Canes' Big 2nd Qtr Puts Game Away Early
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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Malik Rosier passed for 217 yards and three touchdowns in his debut as Miami's full-time starting quarterback, Mark Walton ran for 148 yards and two touchdowns and the 18th-ranked Hurricanes beat Bethune-Cookman 41-13 on Saturday.
Rosier completed 17 of 28 passes for Miami (1-0), which scored on five of its first six possessions. He spread the ball to nine different receivers and went 12-for-14 in one stretch in his first start since Oct. 31, 2015.
Braxton Berrios, Lawrence Cager and Darrell Langham had touchdown catches for Miami.
Larry Brihm completed 22 of 35 passes for 212 yards for Bethune-Cookman, which got a field goal on the game's opening drive and found itself in a 3-3 tie after one quarter.
Miami put the game away with three touchdowns in an eight-minute span of the second quarter, all of them five-yarders — Walton went airborne for the first Hurricane TD of the season, Cager's scoring grab capped an eight-play, 92-yard drive and Langham's catch was the topper to a four-play, 78-yard jaunt that made it 24-3.
In two career starts, Rosier is 37 for 57 for 489 yards and five touchdowns. He won the job in camp, filling the role vacated when Miami career yardage leader Brad Kaaya decided to skip his senior season and turn pro.
THE TAKEAWAY
Bethune-Cookman: QB Akevious Williams, the presumed starter coming into Week 1, did not play because of an academic issue. He is expected to play next week. ... Michael Jones' TD on a 1-yard plunge midway through the third quarter came in his first game since 2015. He missed last season with an injury. ... WR Jawill Davis, a Miami native, caught five passes for 48 yards. He's now caught a pass in 22 straight games.
Miami: The Hurricanes have now won six straight games going back to last season. ... Walton has now scored in all three of his season-opening games at Miami. He needed 16 carries for the second-highest rushing total of his career, topped only by a 155-yard effort against Florida Atlantic last season. ... The Hurricanes tied a school record by winning their 11th consecutive home opener, something last done from 1986 through 1996.
MUSICAL STYLINGS
The game featured a Tupac and a Shakur, and a full Jackson Five — and even more musical themes. Bethune-Cookman had a running back named Tupac Isme, a wideout named Shakur Nesmith and a lineman named Montel Jordan (with apologies to the Montell Jordan of "This Is How We Do It" fame). Miami had a Michael Jackson, Joe Jackson and Demetrius Jackson, to go along with Bethune's Cedric Jackson and Dajuan Jackson.
FATHERS AND SONS
Two players with Hurricane DNA got their first notations on the Miami stat sheets. Tight end Michael Irvin II, the son of the Pro Football Hall of Famer, made the first catch of his Miami career. And freshman Zach Feagles, the son of longtime NFL punter and 'Canes great Jeff Feagles, made his debut with a 51-yard punt in the third quarter.
UP NEXT
Bethune-Cookman: The Wildcats visit Southeast Louisiana next Saturday.
Miami: The Hurricanes go to Arkansas State next Saturday.
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