minutes to go in the 4th. After another three and out, Miami would tie the game at 17 with just three minutes left.
Miami’s defense gave the offense a golden opportunity to win the game in regulation, forcing the Klubnik-led offense to punt for the 4th time. However, with about a minute left in the game and at their 40-yard line and a timeout in their pocket, head coach Mario Cristobal and the offense made the curious decision to play overtime and run the ball out instead of giving his freshman quarterback a chance to win the game before the clock hit zero.
“They’ve got a really good pass rush and we thought that we were controlling the line of scrimmage,” Cristobal said. “The risk-reward side… It favored us taking the game to overtime.”
After the first overtime ended in field goals from both teams, Miami would strike in a big way in the second overtime. Williams found Colbie Young for two first downs and punched it in with an Ajay Allen touchdown and two-point conversion. In Clemson’s possession, they forced Miami’s defense to make a stand with a first and goal at the one-yard line. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and goal were all runs stuffed out by the strong Miami defense. On 4th and goal to stay alive, Cade Klubnik would keep the ball on a read option, but junior linebacker Corey Flagg Jr. blew the play up, taking down Klubnik and sealing a 28-20 Miami Hurricanes victory.
Freshman defensive lineman Reuben Bain and the Miami defense were spectacular all night, forcing three turnovers and five sacks and allowing Clemson to a staggering 0.9 yards per rush and a total of 31 rushing yards. Bain was highly disruptive for the Hurricane defense, tallying two sacks, one being a strip sack on Klubnik.
“I feel like I’m on top of the world,” Bain said emphatically.
One of the unsung heroes in this game was Miami’s offensive line. Against one of the best defenses in the country, the big boys up front showed out, allowing zero sacks against their freshman quarterback and opening 211 rushing yards that way, key in the Hurricane’s victory.
“I owe all these guys a steak dinner!” Emory Williams said when talking about the offensive line play.
Miami plans to continue their momentum for their homecoming game against the Virginia Cavaliers on October 29th at 3:30 at Hard Rock Stadium.
Virginia (7-3-5, 2-3-3 ACC) defeated Miami (3-8-4, 2-5-1) by a score of 1-0 on Thursday night at Klöckner Stadium in Charlottesville, VA.
This game was another low-scoring affair for the ‘Canes and something they have become accustomed to over the last month. Four of their last six matches were decided by a single goal or the lack thereof.
The first half was a stalemate, and neither team scored any goals. Virginia dominated the possession in the first half and did not even allow Miami to attempt a shot.
In the 65th minute, the Cavaliers broke the draw after a crafty header by Jill Flammia. It was her second goal of the season and wouldn’t have come without a well-placed cross by Maggie Cagle.
The second half was a slight improvement for the Hurricanes as they could get off three shots, but again, this was minuscule compared to Virginia’s nine. Two of those shots for Miami were on goal from sophomore Tusca Mahmoudpour.
Only allowing one goal, the standout player for the ‘Canes was keeper Melissa Dagenais again, saving six out of Virginia’s seven shots on goal. Dagenais was recently called to the Canadian national team for the October international window. This outing lifted her save percentage to 78.7% on the year.
Next, the ‘Canes will head to Blacksburg, VA, on Sunday at 3 p.m. to take on Virginia Tech (6-7-3, 3-5 ACC), who are coming from three straight losses. This match is a good chance for the Hurricanes offense to get back on track and pick up a much-needed win before the regular season finale.
Miami is in need of a statement win against Clemson after consecutive losses to Georgia Tech and Clemson that derailed its undefeated start to the season. The Tigers, who also enter the contest with two losses, are in need of a victory to keep their ACC title hopes alive.
Saturday night’s kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium is set for 8 p.m. Here’s what five members of The Miami Hurricane’s sports section are predicting for the game.
Luke Sims
Clemson rolls into Hard Rock Stadium with a chip on their shoulder for the first time in a while. The ‘Canes limp back home after a disappointing loss in Chapel Hill. Both teams sit at 4-2. Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik has been very solid so far this season. Compared to Tyler Van Dyke, he has not been as explosive but has been far less turnover-prone. Van Dyke has to find a way to play the game more responsibly if the ‘Canes are to get back on track.
Miami’s offense has the edge over Clemson’s, but the Tigers defense is tougher than the ‘Canes. Miami needs a win at home in primetime to try and get the season back on track after two losses. Clemson needs this win to try and keep pace in the ACC and keep their ACC championship hopes alive.
This is a prove-it game for Miami. If it makes a statement here at home against Clemson, UM can start to turn the narrative about its season around. But, the ‘Canes are incredibly vulnerable right now. Clemson is a beatable team, but so was Georgia Tech and so was North Carolina.
My trust in Mario Cristobal and the ‘Canes is at an all-time low. Clemson is led by Dabo Swinney, who has played in big games and will have his team ready for this primetime game. Clemson is hungry, and I just don’t see that from Miami.
Prediction: Clemson 31, Miami 24
Caleb Shapiro
Six weeks down, and it seems Miami is out of gas. Three weeks ago, if asked about the Hurricanes’ outlook heading into week 7, I would’ve believed they separated themselves from their ACC counterparts. Unfortunately for the ‘Canes, that isn’t the case.
Last week, Miami doubled down on its trend of self-destructive performances in its loss to UNC, 41-31. The ‘Canes need another quality win, and even a victory against a formidable yet unranked opponent in Clemson could restart the ignition.
Swinney may know the taste of beating the ‘Canes; however, a retooled coaching staff begins an era where Swinney is inexperienced. This will be a tug-of-war game for quarterbacks; Van Dyke must assert himself that being outplayed by Klubnick is not an option. It’s easy to believe in Clemson’s defense, which has stifled opponents and allowed the fewest points in the ACC.
For Miami, this game comes down to turnovers offensively and penalties defensively. If UM can garner collective consistency from both units, this brawl is winnable.
Prediction: Miami 23, Clemson 17
Ian Graves
Saturday’s loss at North Carolina was another step in the wrong direction for the ‘Canes in what could have been a huge bounce-back win on the road against a ranked opponent. Instead, a third-quarter collapse saw UNC pick apart Miami’s defense behind quarterback Drake Maye’s four touchdowns and Omarion Hampton’s 197 rushing yards.
Last year, the ‘Canes got torched by D.J. Uiagalelei and the Clemson offense, allowing 40 points. While I do not expect such a high-scoring game, the key for Miami’s defense will be to keep Klubnik and running back Will Shipley in check as they failed to do against UNC. Offensively, Van Dyke must limit his turnovers to give his team a chance to win, as he has thrown five interceptions in the last two games.
With Van Dyke’s recent struggles in taking care of the ball, I think the Clemson defense will take advantage of those mistakes and ultimately be the catalyst for the Tigers, leading them to a victory on the road at Hard Rock.
Prediction: Clemson 28, Miami 17
Wrigley Kordt
Football often revolves around quarterback play, and while Miami seemed to have a clear advantage over Clemson at the position to start the season, the last few weeks have told a different story.
Following a strong start to the year, Van Dyke has struggled in ACC play. Through four weeks, he completed 75 percent of his passes while posting a stellar 11-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. In his last two games, however, he has completed 65 percent of his passes while throwing as many interceptions (five) as he has touchdowns.
Klubnik, on the other hand, has recovered after some early-season woes. The Tigers have won four of their last five games – the one loss coming in overtime to No. 4 Florida State. In that span, Klubnik has thrown 10 touchdown passes and only one interception.
Overall, Miami has looked uninspired the last two weeks, and Van Dyke has not played well enough to cover up the team’s mistakes. The ‘Canes have not defeated Clemson since 2010, and barring a shift in momentum for both teams, I don’t see that changing on Saturday.
On the morning of October 7, the Miami Hurricanes were an undefeated football team ranked 15th in the country. The letdown and despair were in the past, and ‘Canes football was on the up and up. Cristobal was proving he could turn this program around; one of the best recruiting classes in school history was already paying dividends, and all the issues last year seemed to stay in the past. New coaches were scheming up great things for the players. Tyler Van Dyke was back playing like he had before the injustice, and everything was trending up for the ‘Canes.
Until it wasn’t.
All they had to do was take a knee. The Georgia Tech loss was a stepback but not the world’s end. Sometimes, good teams falter. It happens. Cristobal harps on his group’s mental toughness and preparation as they go through each game. “We try to go 1-0 every week,” said Cristobal after a post-game win earlier this season. This team seemed poised. They seemed ready for the tough road ahead of them.
Miami played a solid game against North Carolina until the second half. They made Drake Maye uncomfortable and held the lead by three points going into the break. That is until Tez Walker took over, and the bending ‘Canes defense broke.
The Miami defensive unit covered Tez Walker, like students show up to 8 A.M. classes. Walker, in his first game for UNC, scored three touchdowns. He racked up 175 yards on twelve catches. Maye was targeting him all night, and the ‘Canes had no answer.
Miami’s offense responded to all three UNC scoring drives with absolutely nothing. A turnover and a punt put UNC back in position to score, and score they did. Tyler Van Dyke and Miami scored zero points in the third quarter, and Lance Guidry and the defense allowed the Tar Heels to score three times. The score going into the fourth was 35-17 UNC.
The disappointment in the coaching staff cannot be understated. The idiotic penalties from Guidry that helped keep a UNC drive alive were a killer. How can you let that happen as a collegiate coordinator? The players see that foolishness and wither down the respect bit by bit.
While the final score may indicate that Miami was in that game, no, Miami was never. The game ended in the third quarter when a “tough” team came out and got walked all over by a team shooting themselves in the foot. UNC set a record for most penalty yards against in that game. 14 penalties for 147 yards. Most in school history. The problem with that is that both teams were committing the penalties that day. The ‘Canes just had a bigger stick: four turnovers and seven penalties of their own defined the day for Miami.
So, with back-to-back losses and the sky starting to fall, Clemson comes to town. The Clemson Tigers’ name is used to strike fear into their opponents. Not so much this season, but that does not mean the ‘Canes can underestimate this Dabo Swinney-led squad.
Clemson is still 4-2, and they’ve had a strict schedule. They have only lost to Duke, now ranked 16th in the nation, and Miami’s rivals up in Tallahassee, the fourth-ranked Florida State Seminoles. Clemson is battle-tested and will not be afraid to throttle a vulnerable team like Miami. That being said, Clemson is beatable. They have some talented players. There are players on both sides of the ball that will be NFL players. Miami must recognize this team.
If the ‘Canes can’t hold off the Tigers at home, they are facing a 4-3 record, 0-3 in ACC play, and Cristobal will still be winless at home against an ACC foe in his tenure as head coach at the University of Miami. Everything about the program will be questioned.
This week, Clemson is a prime example of a team that if Miami wants to get “back, “they have to beat. But Miami does not just have to beat Clemson to prove they are not an embarrassment. Miami has to beat Clemson to stop the sky from completely falling. Three consecutive losses to ACC opponents make Miami look bad. Yes, UNC is a great team, and Georgia Tech came as a fluke. The expectations were sky-high to enter this season, and Miami raised the bar through the first five weeks. If Miami loses at home this Saturday night, we’ll all wonder what happened.
Miami made themselves the laughingstock of the college football landscape with their antics against Georgia Tech. If Miami comes out of that game, responds with two demoralizing losses to beatable teams in UNC and Clemson, falls to 4-3 with no hope of getting to the ACC championship game, and falters after all the hype, then they are a joke.
The Miami Hurricanes face off against the Clemson Tigers this Saturday at 8 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium.
Despite an undefeated start to the season, the ‘Canes are struggling in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) play. Miami took a tough loss to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, 23-20, after a fumble allowed the Yellow Jackets to score a touchdown in the last few seconds of the fourth quarter.
The Hurricanes are now unranked after a 41-31 loss against the University of North Carolina (UNC) Tar Heels. Head coach Mario Cristobal said the team put up a good effort in the beginning of the game but that it did not carry over into the second half.
“[UNC] came out in the second half, took the momentum with the big play and the touchdown and then we had successive series where we turned the ball over — then find ourselves at the end just trying to catch up with time running pretty quickly,” Cristobal said to reporters.
This week, the ‘Canes (4-2, 0-2 ACC) have the opportunity to regain their momentum in their matchup against the Tigers (4-2, 2-2 ACC).
Miami quarterback junior Tyler Van Dyke has the third-highest amount of passing yards in the ACC so far this season, and the ‘Canes have a strong set of receivers and running backs. Junior wide receiver Xavier Restrepo has four touchdowns this season and 574 yards, and junior running back Henry Parrish Jr. also has four touchdowns and 452 rushing yards.
Although the ‘Canes offense is strong, the Tigers’ defense is powerful, having allowed the least number of yards in the ACC. Junior linebacker Barrett Carter leads the team with 21 solo tackles, and freshman defensive end T.J. Parker has had four sacks this season for a total loss of 27 yards.
The ‘Canes have been strong on the defensive side of the ball as well, which will be a test for young Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik and the Tigers’ offense. Miami senior cornerback Te’Cory Couch leads the ACC with three interceptions. Last week against UNC, the Hurricanes’ defense had a season-high of five sacks, and in the first five games of the season, Miami allowed less than 100 rushing yards per game.
Last season, Clemson beat Miami 40-10 and went on later that season to play in the 2022 Capital One Orange Bowl against the Tennessee Volunteers, where the Tigers lost 31-14.
As the Hurricanes look to revert to how they started this season, a win this week is crucial to improving their unfavorable 0-2 start in ACC matchups. Cristobal says that this week, they need to pay attention to detail to avoid similar mistakes that could serve them a third loss in a row.
“The stuff that needs to be cleaned up can be cleaned up so we can be a good football team, as good as we can be,” Cristobal said.
The ‘Canes have what they need to win against Clemson on both sides of the ball, and a win this week will be pivotal in the team’s ACC performance.
On April 23, 2023, Haley and Hannah Cavinder announced their decision to forgo their fifth year of college basketball. However, as of Oct. 13, Haley Cavinder posted on her Instagram a new mixtape captioned, “See you next season #year5.”
Cavinder intends to enter the transfer portal during the 2024-25 season as a graduate transfer. ESPN’s Adam Rittenburg reports that a return to Miami is “certainly possible.”
The 5-foot-6 guard began her collegiate career at Fresno State, where she shined as a freshman, averaging 15.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. She earned Mountain West Freshman of the Year in 2020 and was named Mountain West Player of the Year in her sophomore season. For her senior season, Cavinder transferred to Miami, where her talents were displayed on a much grander stage.
Cavinder’s guard skills translated seamlessly to the ACC, as she started all 35 games with the Hurricanes, averaging 12.2 points and 4.9 rebounds a game while also shooting 34.3% from beyond the arc and 87.8% from the charity stripe. She earned 2023 All-ACC Second Team honors and delivered for the ‘Canes down the stretch, leading them to their first Elite Eight appearance ever.
After a shocking last-second upset win over Miami by Georgia Tech last week, the Hurricanes turned their attention to Chapel Hill, looking to regain their confidence with a win over No. 12 University of North Carolina (UNC).
Unfortunately for the ‘Canes, their struggles in big games came back to haunt them once again. North Carolina came away with the 41-31 victory on Saturday night, knocking Miami out of the AP Top 25 rankings and leaving it still winless in ACC games this season.
Miami’s performance was littered with a host of mistakes, shortcomings and self-inflicted wounds that contributed to its defeat at Kenan Memorial Stadium.
With Miami now sitting at 4-2 on the season, here are some of the key takeaways from Saturday night’s loss.
Discipline is key
With the number of penalty flags that flew for Miami and UNC on Saturday, one would think that Saturday’s match had turned into a flag football game.
Saturday’s game was anything but, as both teams combined for 216 penalty yards, with Miami being flagged seven times for 69 penalty yards.
Penalties were a key component of Miami’s loss of momentum at times, with two of them being unsportsmanlike conduct penalties that contributed to scoring opportunities on UNC’s part.
Momentum killed by turnovers
Miami’s four turnovers were another major player in their loss to UNC on Saturday. The Hurricanes lost two fumbles to UNC that ended promising drives down the field, with the loss of momentum they caused being a theme of Saturday night’s game.
Henry Parrish Jr., a mainstay of Miami’s offense since last season, fumbled in the endzone midway through the first quarter on what would have been a touchdown. Later on in the second, center Matt Lee had a bad snap that turned into a recovery by the Tar Heels.
Despite a solid performance of 391 yards on 31 completions for four touchdowns, Tyler Van Dyke threw two interceptions, with a costly one going to UNC’s Cedric Gray at Miami’s 14-yard line, turning into a touchdown three plays later.
Ball security and avoiding turnovers have been the Achilles’ heel for the ‘Canes in recent weeks, and such an issue will need to be fixed urgently to ensure success in conference play.
The defense showed promise, but it badly needs help
First-year defensive coordinator Lance Guidry has shown plenty of promise manning Miami’s defensive side of the ball so far. The Hurricanes only allowed 14 points from UNC in the first half Saturday, giving Miami an encouraging 17-14 lead going into the half.
Regrettably, it seemed as though the defense had run out of gas as the second half went on, struggling to defend key pieces, and the Miami offense did the defense no favors after seemingly flaming out as well.
The Tar Heels scored 21 unanswered points in the third quarter in what was a dismal second half for Miami, powered chiefly by running back Omarion Hampton, who rushed for 197 yards and a touchdown while averaging 8.2 yards per carry, as well as wide receiver Devontez Walker, who scored a hat trick of touchdowns to power UNC ahead.
Miami did not score again until midway through the fourth quarter, but its comeback attempt was too late. Offensive improvement and complementing a stout defense will be non-negotiable if Miami wants to remain in contention for the ACC. After promising showings early in the season, the last couple of performances leaves a lot to be desired.
In Miami’s second conference matchup and second ranked matchup of the year, the ‘Canes made a litany of costly mistakes and could not get it done. Miami will need to make adjustments – and make them fast.
The Hurricanes will have their chance to rebound as Clemson comes to Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. on ACC Network.
After a tough five-set loss at Clemson on Friday night, Miami bounced back in the best way, sweeping No. 11 Georgia Tech on its home court.
Set one began back-and-forth, with freshman Grace Lopez and junior Ashley Carr providing the early offense. After the initial stalemate, the defense lit a spark for the ‘Canes, highlighted by a Lopez pancake dig that led to a kill by redshirt senior Angela Grieve to put UM out in front, 12-11.
Miami used this momentum to go on a run, stretching the lead out to as high as five points. Despite that run, the Yellow Jackets did not go away and evened the score at 21 after multiple attack errors by the ‘Canes.
Those errors prompted a timeout from head coach Jose “Keno” Gandara, which proved to be the right move as Miami ended up winning set one 25-23 after a huge block by Grieve and sophomore Cianna Tejada, followed by a service ace to close it out.
Similar to set one, set two also started out tightly contested with lots of lead changes. However, in the middle of the set, momentum seemingly swung towards the ‘Canes as Georgia Tech’s Paola Pimentel did almost a bicycle kick to extend the play, causing the crowd to erupt, only to be silenced by a Grieve and Tejada block, giving UM the point.
After that wild play, the Hurricanes’ offense was rolling, led by Lopez, who had seven kills in the set, along with fifth-year senior Savannah Vach, who earned a kill with her patented fake set and tap over. Miami ended up winning the second set 25-20 following two kills by Lopez to put the Jackets away.
Set three saw the Yellow Jackets (15-3, 6-2 ACC) come out angry, quickly jumping to a 7-2 lead. Miami was not going to give this set away, clawing its way back behind strong play from sophomore Flormarie Heredia-Colon and Grieve. The ‘Canes (12-6, 5-3 ACC) got their first lead of the set after a block by Vach, which pushed their lead to six points at a score of 20-14.
Tech responded with a gritty run of its own, scoring six straight to make it a tie game at 20 a piece. This set came down to the wire, but the Hurricanes prevailed, winning set three 26-24 after a service ace by sophomore Milana Moisio, ultimately sweeping Georgia Tech 3-0.
Match leaders for the ‘Canes were Lopez with 22 kills, junior Yaidaliz Rosado with 11 digs and Cianna Tejada with four total blocks.
Next up, Miami will try and ride this momentum back home, where they will take on Syracuse (2-16, 0-8 ACC) on Friday at 7 p.m. in the Knight Sports Complex.
A week after a series of mistakes cost Miami its ACC opener against Georgia Tech, the Hurricanes were looking to rebound against an undefeated North Carolina team. However, the same mistakes plagued Miami as they dropped a crucial game to UNC, 41-31.
After a solid first half where it held the lead, everything came crashing down in the second half for Miami as turnovers and untimely penalties sank the Hurricanes. Miami (4-2, 0-2 ACC) turned the ball over four times and gave up 69 yards on its seven penalties.
“Obviously disappointed, especially after we felt we were progressing in the first half,” head coach Mario Cristobal said. “But credit to North Carolina as well.”
Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke threw for 391 yards, four touchdowns, and two interceptions, but after his stellar first half, he struggled for most of the second half.
Running back Henry Parrish Jr. led Miami in rushing with 73 yards on 13 attempts, and Jacolby George paced the ‘Canes in receiving with 125 yards.
North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye proved his status as one of the nation’s premier passers, finishing with 273 yards and four touchdowns. Maye’s number-one target, Devontez Walker, torched the Miami secondary for 132 yards while catching three touchdowns.
North Carolina (6-0, 3-0 ACC) was even more penalty-prone than Miami, with 147 penalty yards on 14 penalties, but avoided any turnovers on the night, helping the Heels secure the victory.
The Tar Heels struck first with an 18-yard strike from Maye to Walker halfway through the first quarter. Miami drove to the North Carolina goal line on the ensuing drive before Parrish Jr. fumbled, giving the ball back to UNC and leaving crucial points on the board.
After a scoreless first quarter, the Hurricanes got on the board on their first drive of the second quarter, capped off by an 18-yard touchdown from Van Dyke to Xavier Restrepo to tie the game at seven.
With that momentum, Miami would score again on a 35-yard dime by Van Dyke to George to give the ‘Canes a 14-7 lead. Van Dyke took a brutal hit on the throw but got up quickly and continued playing.
The Heels responded quickly with an impressive drive that brought them deep into Miami territory before they faced a 4th and 2. However, an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Miami defensive coordinator Lance Guidry gave UNC a first down, who capitalized as running back Omarion Hampton punched it in from two yards out.
Following a North Carolina punt late in the first half, the Hurricanes drove into field goal range and kicked a 28-yard field goal to give them the 17-14 lead heading into halftime.
Van Dyke had an excellent first half with 169 yards and two touchdowns, and George totaled 111 yards receiving to lead the ‘Canes. On the other side of the ball, Miami’s defense put constant pressure on Maye, limiting his first-half production as he only completed eight passes on 19 attempts. The ‘Canes also capitalized on a staggering 97 penalty yards on UNC to take their three-point halftime lead.
It took only four plays into the second half for UNC to regain the lead as Maye hit Walker for a huge 56-yard touchdown, setting the tone for the rest of the second half.
On Miami’s next drive, an arid snap caused another turnover, but the defense stood firm and stopped the Tar Heels from taking advantage of the fumble.
However, the ‘Canes gave it right back to UNC on an interception by Van Dyke. This turnover proved costly as Maye connected with Walker for his third touchdown to offer North Carolina an 11-point advantage.
UNC extended its lead even further on its next drive as Maye found Hampton for a short touchdown, scoring 35-17 as the game began slipping away from Miami.
Miami finally scored its first points of the second half on a 13-yard touchdown pass by Van Dyke to Restrepo. However, North Carolina recovered an onside kick, killed some clock, and kicked a field goal to extend its lead.
The Hurricanes got a quick score as Van Dyke connected with Breshard Smith for a 54-yard touchdown. Miami got the ball back with a minute remaining, but the clock ran out as Van Dyke threw an interception to end the game.
Miami will return home next weekend for another pivotal in-conference game against the Clemson Tigers. Kickoff for next Saturday’s matchup is scheduled for 8 p.m., and the game will air on ACC Network.
From the moment I walked into the Faena Forum’s Lounge area during Billboard Latin Music Week, I knew there would be a major shift of topic for the week. In the past, the lounge was filled with the sounds of Anuel AA, Bad Bunny, and Rauw Alejandro.
Now, I walk in and hear Natanael Cano’s 2019 underground hit, “Amor Tumbado,” a song that once radiated through high school hallways and pick-up trucks back in Texas now playing on Miami airwaves.
This genre of Mexican music, called corridos tumbados — fuses regional Mexico’s corrido genre with hip-hop and trap. Created around 2017, pioneers like Cano, Junior H and Fuerza Regida dropped many of their early hits on streaming platforms like Spotify and SoundCloud.
After a slow climb, the genre went mainstream with Eslabon Armado and Peso Pluma’s “Ella Baila Sola,” which hit number one on the Billboard’s Hot Latin chart and number five on the US Hot 100.
Fast forward to the present where current hitmakers like Karol G, El Alfa and Jhayco all have hit collaborations with Pluma. Other notable collaborations include “De Lunes a Lunes” by Manuel Turizo and Grupo Frontera as well as the latest hit “El Jefe” by Colombian superstar Sharkira and Fuerza Regida.
Regional Mexican music has started a new flow and everyone wants to get in on it.
Jorge Garcia, Hans Schafer, Jesus Ortiz Paz and Griselda Flores at Billboard Latin Music Week held at Faena Forum on Oct. 2, 2023 in Miami Beach, Florida. Photo credit: Romain Maurice for Billboard/PMC
Day One
Fuerza Regida’s frontman Jesús Ortiz Paz participated in the “Rise of Mexican Touring” panel and gave insight on how to market and produce a successful tour. He reminisced on his humble beginnings throwing flyer parties throughout the Los Angeles area to now selling out venues like L.A.’s BMO Stadium.
Hans Schfer, Senior VP of Global Touring for Live Nation, and Jorge Garcia, Global Tour Promoter for Live Nation, both praised Perez’s unique approach to marketing. The group recalled a story in which Perez apparently stopped a traffic on a highway and performed to promote a concert he wanted to sell out.
Luminate also held a panel establishing the statistics of Latin music in the past few years with a slide dedicated to the rise of Mexican music. The presentation established that while rhythm and pop music has been steadily rising, regional Mexican music is exploding in popularity.
In 2023, there was a 56 percent increase in regional Mexican on-demand streaming, totaling 14.3 billion streams as of Aug. 24. In other words, regional Mexican music is taking a bigger share of the Latin music market than ever before.
Peso Pluma speaks onstage at Billboard Latin Music Week held at Faena Forum on Oct. 3, 2023 in Miami Beach, Florida. Photo credit: Christopher Polk for Billboard
Day Two
The most anticipated panel of the day was easily, “The New Mexican Revolution,” with Adelaido “Payo” Solis and Juan Javier Cantu of Grupo Frontera, Yng Lvcas and Peso Pluma.
Led in by VP of Latin and Creative at BMI and moderator of the panel, Jesus Gonzalez, to the tune of “El Rey” by Vicente Fernandez, the crowd immediately went into a frenzy. The sight of all these Mexican artists at a panel in Miami seemed almost mythical, but it truly happened.
Pluma shared his feelings on what it’s like to be part of the growing popularity of Mexican music.
“We’re now taking this music global, which we were able to do because of unity, [and it] has others looking at us now. What we’re doing now will be in the history books of Latin music,” Pluma said.
When asked about the importance of collaborating with other Mexican artists, Yng Lvcas commented, “We are Mexicans, unity is strength.”
Halfway through the panel, the moderator let attendees know that Pluma had actually broken Bad Bunny’s record of having the most songs simultaneously on the Hot Latin Songs Chart with 25 songs. An astonishing accomplishment from the “Rookie of the Year,” Pluma has certainly established himself as one of modern music’s newest superstars.
“We’re the product of Chalino and Selena [Quintanilla], right. Tupac and Chalino [Sanchez] and this next generation has taken it even further, right,” Gonzalez, the moderator, said. “As we celebrate 50 years of hip-hop, I dare say you look out here [and] you wouldn’t know if this was an urban panel, Mexican panel — and I think that shows the influence of urban culture right throughout música mexicana.”
“The Rise of Mexican Touring” panel, which featured Fuerza Regida frontman Jesús Ortiz Paz, also touched on the evolution of Mexican music. Interviewed by legendary Reggaeton artist, Nicky Jam, the two talked about how Fuerza Regida’s popularity has affected the release of their new music.
“Back in the day, when we were doing music, if you had a million listeners on Spotify, you were doing it because no Mexican artist had that,” Paz said. “And now, you drop a song [and] boom — six million. That’s how you know how the audience got big, you get me?”
At his concert that evening, Pluma donned an unreleased Nike Nocta top and shorts along with Adidas Ozweego shoes and a fitted hat — an outfit he would say is inspired by Kanye West and A$AP Rocky. Held exclusively for Latin Music Week attendees, the room was packed and full with fans, some of whom waited for an hour and a half.
Peso came out with his band and immediately went into his song, “Rubicon.” The performance was electric. Peso’s signature spider graphics played on the screen as he broke into hits such as “PRC,” “AMG” and “Ella Baile Sola.” At one point, Pluma brought out a bottle of tequila for concert goers to drink and pass to one another.
Griselda Flores with Maite Perroni, Christian Chávez and Christopher von Uckermann of RBD and Guillermo Rosas onstage at Billboard Latin Music Week held at Faena Forum on Oct. 4, 2023 in Miami Beach, Florida. Photo credit: Christopher Polk for Billboard
Day Three
Representing the legacy of Mexican music, legendary Mexican pop rock band RBD — who reunited this year after their 2009 split — also graced the Faena Forum with their presence.
RBD originally formed in 2004 with members, Christian Chavez, Dulce Maria, Christoper von Uckermann, Maite Perroni, Alfonso Herrera, and Anahi. Though the band split after five years of dominating charts and creating hits, their reunion tour this year has seen sold-out stadiums and arenas all over North and South America, showing that the fans have never left.
Their first-ever appearance at Latin Music Week, Maite Perroni, Christian Chavez and Christopher von Uckermann showed up to the “Reviving Rebelde” panel with the same energy they had pre-breakup. The room was filled with people screaming out, “I love you, Maite!” and “RBD por vida!”
When asked about their thoughts on newer fans finding RBD and older fans excited about their reunion, Perroni shared how their fan demographic transcends generations.
“We are no longer one generation. We are two — we are three generations. We are singing, we are dancing, we are singing to love, to life, and that is a beautiful movement full of strength, full of union, of understanding and equality,” Perroni said.
One of the most heartfelt moments of the panel came when Chavez discussed how fans embraced him after he came out as gay in 2009, the first high-profile Latin artist to publicly come out.
“I want to be me and I want to celebrate myself and all those people who, maybe, of my generation could not be them,” Chavez said. “I have realized that by going out and being me on stage, people have taken it in a wonderful way that makes me feel deeply happy.”
Those in the room shed some tears at the notion that Chavez was one of the first gay role models for Latino men looking to find themselves in a world full of toxic masculinity.
Following the panel, attendees rushed to the front of the stage, hoping to take a picture with one of the three RBD members or even get their iconic red tie signed.
After three days on South Beach interacting with future artists, producers, and managers, I left knowing that there was a new appreciation for Mexican music and culture. What was once known as either “uncool tio music” or “ corny pop rock” has now come to the forefront of the mainstream.
After watching Puerto Rican, Colombian and Dominican artists hold a strong grip on the Latin music charts for decades, there is finally change. That change lies just over the border y se escucha maravilloso. Arriba la bandera, viva México!
