Miami crushes Temple to climb to 4-0 for first time since 10-0 start in 2017
The 20th-ranked University of Miami cruised to its fourth consecutive win Saturday at Temple for its first 4-0 start since 2017 to put the Hurricanes in early College Football Playoff conversation.
Hurricanes 41, Temple Owls 7, at a rainy and windy Lincoln Financial Field, for Miami’s first successful business trip of 2023.
In 2017, the Hurricanes started 10-0 and were ranked as high as No. 2 under Mark Richt, before losing their final three games, including the Capital One Orange Bowl. Miami, which enters its only open week of the season, has now scored at least 38 points in each of its first four games for the first time since 2002.
“We’re executing at a more consistent level at a higher clip,’’ said UM coach Mario Cristobal, who reiterated that the Hurricanes are focused on getting better. “I do believe the sky’s the limit for this offense and this scheme and the bye week is going to be really valuable. We need more guys to play winning football.’’
But Cristobal made it a point to add this: “I don’t think we’re anywhere, in our stages of development and growth as a program, in any way, shape or form ready to compare ourselves to any team in the past. We try to honor past teams by the way we play the game.”
UM quarterback Tyler Van Dyke was 17 of 24 (71 percent) for 220 yards and three touchdowns. He tied former UM national champion quarterback Craig Erickson with the 46th touchdown of his career for eighth place in Miami history.
Van Dyke was replaced by freshman Emory Williams at 8:24 of the final quarter.
The Canes also rushed for a season-high 323 yards, led by Henry Parrish’s career-high 139. Don Chaney Jr. added 61 rushing yards and Mark Fletcher Jr. had 51.
“I think the competition at running back really helps us,’’ Cristobal said. “You saw today: Don Chaney got the nod, but then Parrish got the hot hand. That competition is alive and well. It’s important for us to praise effort but reward performance.’’
Defensively, UM held the Owls to 279 yards — 268 passing and 11 rushing. Until the last 5 1/2 minutes, Temple had been outgained 290 to 1 on the ground. Miami forced three turnovers, two of them interceptions by Te’Cory Couch and a forced fumble by Thomas Gore.
The Hurricanes’ last trip to Temple was in 2005, and this one ended with a UM win for the 14th consecutive time. The announced crowd of 17,234, which clearly was smaller, seemed dominated by Miami fans.
Miami, which won its first coin toss of the season, deferred, then scored on four of its five drives in the first half — touchdowns on its first two, a field goal on its third and a touchdown on its fifth.
The Canes got on the scoreboard at 3:04 of the opening quarter on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Van Dyke to Xavier Restrepo to culminate a 13-play, 82-yard drive. It was Restrepo’s first touchdown of the season, and it included six rushes by Chaney Jr., a fourth-year sophomore who earned the first start of his career. Usual starter Parrish’s 17-yard run set up the touchdown, and he went on to score two touchdowns before leaving the game injured at 5:22 of the third quarter.
UM’s second touchdown came on a splendid catch by Colbie Young, who leaped sky-high in the end zone over Owls safety Tywan Francis at 12:11 of the second quarter. The touchdown came five plays after Couch intercepted E.J. Warner’s pass. The 80-yard drive included a 37-yard rush by Van Dyke.
“I felt slow,’’ said Van Dyke. “I saw nobody out there and just pulled it. I wish I could have gotten a little more out of that, but 37 yards isn’t too bad.’’
Added Van Dyke: “We’re clicking, definitely clicking right now and we’ve got to continue to do that in ACC play.’’
UM’s third drive ended in a 26-yard field goal by Andres Borregales to put the Canes up 17-0. Its third touchdown was a 13-yard run by Parrish, whose 139 yards came on 16 carries for an 8.7-yards-per carry average. Parrish opened the scoring in the second half on a 3-yard run to put UM up 31-7.
UM’s next touchdown culminated a 72-yard drive when Restrepo scored on a 17-yard pass from Van Dyke to put the Canes ahead 38-7 at 3:49 of the third. And a 39-yard field goal by Borregales early in the fourth quarter made it 41-7.
Temple finally got on the scoreboard with two seconds left in the half on a 9-yard pass from E.J. Warner to Reese Clark. Warner completed 22 of 39 passes for 240 yards and the touchdown, besides his two picks.
The Hurricanes will have next weekend off before opening their Atlantic Coast Conference schedule of eight consecutive ACC opponents against Georgia Tech on Oct. 7 back home at Hard Rock Stadium.
▪ Canes All-American safety Kamren Kinchens returned to the sideline Saturday for the first time since being hospitalized overnight two weeks ago after an intense tackle against Texas A&M. Like fellow Hurricanes Akheem Mesidor and Branson Deen, who also attended the game, Kinchens was not in uniform.
“It was nice for everybody,’’ Couch said of Kinchens’ trip with the team. “He’s a great guy on and off the field. Just him being around, smiling and helping guys, coaching guys up. Just having him around in general is a blessing for everybody.’’
This story was originally published September 23, 2023 at 6:58 PM.
