Rueben Bain Jr., Jalen Rivers out again as Hurricanes open ACC play vs Virginia Tech

It was another week for the Miami Hurricanes without two of their key starters.

Neither defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. nor left tackle Jalen Rivers were dressed during pregame warmups ahead of No. 7 Miami’s Atlantic Coast Conference opener against the Virginia Tech Hokies on Friday at Hard Rock Stadium.

Miami coach Mario Cristobal on Monday had said there was a “great chance” both players could return after missing the past three games.

Bain, the reigning ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year, played just three snaps in Miami’s 41-17 win against Florida on Aug. 30 before sustaining what Cristobal called a “soft tissue issue” and initially said would keep him out a couple weeks. Rivers, a fifth-year junior, played the whole game against UF but has not returned since while dealing with an undisclosed injury.

Bain was present during Miami’s early warmups, running full sprints with a Miami staff member watching the whole time.

The Hurricanes have primarily used Tyler Baron and Elijah Alston at defensive end over the past three weeks without Bain. Baron has a team-leading seven-and-a-half tackles for loss, while Alston is tied for second on the team at three-and-a-half tackles for loss.

On the offensive line, junior Markel Bell has started each of the past three games at left tackle in place of Rivers. While there have been growing pains at times for Bell, the offensive line has still held its own. Through four games entering Friday, Miami has conceded just 11 tackles for loss and three sacks.

The offensive line for a fourth consecutive game was Bell at left tackle, Matt McCoy at left guard, Zach Carpenter at center, Anez Cooper at right guard and Francis Mauigoa in right tackle.

Elsewhere on the injury front, Cristobal on Monday said left guard Ryan Rodriguez and cornerback Damari Brown will be out “a little bit longer” after getting hurt during the season opener against Florida.

Career-long field goal for Andres Borregales

Andres Borregales set a career-best with a 56-yard field goal to end the first half. His previous career-long was 55 yards on Sept. 18, 2021, against Michigan State as a freshman.

Arroyo’s big first half

Tight end Elijah Arroyo had the two longest receptions of his career in the first quarter.

The first was a 45-yard gain down the right sideline that set up an 18-yard touchdown pass from Cam Ward to Jacolby George. The second was a 43-yard touchdown where he was wide open in the middle of the field when Virginia Tech’s defense bit on play action.

This and that

▪ The Hurricanes’ captains for Friday against Virginia Tech: Quarterback Cam Ward, wide receiver Xavier Restrepo, center Zach Carpenter, defensive end Akheem Mesidor, linebacker Wesley Bissainthe and safety Mishael Powell.