More students have come forward about being injured during UM’s firework shows for the 2025 Homecoming celebration on Friday, Nov. 7, and the Centennial celebration on April 8, 2025.
Maxwell Holton, an alum who graduated in December of 2024, came back to campus for the 2025 Homecoming celebration. During the fireworks show, Holton said he was standing on Fate Bridge with his back to the UC pool when a firework shell hit him in the face.
“All of a sudden, it felt like somebody elbowed me in the face. I thought someone hit me with their phone or something,” Holton said. “But then I felt my face and it was hot so I looked down.”
Holton said that he was looking around to see if anyone else felt anything and noticed a “shotgun-shell looking item” on the ground.
“It was a firework shell, so I tried to pick it up,” he said. “It was piping hot so I dropped it, but then I picked it up again.”
Maxwell Pholton holding the firework shell that he says hit him in the face on Friday, Nov. 7 during the Homecoming celebration. // Photo credit: Courtsey of Maxwell Pholton.
Holton said that the shell narrowly missed his eye and he had blisters on his face. He did not seek medical treatment or report the incident at the time, but added he will likely report it this week.
“The University advises that if a student was impacted by a firework on Friday, they should report the incident to the Division of Student Affairs at 305-284-4922, and/or UMPD at 305-284-6666,” the University of Miami said in a statement to The Hurricane.
The Hurricane’s Instagram posted on Saturday, Nov. 7 asking for information about anyone allegedly hit by the fireworks. The Hurricane also published an article about freshman Isabella Ramharakh who sent The Hurricane a video showing her being burned by the fireworks.
Since then, multiple people have come forward about injuries resulting from UM’s fireworks shows.
Daniela Herbert, an alum who graduated in 2025, said that she was burned during the Centennial celebration in April. She remembers sitting in the grassy area next to the Eaton Residential College near the trees.
“I mean it wasn’t too bad, just a couple of burns, but the fireworks looked like they were calibrated wrong and shot off at an angle instead of straight up,” Herbert said. “So the sparks fell on all of us and we all started running toward Eaton.”
A current UM architecture student who wishes to remain unnamed said that she witnessed people get injured by the fireworks last year during the Centennial celebration.
“I know people were burned because right after the first strike last year the people who were hit moved away from the area. I also decided to back up to a different spot, sitting on the architecture building stairs instead,” she said.
She was originally standing on the path between Eaton Residential College and Lake Osceola — similar to where Ramharakh and Herbert were standing when they said they were burned.
User @lisset17c commented under TMH’s Instagram post, “I was burn[ed] too, how do I report it!” The Hurricane reached out via direct message and email and has not yet received a response.
Both the unnamed student and Herbert said they saw rope around the lake this year, but they did not notice other additional safety measures.
“I feel like if this has happened twice in a row now … I can’t say [UM] handled safety well,” said Holton. “I know [UM] wants to make it special for everybody, but if they can’t make it special without securing people’s safety, they have to look into that.”
Holton encourages UM to acknowledge the safety errors and share its safety plans moving forward.
A well-rested Miami squad took on the Stetson in dominant fashion Monday night, taking down the Hatters in a 102-61 victory at the Watsco Center.
Forward Malik Reneau led the way for the ’Canes with a double-double, with his 20 points and 10 rebounds leading the team in both scoring and rebounds on the night.
Guards Tru Washington and Tre Donaldson both also had standout games as Washington scored 17 points, and Donaldson picked up a double-double with 15 points and 10 assists.
Stetson came into this game after they had just blown out University of Fort Lauderdale 106-77 with sophomore guard Jamie Phillips Jr. leading the team averaging an impressive 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists through the first two games.
The Hatters took the lead early and looked to be carrying some solid momentum from their prior game, forcing UM first-year head coach Jai Lucas to call an early timeout.
Gus Aspilaga, Contributing Photographer // Miami center Ernest Udeh Jr. finishes a dunk against Stetson on Nov. 10.
At around the 12 minute mark, the Hurricanes found themselves down by six, but after clawing their way back with about nine minutes to go they tied things up at 20-20
The ’Canes would end the half strong, outscoring the Hatters 35-16 and taking a 55-36 lead into halftime.
Although the team has had some struggles shooting from beyond the arc so far this season, Miami was able to drain eight three’s on the night.
Continuing their momentum towards the end of the first half, the Hurricanes woke up as they started the second half on a 12-2 run forcing an early Stetson timeout after a Malik Reneau steal and score.
Following that timeout, there wasn’t much the Hatters could do. Miami kept up their relentless defense as the Stetson offense couldn’t do much of anything.
And with about 5 minutes to go Miami subbed out its starters as UM coasted to a 3-0 start to the season.
As this happened, freshman forward Timotej Malovec caught fire as he hit three three-pointers and ended the game with 12 points for the ’Canes as they won 102-61.
Miami (3-0) will look to continue the win streak on Sunday, as the Hurricanes play No. 10 Florida (1-1) on a neutral court in Jacksonville.
The Hurricanes will look to upset the defending national champions this weekend, in what could be Lucas’ first signature win as a head coach at Miami.
Tip-off is scheduled for 8:30 and will air on ESPN.
Gus Aspilaga, Contributing Photographer // Miami Hurricanes bench celebrates as freshman Timo Malovec hits a three pointer against Stetson on Nov. 10
The chicken and rooster caging that occurred on Oct. 29 near University Village at The University of Miami was authorized by the City of Coral Gables. A licensed vendor was hired by the city to cage and relocate the animals to a farm.
“This approach ensures the animals are treated ethically while maintaining public health and neighborhood quality of life,” said Martha Pantin, the director of the communications and public affairs division of the City of Coral Gables, in a statement to The Hurricane.
Although the University of Miami has contracted its own vendors to trap and relocate campus animals in the past, UM was not made aware of this activity since the caging occurred on public property.
“The city’s code does not permit the keeping of chickens or other poultry, and in this case, the animals had become a nuisance,” said Pantin.
According to AP, domesticated poultry are culturally significant to those from rural parts of Cuba and Latin America. As people from Cuba and Latin America moved to Miami and surrounding areas, they brought the chickens and kept the animals as pets in backyards.
The wild chickens, relatives of the domestic pets, started walking through public areas about 20 years ago and quickly became a symbol of the area. In 2002, Little Havana put up fiberglass statues of roosters as part of “Rooster Walk,” a project designed to celebrate the culture of the neighborhood.
However, Pantin added that, “Poultry are generally not compatible with dense urban environments, as they can attract predators, create sanitation issues and generate noise concerns.”
Trapping and relocating the chickens was done in a safe and humane way with the interest of the animals in mind.
Professors either make your lives 100 times easier…or 100 times harder…we’re here to put you at ease and to help you create a good relationship with your professor as special guest Professor Antonio Mora joins your hosts…
The No. 14 ranked University of Miami women’s volleyball team secured a hard-fought 3–2 victory over rival Florida State on Saturday afternoon, outlasting the Seminoles in a back-and-forth battle in Tallahassee.
Miami entered the season with one of its strongest starts in program history at 16–1, but a three-match losing streak from Oct. 12–19 raised concerns of a midseason collapse. Since then, the Hurricanes have regained their form, as Saturday’s win marks their sixth straight victory, reestablishing the dominance they showed early.
Senior outside hitter Flormarie Heredia Colón led the Miami offense with an outstanding 32 kills, and redshirt sophomore setter Ariana Rodriguez operated the offense with poise, finishing with 48 assists and 10 digs.
Florida State started the match strong, opening with four unanswered points and controlling the tempo on the way to a 25–17 first-set win. Miami struggled to settle in, posting a negative hitting percentage and committing costly errors across the court.
Graduate student Outside Hitter Jazmin Vergara going for the kill against Florida State UNiversity on Nov. 5,2025 at KNight Sports Complex
The Hurricanes responded immediately in the second set. Miami pulled ahead 13-11 before a timely block by Marin Wilson sparked a run that stretched the lead to 17–12. Behind efficient attacking and a sharp .429 hitting percentage, Miami closed out a convincing 25–15 win to tie the match at 1–1.
Set three was tightly contested from the start. Colón made her presence felt at the net with five blocks, but Florida State swung the momentum with a 7–0 run to take a 16–15 lead. Despite a late push from Miami, the Seminoles held on for a narrow 25–23 win to go up 2–1.
Miami flipped the script in the fourth set, delivering one of its best defensive frames of the match. The Hurricanes held FSU to just .150 hitting, applying pressure on every rally. Freshman Amina N’Diaye provided the spark, serving three consecutive aces to help Miami roll to a 25–16 victory and force a fifth set.
The final set opened with Florida State jumping ahead 8–4, but Miami refused to back down. Consecutive kills from freshman Sonja Danilovic helped the Hurricanes seal the match 15–10 after a reviewed call confirmed an FSU touch on a ball that sailed out of bounds.
With the win, Miami improves to 21–4 overall and 11–3 in ACC play, climbing to third in the conference standings. Florida State falls to 7–7 in the ACC, snapping its recent four-match winning streak.
Miami travels to Notre Dame on Nov. 14, looking to build on its late-season resurgence and strengthen its hold at the top of the conference.
Freshman Outside Hitter Sonja Danilovic (left), senior Libero Naylani Feliciano (middle), and senior Outside Hitter Flormarie Heredia Colon (right) prepare to receive from Syracuse on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025 at Knight Sports Complex
On Saturday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium, the Miami Hurricanes took down the Syracuse Orange 38-10 in a dominant second half showing.
After losing 26-20 in overtime to SMU a week ago, the Hurricanes needed a bounce back, and they got just that against the Orange. The offense totaled 385 yards while the defense stifled anything Syracuse tried to do.
With losses from No. 14 Virginia and No. 15 Louisville on Saturday, the Hurricanes hopes to make the College Football Playoffs have grown. But, the ‘Canes need to still play their best brand of football for the last three games of the regular season.
Keionte Scott is Miami’s best defensive player this season
After the Hurricanes were off to a slow start in the first quarter, they were able to pick up the momentum following a trick play touchdown from Miami quarterback Carson Beck, who threw the ball to Malachi Toney, who threw it back to Beck and ran it in for a 14-yard score.
Despite this play being the first score of the game, the real show started with the defense, a pattern consistent throughout this game and this season as a whole.
With less than two minutes left in the second quarter, sixth-year redshirt senior defensive back Keionte Scott was able to secure a 38-yard interception return for a touchdown, sending a wave of electricity throughout Hard Rock Stadium.
Scott has been working hard all season, leading the team in solo tackles with 28, and placing second in passes deflected with four.
With two sacks this season, including one tonight, the Auburn transfer has showed he can be a real threat on all facets of the defense for Miami, transforming into the team’s best defensive player.
David Lebowitz, Staff Photographer/Redshirt Senior Jakobe Thomas reaches toward the Syracuse quarterback after beating his blocker on November 8, 2025.
Miami harnessed the game with explosive plays
On the defensive side, Scott’s 38 yard pick-six was one of many notable plays from Saturday’s matinee.
In the ensuing drive, the Orange was threatening to score in the last seconds of the first half. On first down, sixth-year redshirt senior defensive end Akheem Mesidor forced a fumble on Syracuse’s Yasin Willis, which was recovered by Jakobe Thomas.
Following his fumble recovery, Thomas continued to make his presence felt. On Syracuse’s last drive of the third quarter, Thomas sacked Rickie Collins, putting an even bigger halt on the little momentum that Syracuse had.
On the next play, Collins threw to Darius Johnson, who tipped the ball up in the air and landed in the hands of Thomas. Thomas himself thought the ball was incomplete, until he was told by Mohamed Toure to run.
His interception was the last of Miami’s three forced turnovers on the Orange offense. The defense finished the game with seven sacks, 11 tackles for loss, and four pass breakups.
On the offensive side, Miami was able to show its talent despite a slow first quarter. After putting up just 20 points in Dallas last week, Beck and the Miami attack was able to move the ball at-will in the second half against a struggling Syracuse defense.
Miami’s creativity, which was lacking last week, came right away on the trick play from Beck and Toney.
That five play, 90 yard drive was set up by the explosiveness of true freshman wideout Daylyn Upshaw. On second down at their own 33-yard line, Beck hit Upshaw for a 41-yard catch and run to truly get the Hurricane offense up and running.
The offensive explosiveness continued to showcase in the third quarter, when Beck hit Keelan Marion for a 61-yard touchdown. Marion’s touchdown jumpstarted some of the most authentic football Miami has played in a while.
The ‘Canes relied heavily on Toney, the team’s best offensive player, in the third quarter, but another true freshman was able to make real advances.
With 2:25 left in the third quarter, running back Girard Pringle Jr. scored a 19-yard rushing touchdown to extend Miami’s lead to 25.
The final stand-out explosive play was made by 335-pound offensive lineman Francis “Sisi” Mauigoa, scoring a 3-yard rushing touchdown after a backwards throw from Beck, putting the score at 38-3.
Mauigoa revealed after the game that the team had been practicing this play for over three years, and head coach Mario Cristobal promised him he would be able to run it in a game during his time at Miami. Today was finally the day.
David Lebowitz, Staff Photographer/Redshirt Senior Keelan Marion makes an impressive catch and run to set the Hurricanes offense up in the redzone on November 8, 2025.
Miami followed its middle eight mantra
After the game, Cristobal reiterated the importance of the “middle eight mantra” for the Hurricanes. The “middle eight” is known as the final four minutes of the first half and the first four minutes of the third quarter.
With the touchdown by Beck and the interception by Thomas happening in the last four minutes of the second quarter, both the offense and defense proved how important it was to spark momentum to close out the half.
Similarly, on the other side of the middle eight, Marion’s 61-yard touchdown from Beck connected just within the first four minute mark of the second half. Those eight minutes ultimately defined Miami’s win on Saturday, as it broke the game open and set the tone for the rest of the game.
Cristobal utilized the idea of harnessing the middle eight in the massive win against Notre Dame in the first game of the season, with a score of 27-24.
If Miami continues to dominate the middle eight, they should be able to close out the final three games of the season strong.
Carson Beck is just having fun, despite his recent struggles
While Beck’s gameplay was better than it was in the loss against SMU, the win against Syracuse did not come without a few hiccups from him.
In the first quarter, he nearly threw an interception on the first drive of the game and then couldn’t get out of his own way, throwing an interception in the last three minutes that was called back for a defensive holding. Beck was also sacked twice, finishing the game with -10 rushing yards.
After a pretty clean second quarter from Beck, he made another error during the end of third quarter, almost throwing an interception with five seconds left.
Despite these few hiccups, Beck played a significantly better game and ultimately looked like he was having fun out there. He finished the game completing 18-of-24 passes for 247 yards and two total touchdowns and no turnovers.
From his trick play with Toney, to his rocket to Marion, and wrapping up with a big boy backwards touchdown pass to Sisi, Beck displayed his playful spirit out on the field.
“I thought we played loose,” Beck said. “I thought we had fun, and I think that’s the biggest thing for us right now.”
Following Saturday’s win, the Hurricanes will take on NC State next weekend as their last home game of the season. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. and will air on ESPN.
David Lebowitz, Staff Photographer/ Sixth-Year Redshirt Senior quarterback Carson Beck and Sophomore tight end Elija Lofton celebrate after a touchdown on November 8, 2025.
After a 42-38 loss that effectively ended its season last year, No. 18 Miami looked to get revenge against Syracuse and come away with a victory on Saturday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium.
After a slow first quarter, the Hurricanes offense took off, defeating the Orange 38-10 on Homecoming.
With less than two minutes left in the first half, redshirt sophomore quarterback Rickie Collins dropped back in the pocket and fired a ball right into the chest of Miami defensive back Keionte Scott. Scott ran down the left side of the field, evading tackles for a 27-yard pick-six that took the score to 14-0.
Scott’s touchdown return set the tone for the rest of the game.
After a slow first 20 minutes that saw zero points and eight punts, the Hurricanes opened the scoring with a nifty trick play. With just over two minutes left before halftime, sixth-year redshirt senior Carson Beck threw a pass to freshman wideout Malachi Toney, who threw it back to Beck and ran it in for a 14-yard score.
Beck’s touchdown run came after a short screen pass to freshman wide receiver Daylyn Upshaw, who ran for 41 yards — a play which sparked the momentum for Miami’s 38 point outburst.
David Lebowitz, Staff Photographer/ Freshman wide receiver Daylyn Upshaw gained 41 yards on an impressive catch and run against Syracuse on November 8, 2025.
Syracuse tried to drive down the field as the half winded down, but the Hurricane defense stood strong. On first and goal at the Miami 10, defensive end Ahkeem Mesidor forced a fumble on Syracuse’s Yasir Willis to end the half.
At the start of the third quarter, the Orange came back with an eight play drive, resulting in a 38-yard field goal from redshirt freshman Trip Woody to make the score 14-3. After that score, the Hurricanes outscored the Orange 24-7.
Miami’s explosive offense showed up early in the third quarter. At its 39-yard line, Beck fired a ball right up the middle of the field to redshirt senior receiver Keelan Marion who broke away for a 61-yard score.
“I think we played more freely,” Miami head coach Mario Cristobal said. “We just cut it loose and stopped worrying about the outcome and just started focusing more on the process.”
Beck’s touchdown pass put the quarterback over 10,000 career passing yards, joining Fresno State’s E.J.Warner as the only two active FBS quarterbacks to do so.
“It’s been a long career, and there’s been a lot of diversity that I’ve had to fight through, and a lot of great teammates, a lot of great coaches along the way,” Beck said. “To be able to have an achievement like that obviously means a lot to me.”
With junior running back Mark Fletcher Jr. out because of an injury, freshman Girard Pringle Jr. played a big role in the rushing game. On the Syracuse 30, Pringle ran 11 yards for a first down. The next play later, Beck handed the ball off again to Pringle who ran 19 yards for the touchdown to take a 28-3 lead.
Corey Hetherman’s defense continued to play well against the struggling Syracuse offense behind a quarterback carousel.
Collins threw a ball intended for freshman wideout Darius Johnson but it tipped off the fingers of Johnson and into the hands of redshirt senior safety Jakobe Thomas. The unit finished with seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss.
Up by 28 points with less than five minutes left in the game, Cristobal decided to run up the score and keep the starters on the field.
On Syracuse’s three yard line, Beck tossed a ball back on the right side to right tackle Francis Mauigoa who ran it in for a touchdown, his first of his collegiate career. Beck finished the game for 247 yards on 18-of-24 passing.
“I was a bit mad, but it was a good touchdown,” Mauioga said. “But you know, I wanted to run someone over.”
Syracuse head coach Fran Brown took the struggling Collins out, in for freshman quarterback Joseph Filardi. Filardi, a four star lacrosse recruit, dotted up redshirt freshman tight end Elijah Washington-Baker for a 17-yard score.
The Hurricanes got the job done with a 38-10 win, cleaning up pre snap penalties as they finished the game with five compared to last week’s nine.
“We’re a really, really good football team, and we shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times, Cristobal said. “But we’ve all seen enough games this year to know that when Miami’s on, Miami really distinguished itself as one of the better teams.”
Miami will face off against NC State for its last game at Hard Rock Stadium on the season. Kick off is scheduled for Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and will air on ESPN.
David Lebowitz, Staff Photographer/ Sixth-Year Redshirt Senior quarterback Carson Beck and Sophomore tight end Elija Lofton celebrate after a touchdown on November 8, 2025.
The fireworks, part of UM’s annual Homecoming tradition, were being launched from the center of Lake Osceola. Ramharakh was standing on the path between Eaton Residential College and the lake with her friends when they noticed that a firework was coming in their direction.
“We were like, oh my God, that looks like it’s coming to hit us,” said Ramharakh. “And then, it literally came to hit us.”
In a video taken by Ramharakh’s friend, the firework appears to hit a palm tree and burst apart above the crowd, sending sparks directly toward those gathered. Multiple people scream and after the sparks stop one girl can be heard saying, “Are you ok? Are you ok? That was really scary. You got hit?”
The sparks burned holes in Ramharakh’s tank top and she says she has two burns and blistered areas on her stomach.
“I wasn’t the only one who got hit, but I was the only one who got burns from it,” she said.
Ramharakh added that she saw paramedics before the firework show and would have asked for ice or bandages, but she could not find anyone to help her during or after the fireworks show.
“Afterward, everyone was in such a rush to get everyone out and make sure all the stuff was picked up, it didn’t feel like they cared so much about the students,” she said. “It was kind of a concern for me, honestly, that I couldn’t even find a faculty member. There was literally no one there who was in charge of anything, near me, that I could be like, ‘Oh my God, this happened to me.’”
The University said in a statement to The Hurricane that it received one report of a “potential incident” with a firework.
“UMPD and Environmental Health and Safety immediately responded, but there were no injuries reported or additional calls regarding the incident,” the statement read. “The University encourages all members of our community to report any safety or security incident by calling UMPD at 305-284-6666.”
This was Ramharakh’s first Homecoming at UM, and she isn’t sure if she will attend another. If she does go to similar celebrations in the future, Ramharakh said she will sit very far away.
While Ramharakh is treating her burns and blisters with over-the-counter ointments and was not hospitalized, she expressed that the situation could have been much worse if the sparks had hit the children or elderly sitting near her.
“It’s just really heartbreaking to see that this could even happen, because this is Homecoming,” said Ramharakh. “I don’t know how much money [UM] put into this, or how much security and all of the precautions they go through — like they have so much security and everything — but nevertheless this still happened. It’s just sad, honestly.”
The Hurricane contacted members of the Homecoming Executive Committee in the late afternoon on Saturday and has not yet received a response.
This article was updated at 7:10 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8 to include the statement from UM to The Hurricane.
UM has confirmed that there have been no increases in HIV cases despite rumors of an outbreak on campus across social media.
In a statement to The Hurricane, the University said, “The University of Miami Student Health Services has not observed any increase in either HIV testing or positive results during the past year.”
The statement also notes, “Testing patterns have remained consistent with previous years, with no indication of an outbreak or campus cluster.”
While it is unclear how the rumor started, it picked up traction on YikYak where users were expressing concern about the potential outbreak. One comment read, “No because what do you mean there’s an HIV outbreak…”
Another comment reads, “When I said I wanted the college experience I did not mean a full HIV outbreak.”
Regardless of an outbreak, it is important to get tested for STDs if sexually active. According to Stony Brook Medicine, those under the age of 25 and sexually active should be tested at least once a year.
Should any student feel the need to be tested, resources are available. Confidential HIV testing is available at Student Health Service Monday through Friday during hours of operation.
Miami has four games remaining this season, and they must win all four to even have a chance at the playoffs. With that being said, their fate is no longer in their hands, needing losses from teams ahead in the standings and a bit of chaos that only college football brings.
But the road begins on Saturday against Syracuse, a game which Miami absolutely needs to clean up their act.
Last week in their 26-20 loss to SMU, Miami racked up 12 penalties which completely debilitated the offense — that’s not how winning teams play football.
The ’Canes must clean up their penalties if they wish to have any success this season, especially pre-snap.
Miami will look to jump out to an early lead and not look back, utilizing the dynamic efforts of wide receivers Malachi Toney and Jojo Trader who combined for 151 receiving yards on 14 receptions.
In all likelihood, the ’Canes will take this game against a much weaker opponent, but keep an eye on how they do so — a clean day of football will go a long way for this reeling Hurricane side.
Final Score: Miami 38, Syracuse 10
Bella Armstrong, Contributing Writer:
It’s Homecoming in Coral Gables, and Miami has something to prove. After a road trip gone biblically wrong in Dallas, the Hurricanes didn’t just lose to SMU — they lost their swagger, their ranking, and a little bit of their pride. Relegated to No. 18 in the nation, this team is in dire need of a statement win, and Syracuse just happens to be the unfortunate rebound.
The Orange are coming to Hard Rock 3-6, still figuring out what kind of team they want to be. Miami, on the other hand, knows exactly who they are — a squad that let one bad Saturday hijack the narrative.
Expect the Hurricanes to take that personally.
Though Syracuse freshman cornerback Demetres Samuel Jr. is a legitimate threat, wide receiver Malachi Toney will silence the noise quickly. The Miami freshman has been one of the most dynamic and electrifying playmakers in college football this season.
This offense is fast and physical, too angry to let another game slip. Homecoming means packed stands, passionate alumni and plenty of noise — the perfect storm for Miami to reassert itself as a national threat and playoff contender. Syracuse will put up a polite fight, but they’ll be lucky to leave Hard Rock without scorch marks.
Because to reclaim their swagger, the Hurricanes need to remind everyone why you don’t poke the U.
Final Score: Miami 38, Syracuse 13
Anirudh Kannan, Contributing Writer:
After a heartbreaking overtime road loss against SMU, Miami will hope to rebound this weekend in their homecoming game against Syracuse.
The Orange are just 1-5 against fellow ACC opponents and 3-6 overall, but could play spoiler against a sputtering Hurricanes team that has lost two of their last three.
Despite these recent setbacks, the ‘Canes still have a tremendous amount of talent on both sides of the football, whether it be defensive gamewrecker Reuben Bain Jr. or freshman wonder Malachi Toney.
Miami will also be playing with their backs against the wall this weekend, as to have any chance at making the 2025 CFB playoffs, they will likely have to win out and have a number of external factors go their way.
If the Hurricanes want to make a late run to save their season, they must begin to play more disciplined and sound football. There’s not much to indicate that they can’t start this Saturday against the Orange.
FInal Score: Miami 35, Syracuse 17
Olivia Attalla, Contributing Writer:
Now at No.18 in the AP Poll, the Hurricanes are ready to bounce back after another tough loss against SMU in Dallas.
Despite how Carson Beck has been struggling the past few weeks which included throwing a crucial interception in the red zone during overtime, the main problem was the amount of penalties against Miami throughout the game.
In some positive news for the ’Canes, Malachi Toney has been nominated as a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award. The freshman wide receiver has been a game charger for the UM offense, and will continue to make a significant impact for the rest of the season.
Meanwhile Syracuse hasn’t had a good season at all, and their quarterback situation isn’t the best as for this game they will start Rickie Collins after Steve Angeli’s season ending injury.
It should be an easy win for the Hurricanes, but they shouldn’t underestimate the underdog.
On this week’s episode of TMH Sportscast, Zach and Liam discuss the Hurricanes’ loss to SMU. The two are then joined by Aidan Stepansky from Syracuse’s student newspaper, The Daily Orange, to talk about Miami’s homecoming game against Syracuse.
Just three days removed from a closely contested season opener, Miami men’s basketball flipped the script against Bethune-Cookman, winning in an emphatic fashion. Spurred by dominant interior play, the Hurricanes hung triple digits on the visiting Wildcats, cruising to a 101-61 victory Thursday night at the Watsco Center.
Guard Tre Donaldson led the squad in scoring with 23 points. Forward Malik Reneau finished with 22 points and five assists, and center Ernest Udeh Jr. nearly logged a double-double, notching eight points and corralling a team-high 10 rebounds.
Bethune entered Thursday’s non-conference tilt on the heels of a wire-to-wire overtime loss to Auburn on Monday night, a team that had advanced to last year’s Final Four as a No. 1 seed in the 2024-25 NCAA Tournament.
Despite their resilient efforts against the top-ranked Tigers three nights prior, the Wildcats found themselves physically outmatched against the ‘Canes, who had a considerable size advantage over their HBCU opponent. As a result, Miami’s frontcourt imposed its will in the low block, generating 58 points in the paint.
Udeh was the main facilitator of Miami’s success on the inside, with all eight of his points coming off of dunks. The senior TCU transfer also recorded four blocks on the defensive end, forcing the Wildcats away from the lane all night.
The Hurricanes set the tone early offensively and never looked back.
Unlike its sluggish start against Jacksonville, the team opened on a 7-0 scoring barrage to begin the game. Midway through the first half, UM extended the lead to 11, pulling ahead 28-17 following guard Dante Allen going for 3-3 to score his first collegiate buckets.
Bethune began to push the tempo in transition, but they were stymied by head coach Jai Lucas’ defense, who were able to track back quickly and force contested perimeter shots.
Photo Editor Brian Mulvey // Senior forward Malik Reneau blocks Bethune Cookman on Nov. 6, 2025.
In the last 3 minutes of the opening frame, Miami went on an 8-0 run to close out the first half, jumping out to a 50-31 advantage heading into the break.
Tre Donaldson led all players through the first two quarters with 17 points through just 20 minutes of action.
Entering the second half, UM picked up right where it left off, drilling the first three baskets of the final interval while continuing to force turnovers. The takeaways led to fast breaks down the other end, where true freshman Shelton Henderson connected on an alley-oop to Udeh, who brought down the hammer to go up 60-33.
For the rest of the game, Miami’s impenetrable defense stood firm against the Wildcats, confining Bethune to chuck up low percentage shots from beyond the arc.
Offensively, Miami never relented either, continuously building on its lead despite Lucas employing a heavier rotation off the bench in the winding minutes.
By the final horn, the Hurricanes had shot 59% from the floor and had connected from three-point range at a 47% clip. Their offensive efficiency finished off the charts, notching a 25-6 assist-to-turnover ratio.
Miami (2-0) will look to continue obliterating opponents around the rim in its next non-conference appearance Monday against Stetson University for Military Appreciation Night. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. on the ACC Network.
Photo Editor Brian Mulvey // The Canes celebrate scoring against Bethune Cookman on Nov. 6, 2025.
