Miami Secures Bragging Rights With 26–7 Win Over Florida

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — For the foreseeable future, the Miami Hurricanes will own the final word in their rivalry with the Florida Gators. Behind a suffocating defense and a punishing ground game, No. 4 Miami rolled past Florida 26–7 on Saturday night to move to 4-0 on the season.
The Hurricanes controlled the first half, holding the Gators to just 32 yards and forcing punt after punt while building a 13–0 advantage. A controversial whistle erased what looked like a game-breaking touchdown run from CharMar “Marty” Brown early in the third quarter, opening the door for Florida to claw back within six. But when the game hung in the balance, Miami leaned on its offensive line and running backs, orchestrating a seven-minute drive capped by Brown’s second score of the night to seal the win.

Mark Fletcher Jr. led all rushers with 116 yards and a touchdown, while Brown added two short scoring runs and 53 receiving yards. Quarterback Carson Beck didn’t have his sharpest night—throwing for 160 yards and a pick but improved to 3-0 in his career against Florida. Miami’s defense, meanwhile, delivered one of its most dominant showings in recent memory, holding the Gators to 141 total yards and a brutal 0-for-13 mark on third down.

The Hurricanes extended their home win streak to 11 games, the longest since 2018, and improved to 78-3 at home as an AP top-five team. For Florida, the loss dropped them to 1-3, their worst start since 1986, and turned up the heat on embattled coach Billy Napier.

Three Major Takeaways

Miami’s defense set the tone.
From the opening snap, the Hurricanes’ front swarmed quarterback DJ Lagway, pressuring him on nearly 60% of his dropbacks and holding him to just 61 passing yards at 2.8 yards per attempt. Florida didn’t convert a single third down, marking the first time since 2022 that an FBS team went 0-for-13 or worse in that situation.

The run game carried the offense.
Fletcher and Brown combined for 196 rushing yards and three touchdowns, including 127 yards after first contact. Their physical running wore down Florida’s defense and proved decisive in the fourth quarter, when Miami’s ground attack drained the clock and put the game out of reach.

Florida’s struggles continue.
At 1-3, the Gators are off to their worst start in nearly four decades. They were outgained 344–141, mustered just one touchdown, and looked out of rhythm from start to finish. With an early bye week ahead, Napier faces mounting questions about his future as Florida’s head coach.

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