All week long, national pundits were zeroing in on the Miami-Florida game as the game to watch. Two historic programs, each under pressure to win and produce in year three, were set to face off to kick off their season. The Florida Gators, playing in the Swamp with 90,000 fans, held the longest active win streak in the NCAA, having won 34 consecutive home openers at the Swamp. Most expected a close, back-and-forth battle, with many predicting a Gator victory or a narrow Miami win in one of the toughest environments in all of football. Instead, Miami drubbed the Gators, dominating them from the outset and winning a one-sided contest where Miami set a new record for points scored by an opponent in a Florida home opener, with a final score of 41-17. Miami not only looked like the best team in the ACC but also like a top-five team, even a top-four team in the nation. After such a complete domination, here are the major takeaways from game one:
Cam Ward Is HIM
Cam Ward had a Heisman-worthy performance. What stood out about Ward was his response after throwing his first and only interception. Last year, Miami quarterbacks often collapsed after an interception, looking scared, hesitant, and unsure of themselves. Throughout the offseason, Mario Cristobal praised Ward’s ability to shake off a bad play, continue playing as if it never happened, and make positive plays. After Ward’s interception, with the stadium rocking, he played flawless ball. He finished the game with three touchdowns and 385 passing yards, a performance that ripped the heart out of Gator fans and broke the will of the Gators.
Chevis Jackson Is a Master
If there was one area where the Canes had question marks, it was in the secondary. The safeties, outside of Mishael Powell, are all young, and the cornerbacks, outside of Daryl Porter Jr., were largely unproven. In fact, Miami started a true sophomore, Damari Brown, and a true freshman, OJ Frederique, at cornerback. All week long, national pundits and Gator supporters talked up Eugene Wilson and Elijah Badger as big-time threats that would test the Canes’ secondary. The Canes’ secondary more than held up, limiting the Gators’ air attack to just 122 passing yards. Wilson managed only seven receptions for 50 yards, and Badger had just three receptions for 43 yards and zero touchdowns. Jackson proved that he is one of the best teachers and defensive back coaches in the nation, allowing his secondary to play with poise and blanket the Gator wide receivers. Outside of Jaden Harris’s bad angle on the Gators’ star running back Montrell Johnson Jr., the secondary was nearly perfect and ensured that the Swamp was a no-fly zone. Credit goes to the players for producing on the field, but also to Jackson, who put those players in a position to dominate.
Canes Have Trench Monsters
Miami’s defense was fantastic, holding Florida to just 261 total yards. Tyler Baron had three tackles, one sack, and two tackles for loss, while Elijah Alston added three tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, one pass deflection, and 0.5 sacks. Francisco Mauigoa was everywhere, recording six tackles, one pass deflection, one sack, and 1.5 tackles for loss. The defense produced three sacks, two turnovers, and was constantly in Graham Mertz’s face, forcing uncomfortable throws that led to the Gators finishing just 1/9 on third downs. The Canes’ defense held Mertz to 55% passing and a QBR of 19.1. Miami was big and strong up front, overwhelming the Gators’ offensive line and making life miserable for the Gators’ quarterbacks.
Miami’s Receivers Dominated
With all the talk about Eugene Wilson, Xavier Restrepo stole the show. Restrepo was breaking ankles and scoring touchdowns, finishing with 112 yards and a touchdown. Isaiah Horton had a solid game with four receptions for 70 yards, and Jacolby George chipped in with 25 yards and a touchdown.
Shannon Dawson Deployed the Tight Ends
What a night for the tight ends. Ward connected with them for seven receptions totaling 136 yards, with Cam McCormick scoring the first touchdown of the game and Arroyo leading the way with four receptions for 89 yards. True freshman Elija Lofton also made an impact with two receptions for 38 yards. It’s safe to say Dawson is using the entire playbook and utilizing the tight ends to cause major damage offensively.
Mark Fletcher Is Back
Mark Fletcher suffered an injury last year, and it seemed he might miss the first couple of games this season. Not only was Fletcher healthy enough to play, but he also found the end zone twice, scoring two touchdowns for the Canes. The Canes’ running attack was led by Damien Martinez, who made some tough runs, but it was Fletcher who found paydirt. For the Canes, it is a breath of fresh air to see Fletcher healthy, making the Miami Hurricanes’ running attack almost impossible to stop—a true two-headed monster.
The Beginning of the End for Billy Napier
Last year, the Canes rolled Texas A&M in a game that put tremendous pressure on Jimbo Fisher. That Miami loss was the beginning of the end for Jimbo, who didn’t survive the season. Billy Napier is now 11-15 as the Gators’ head coach, and it got so bad that he had the Gators’ recruiting section cheering for Miami. Miami had drained the Swamp by the end of the third quarter, and now Billy starts the year 0-1 with perhaps the hardest schedule in history ahead of him. Financially, it will be extremely hard to get rid of him, as the Gators are still paying their previous coach and owe Napier the majority of his contract. However, it is probable that the few good recruits the Gators have committed will decommit, and the pressure will continue to mount to get rid of Billy. Napier needed to win, but instead, he got embarrassed and outclassed by his archrival and has now lost three straight games in the Swamp. Florida will likely be looking for a new head coach by the end of the season.
What’s Next for Miami?
The Canes now have three games they should win handily as they take on Florida A&M, Ball State, and USF before opening with their first ACC game at home. Barring a crazy meltdown, the Canes should be 4-0 heading into their ACC opener. Miami must not get too confident, as last year, the Canes thought they had turned the corner only to lose to Georgia Tech in the ACC opener, derailing their season. This time, Miami must keep the main thing the main thing, taking each game one at a time and not overlooking opponents. The difference between good teams and great teams is the attention to detail and focus week in and week out. This season feels different because the quarterback leading this team is different. Cam Ward is focused on keeping the main thing the main thing. Back at ACC Kickoff, he talked about the importance of winning as a collective, and if his body language in game one is any indication of what’s to come, Canes fans might be on the cusp of one of the most special seasons this program has had since 2001.
