ORLANDO — Miami’s postseason sport ended the identical manner its common season did — with a wonderful offensive effort overshadowed by poor protection.
The No. 13 Hurricanes, with Heisman Trophy finalist Cam Ward main the way in which one final time, scored 41 factors. However the protection, lacking a number of key gamers and missing depth at key positions, surrendered 42 to No. 18 Iowa State as Miami misplaced the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Tenting World Stadium in Orlando. It’s UM’s sixth straight bowl loss.
“(I) really feel for guys like this, Jalen Rivers, guys who actually exhausted each ounce that they’ve had for the College of Miami,” Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal mentioned. “They’ve performed an important job this yr to find a option to win 10 video games. We fell quick in three (video games) in very shut video games. Upset that we couldn’t pull out a victory for them and the remainder of the blokes of their ultimate sport and the ultimate sport of the season, as properly, for the remainder of our gamers.”
Cristobal added: “It’s painful. It’s as painful because it will get.”
Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht orchestrated a game-winning drive within the sport’s ultimate minutes, ending the shootout with a 1-yard landing run on a fourth-and-goal play.
The sport began out within the worst attainable manner for the Hurricanes, with Zach Carpenter snapping the ball excessive. Iowa State recovered the fumble with gamers on the bench mocking UM quarterback Cam Ward along with his signature celebration. The Cyclones took benefit of the turnover and scored on a 9-yard landing go from Rocco Becht to tight finish Gabe Burkle.
Miami wanted one play to tie the sport up, as Damien Martinez broke off a 75-yard run on UM’s second play from scrimmage.
The offensive barrage continued, with Iowa State working again Carson Hansen scoring a 30-yard landing of his personal to place the Cyclones again forward 14-7 lower than midway into the primary quarter.
Ward and Jacolby George, who related for seven touchdowns within the common season, saved the landing parade going with a 4-yard landing go. The landing go was Ward’s 156th on the Division I stage, which is a brand new NCAA Division I report.
Neither group couldn’t get a cease, as Becht related with a wide-open Jaylin Noel for a 49-yard go to get right down to the half-yard line. The Cyclones scored one play afterward a dashing landing on Hansen’s second rating of the quarter.
With three of UM’s 4 beginning broad receivers lacking the sport after transferring or opting out, Miami wanted its underclassmen to step up. Freshman JoJo Dealer, who made his first profession begin, caught his first profession landing early within the second quarter: a 40-yard rating that bailed Miami out of a third-and-13.
Hansen scored his third landing of the sport with 10:43 left within the second quarter. As a substitute of working within the rating, he caught a 13-yard landing go from Becht to place Iowa State up 28-21.
Ward related with Elijah Arroyo for his third landing on his first 9 passes to maintain tempo with the Cyclones at 28 factors every.
Probably the most stunning a part of the second half was when the Hurricanes compelled the primary cease for the reason that opening drive with simply over eight minutes left within the second quarter, getting the ball again on the punt. Miami couldn’t make the most of the prospect to take its first lead; Mark Fletcher Jr. fumbled when combating for a primary down, and Iowa State scooped up the free ball.
After Miami obtained its second straight cease, the Hurricanes took their first lead of the sport on a 30-yard discipline aim by Andy Borregales with 16 seconds left within the first half.
UM’s protection got here out sturdy within the second half, forcing a cease. Fletcher scored a 1-yard landing to place the Hurricanes up by 10 factors. Iowa State countered with a brief landing go from Becht to Noel, chopping the deficit to a few factors.
It appeared Iowa State obtained a cease and would have an opportunity to take the lead again, however the Hurricanes faked a punt. Elija Lofton dashed 28 yards for the primary right down to maintain UM’s drive alive. The drive ended with a Borregales discipline aim, which gave the senior kicker the profession factors report at Miami.
5 takeaways
1. One final journey for Cam Ward
Ward placed on an astounding present for Miami followers this yr. He didn’t must play within the bowl sport, however he selected to anyway. He dazzled for one final time in a UM uniform, throwing for 190 yards and three touchdowns in a single half of play.
Cristobal didn’t clarify why Ward got here out of the sport after halftime.
“I feel all conferences with gamers and choices like that, we make them in personal and we maintain them in personal,” Cristobal mentioned. “So I’ll favor to not reply questions because it pertains to that. I do know he performed his greatest whereas he was in there.”
Ward had 4,313 yards and 39 landing passes, each of that are program information. He ended his one season at Miami with 305 complete completions.
2. Protection didn’t enhance
The Hurricanes’ protection was its downfall this season, and it didn’t enhance in a month of bowl practices. UM didn’t get a defensive cease on the Cyclones till their fifth drive.
Iowa State ended the sport with 415 complete yards, together with an 84-yard drive to attain the game-winning landing.
“While you have a look at sure features of our video games, there have been some points,” “Typically it’s communication and typically it’s alignment. Clearly, it’s nowhere close to the usual for us. Now once we go in there as a group in the midst of the sport, we don’t harp on that, we don’t blame. We simply go ahead. We attempt to make issues work. However yeah, there have been some points, and it’s not acceptable.”
3. Damien Martinez’s grown-man runs
Like Ward, Martinez got here to Coral Gables from the PAC-12 and had a robust season for Miami. He racked up 179 yards in Saturday’s sport, ending his season with 1,002 yards and 10 touchdowns.
4. JoJo Dealer is one to look at
Dealer, a Chaminade-Madonna alum, watched his former teammate Jeremiah Smith develop into a star at Ohio State. Dealer, a four-star prospect in his personal proper, had three catches for 30 yards through the common season.
Dealer made his first profession begin on Saturday. He caught his first profession landing and had 61 yards on three catches, displaying why he’s an early favourite to be a breakout participant for Miami in 2025.
5. A have a look at Emory Williams
Williams got here in for Ward within the second half however was not given the chance to do a ton on offense.
Miami primarily ran the ball within the second half. Williams ended the sport with 14 go makes an attempt, finishing 5 of them. He ended the sport with an interception.
If the Hurricanes don’t add a switch quarterback, Williams will possible be the starter in 2025. He has began two video games in his profession (as a consequence of Tyler Van Dyke’s harm woes in 2023) however performed in a single regular-season sport in 2024.
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