MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Cam Ward showcased his dual-threat abilities on Saturday night as he threw for 208 yards and snagged a touchdown pass, leading No. 6 Miami to a convincing 36-14 victory over their rivals, Florida State. Damien Martinez contributed significantly to the win by rushing for 148 yards and scoring two touchdowns, keeping Miami’s undefeated streak alive at 8-0 (4-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference). This victory also ended a three-game losing streak to the Seminoles, who now stand at 1-7 with a dismal 1-6 conference record.
The night was particularly emotional for the Hurricanes as Mark Fletcher Jr. scored the opening touchdown with a 1-yard run, capping a 67-yard drive. It was a poignant moment for Fletcher, who recently lost his father; he paid tribute by kneeling and pointing skyward after crossing the goal line. Miami extended their lead to 14-0 early in the second quarter thanks to an 18-yard run from Martinez. The Hurricanes managed to find the end zone again with just over four minutes left in the game when tight end Elijah Arroyo caught an 8-yard touchdown pass from Ward. Martinez later scored his second touchdown with a 12-yard run, marking a standout performance which is notable as the second-highest rushing total by a Miami player in this historic rivalry, just behind Stephen McGuire’s 176 yards in 1990.
Florida State had to rely on quarterback Luke Kromenhoek after a rocky start to their game. Kromenhoek, a true freshman, came into the contest looking to turn the tide, albeit with a challenging debut performance last week against Duke where he struggled. However, Kromenhoek made an immediate and positive impact. His first notable contribution was a 14-yard run for a first down. He kept a drive alive with an impressive 42-yard run on a fourth-and-1 that demonstrated his agility. Ultimately, Caziah Holmes rushed in from the 1-yard line to put the Seminoles on the scoreboard at 14-7 midway through the second quarter. Unfortunately for Florida State, their scoring was limited, with only a 5-yard touchdown pass from Brock Glenn to Malik Benson occurring with just 18 seconds left in the game, marking their only other points of the night.
The overall performance of Florida State this season has been concerning, as they remain the only FBS team yet to score more than 21 points in a game. Their recent record also shows they have been unable to surpass 16 points in any of their last nine outings, a stark contrast to their previous successful season where they started off with a 13-0 record and an ACC championship.
On the other hand, Miami’s standout wide receiver Xavier Restrepo had a historic night as well, achieving a milestone by surpassing Michael Irvin and Reggie Wayne in career receptions and yards on the same 13-yard catch in the third quarter. Restrepo now holds 174 receptions and 2,427 receiving yards, placing him second and third respectively on Miami’s all-time lists.
The victory solidifies Miami’s position in the national rankings, poised to remain around the No. 6 mark. This season marks a significant moment as they seek to remain in the poll throughout, a feat they last accomplished in 2017, with only one other instance since 2005.
Looking ahead, Florida State will host North Carolina at home on Nov. 2, marking their first home game in nearly a month. Meanwhile, Miami will welcome back former coach Manny Diaz when they take on Duke on the same day.