Tampa, FL – The Miami Hurricanes showcased their dominance on Saturday night with a 50-15 victory over the South Florida Bulls at Raymond James Stadium. This win marks Miami’s fourth consecutive victory, with forty-plus points.
The game started with a bang as Miami’s Damien Martinez rushed for a 2-yard touchdown, capping off a 75-yard drive. South Florida quickly responded with a record-breaking 58-yard field goal by Nico Gramatica, followed by a 12-yard touchdown pass from Byrum Brown to Sean Atkins, giving the Bulls a brief lead.
However, Miami’s Cam Ward connected with sophomore Isaiah Horton for a 6-yard touchdown, reclaiming the lead for the Hurricanes. “I’m not even satisfied; I’m going to continue to get better with my brothers,” added Iasiah Horton. Isaiah Horton and Sam Brown were crucial targets, with Horton finishing with 108 receiving yards.
South Florida stayed competitive in the first half, with Gramatica adding another field goal and John Cannon contributing a 31-yard field goal. Despite their efforts, Miami’s explosive offense, highlighted by a 76-yard touchdown pass from Ward to Sam Brown, ensured the Hurricanes went into halftime with a 22-15 lead.
The second half was all about Miami. Damien Martinez added two more rushing touchdowns, both from 1 yard out, extending the Hurricanes’ lead.
USF ranked 8th in the nation in running and Miami defense kept them at 62 yards. “We practiced all week on Tempo, it was hard to emulate in the real thing.
They have a really good offense, and their Tempo is the reason they play so well.” Safety Mishael Powell came up with an interception that changed the momentum of the game.
Byrum Brown threw for 254 yards and a touchdown for South Florida, while Sean Atkins had an impressive 125 receiving yards. Despite their efforts, the Bulls struggled to keep up with Miami’s high-powered offense.
Cam Ward continued to impress, throwing a 5-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Restrepo. Throwing 404 yards and three touchdowns, Ward becomes the 13th player in NCAA history to surpass 15,000 career passing yards. The standout highlight came when Jordan Lyle broke free for a spectacular 91-yard touchdown run, sealing the game for Miami.
Damien Martinez contributed significantly, with a total of three rushing touchdowns.
South Florida, now 2-2, will aim to regroup as they begin their American Athletic Conference schedule next week.
With this victory, Cristobal and his team improve to 4-0 and look ahead to the start of Atlantic Coast Conference play. Miami takes on Virginia Tech on Friday, September 27, at The Hard Rock.
