MIAMI GARDENS - In front of a sold-out crowd of 66,200 at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami dominated Florida State mainly on Saturday night (Oct. 26).
The Canes outplayed the Seminoles by a total yardage margin of 445-248 in a 36-14 victory. The home team, which had 31 first downs and allowed only 14 to the road team, improved to 4- 0 in ACC play and 8-0 overall.
Senior quarterback Cam Ward finished this game by completing 22 of 35 passes for 208 yards (62.8 completion percentage rate). But the game’s most pivotal play was not a pass from Ward.
Instead, he caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from tight end Elijah Arroyo with 4:32 left in the game. The game-sealing scoring drive took 7:12 off the clock. It took 11 plays and 55 yards to close this one out in the fourth quarter.
Miami junior running back Damien Martinez led all runners with 15 carries for 148 yards and two touchdowns. One of his scores came early in the second quarter, an 18-yard touchdown run that helped his team get a 14-0 lead over Florida State (1-6 in ACC play; 1-7 overall).
Martinez, who scored again on a 12-yard touchdown run with 1:51 left in the game, added a 21-yard catch from Ward to finish this one with 169 total yards. Chris Johnson returned a kickoff for 33 yards to start this rivalry tilt. Miami scored on the game’s first possession as Ward completed four of his first five passes for 33 yards.
The seven-play, 67-yard scoring drive ended on a 1-yard touchdown run by sophomore running back Mark Fletcher Jr. (15 carries, 71 yards, one touchdown). An extra point by Andy Borregales (3-for-3 in point after attempts; 3-for-3 in field goal attempts) would give Miami a 7-0 lead over Florida State with 12:22 left in the first quarter.
After the Miami defense forced FSU into a three-and-out drive, the offense got back to work and mustered a 13-play, 95-yard drive that took exactly five minutes off the clock. The first touchdown run by Martinez and the second extra point by Borregales extended Miami’s lead to 14-0 with 14:09 left in the second quarter.
A fourth-down play turned into a shocker on Florida State’s next possession, which took more than seven minutes off the clock. Backup freshman quarterback Luke Kromenhoek appeared to be stopped short of the first down at the Seminoles 45-yard line.
But somehow, he escaped a host of Canes defenders en route to a stunning 42-yard run to the Miami 13-yard line. On the next play, Kromenhoek mustered a 12-yard run to the Miami 1-yard run. The 12-play, 78-yard drive ended with a 1-yard touchdown run by redshirt senior running back Caziah Holmes on fourth and goal. An extra point made by kicker Ryan Fitzgerald would cut Miami’s lead to 14-7 with 6:44 left in the first half.
Miami had the ball for the remainder of the first half. Its 18-play, 88-yard drive ended with a 20-yard field goal by Borregales, giving it a 17-7 halftime lead over Florida State. Miami had 19 first downs and 240 total yards in the first half.
Meanwhile, FSU had just five first downs and 107 total yards in the first half. Both teams had seven possessions and no turnovers in the first half.
The third-quarter scoring was strictly on special teams. Borregleas connected on a 42-yard field goal - his second one of the game - with 5:59 left in the third quarter. The 11-play, 30-yard drive extended Miami’s lead to 20-7 over Florida State. And then the third and final field goal made by Borreglaes occurred with 45 seconds left in the third quarter - a 45-yarder - as Miami pushed its lead further to 23-7.
With 11:44 left in the fourth quarter, Canes senior linebacker Francisco Mauigoa broke up a fourth-down pass intended for Seminoles freshman tight end Amaree Williams.
The fourth-down pass breakup effectively dashed Florida State’s hopes of a comeback win against Miami. From then on, Miami took its time to seal the deal with its two late-scoring drives against Florida State.
Miami’s next game will be on Saturday, Nov. 2, against Duke at Hard Rock Stadium.
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