Yahoo Sports FINAL: No. 10 Miami Hurricanes 62, Ball State Cardinals 0
The No. 10 Miami Hurricanes had to wait through nearly two-and-a-half hours of lightning delays before kicking off their home game against Ball State on Saturday.
Once the game finally began, they wasted little time asserting their dominance, as was expected in this non-conference matchup.
The final score from a soggy Hard Rock Stadium: Hurricanes 62, Ball State 0.
It’s the most points Miami has scored in a shutout of a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent in program history and first shutout of an FBS team since its 55-0 win over Duke on Dec. 5, 2020.
Miami improves to 3-0. Ball State falls to 1-1.
Ajay Allen adds to the fun
On two carries — the first to end the third quarter, the second to begin the fourth — running back Ajay Allen ran for 90 yards, with the final one being 56 yards for a touchdown.
It’s 48-0 Miami with 14:43 left to play.
Ward’s night ends, Hurricanes keep scoring
Emory Williams replaced Cam Ward at quarterback and proceeded to lead a 13-play, 63-yard drive that ended with a 32-yard Andres Borregales field goal.
It’s 41-0 Miami with 3:24 left in the third quarter.
Five touchdowns for Ward
Cam Ward’s fifth touchdown pass of the game — his most in a single game at the FBS level — was a 17-yarder to Jacolby George to cap a six-play, 71-yard drive to begin the second half.
An interception for the Hurricanes defense ... and then another touchdown
Defensive lineman Elijah Alston logged his first interception at Miami to give the offense a short field.
Two plays later, Cam Ward found Xavier Restrepo for a 20-yard touchdown — Restrepo’s second TD catch of the game.
It’s 31-0 Miami ... and still the first half.
Another touchdown? Another touchdown
It’s now 24-0 Miami over Ball State late in the first half after a 21-yard touchdown pass from Cam Ward to Elijah Arroyo.
Ward is now 16 for 23 with 297 yards and three touchdown passes.
Perhaps even more impressive: He has thrown completions to eight different receivers, seven of whom have at least one 20-yard receptions.
Chris Johnson flashes his speed
Mario Cristobal said he wanted to incorporate running back Chris Johnson Jr. more into the offensive game plan.
Well, that happened.
Johnson scored a 37-yard touchdown on a pass from Cam Ward to extend Miami’s lead to 17-0 with 4:46 left in the first half.
It’s Johnson’s second consecutive game with a receiving touchdown.
Transfer portal d-linemen showing up for Hurricanes
Midway through the second quarter, the Hurricanes already have three sacks and five tackles for loss. All three sacks are by defensive linemen UM added this offseason via the transfer portal: Simeon Barrow (one-and-a-half), Elijah Alston (one) and Tyler Baron (one-half).
Baron, in particular, has four-and-a-half sacks and seven tackles for loss already this season.
Anez Cooper injured
Right guard Anez Cooper left early in the second quarter with an apparent left leg injury. He walked off the field under his own power after briefly being tended to by trainers on the field. Luis Cristobal Jr. replaced him at right guard for the drive.
Miami is already without Jalen Rivers and Ryan Rodriguez among its offensive linemen.
Ward to Restrepo hits again
A five-play, 60-yard drive ended with a 21-yard Cam Ward pass to Xavier Restrepo. Jacolby George had a pair of big plays on the drive as well.
It’s 10-0 Miami late in the first quarter.
Restrepo now has three touchdown catches on the season.
Hurricanes settle for field goal on opening drive
After Miami’s defense opened the game with a stop, capped by Simeon Barrow’s first sack with the Hurricanes, Cam Ward led an 11-play, 71-yard drive that culminated with an Andres Borregales 30-yard field goal.
UM leads Ball State 3-0 with 6:15 left in the first quarter.
Some notables from the first drive
▪ Ward went 5 for 7 with 63 yards.
▪ Jacolby George caught two passes for 31 yards but dropped a third-down pass at the end that had Miami settle for the field goal.
▪ Both true freshman Jordan Lyle and redshirt freshman Chris Johnson had early snaps.
Weather delays start time
Lightning first surfaced around the stadium at about 3 p.m. as the teams were beginning to take pregame warmups. Fans already at the stadium were asked to seek shelter in the concourse until given an all clear.
Season recap
▪ Miami 41, Florida 17: Cam Ward threw for 385 yards and three touchdowns, Mark Fletcher added two scores on the ground, the defense held its own despite one of its top players exiting the game early with injury, and the No. 19 Hurricanes made quick work of the Florida Gators with a season-opening win at Gainesville’s Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to kick off a critical Year 3 under Mario Cristobal.
▪ Miami 56, Florida A&M 9: That one went as expected. Cam Ward threw for three touchdowns and ran for a fourth before turning the game over to the second-string offense midway through the third quarter. The defense held the Rattlers to just three field goals.
▪ Miami vs. Ball State (today)
▪ Miami at South Florida (Sept. 21, 7 p.m.)
▪ Miami vs. Virginia Tech (Sept. 27, time TBD)
▪ Miami at California (Oct. 5, time TBD)
▪ Miami at Louisville (Oct. 19, time TBD)
▪ Miami vs. Florida State (Oct. 26, time TBD)
▪ Miami vs. Duke (Nov. 2, time TBD)
▪ Miami at Georgia Tech (Nov. 9, time TBD)
▪ Miami vs. Wake Forest (Nov. 23, time TBD)
▪ Miami at Syracuse (Nov. 30, time TBD)
Pregame Hurricanes reading
Need to catch up before kickoff? Here are the highlights of the Miami Herald’s coverage over the past few days.
▪ Cam Ward’s ‘continue to compete’ mentality on full display as Miami Hurricanes rout FAMU
▪ Hurricanes making early emphasis to spread the ball around in passing game
▪ Three Miami Hurricanes players who could be carving out larger roles for themselves
▪ ‘Two-headed monster’ Martinez, Fletcher leading Hurricanes’ loaded running back room
▪ Tyler Baron’s goal at Miami: ‘Show everybody what I’m about.’ He’s off to a strong start
▪ Hurricanes know upsets ‘can happen to anybody.’ They’re not overlooking Ball State
