No. 7 Miami didn’t waste any time turning Thursday night into a runaway, scoring on its first 11 possessions aside from a kneel down and burying Florida A&M 77-7 at Hard Rock Stadium.
Darian Mensah and Luke Nickel combined to throw six touchdown passes, while Mark Fletcher Jr. and Javian Mallory each added two rushing scores as the Hurricanes reached the end zone 11 times in all. Miami led 49-0 at halftime and had stretched it to 77-0 by the end of the third quarter.
Mensah handled the first half and was almost flawless, finishing 14 of 15 for 252 yards and three touchdowns before sitting at halftime. Nickel picked up the second-half work and stayed perfect as well, going 8 of 8 for 144 yards and three more touchdowns in the third quarter. Dereon Coleman later took over with the backups.
Fletcher set the tone right away with a 46-yard run to open the scoring, then came back later in the first quarter with a 1-yard touchdown. He finished with 105 yards on seven carries. After that long burst, Mensah immediately connected with Joshua Moore for a 55-yard touchdown on the next drive, and Fletcher’s short score pushed the margin to 21-0 after one quarter.
The second quarter kept moving just as fast. Mensah hit Malachi Toney on the first play of the period for a 19-yard touchdown, Girard Pringle Jr. scored from 4 yards out, Cooper Barkate hauled in a 9-yard touchdown, and Mallory finished the half with an 11-yard run that sent Miami to the locker room up 49-0.
Once Nickel entered, the scoring barrage barely slowed. He needed only five plays to find Somourian Wingo for a 47-yard touchdown, then added scoring throws of 33 yards to Vandrevius Jacobs and 21 yards to Vance Spafford. Mallory capped the third quarter with a 52-yard touchdown run, pushing the Hurricanes to 77-0.
Florida A&M’s lone points came with less than seven minutes left. Coleman completed a 3-yard pass to Brennan Burton, who fumbled on contact from Caleb McKenzie. McKenzie recovered and returned it for a touchdown.
Miami finished 26 of 27 passing for 416 yards and six touchdowns with no interceptions, and the Hurricanes piled up a program-record 856 total yards. They never punted. Toney led the receivers with four catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.
Florida A&M was held to 107 total yards and four first downs. Dustin Fletcher and Armond Parker split time at quarterback, and the Rattlers punted through the first three quarters while going 1 of 13 on third down.
Miami visits Wake Forest on Sept. 18, while Florida A&M hosts Tennessee State on Sept. 19.
In Other News...
Miami Just Landed A Real Shot In A Five-Star Recruiting Fight
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Rossers itinerary begins at North Carolina from September 11-13, then moves through the rest of the group over the following weeks, so the Hurricanes will have to make the most of their window whenever their turn comes. With his background in high-level high school and international play, he already has the kind of profile that makes every visit matter, and Miamis shot here feels legitimate because this fight is still in the stage where presentation, fit and feel can carry real weight. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Fans Just Got An Intriguing Early Look At Freshman WR
Saturdays lopsided win over Florida A&M gave Miami fans a brief but enticing glimpse of what Somourian Wingo might eventually bring to the offense. The true freshman wide receiver made the most of his chances, finishing with two catches for 59 yards and a touchdown in the 77-7 rout, a debut that offered just enough to hint at why he arrived on campus with so much buzz.
Mario Cristobal came away impressed and said the staff plans to expand Wingos role, which is the part that will matter most as Miami keeps sorting out its receiver rotation. Wingo was a highly ranked recruit who drew interest from several major programs before choosing the Hurricanes, and early signs like this only sharpen the curiosity about how quickly he can become a real factor. [Read more 🡒]
Miami's Big Offseason Gamble Already Looks Very Different
Darian Mensahs move to Miami was always going to be one of the more watched offseason swings in the sport, and the first two weeks have only sharpened the attention around it. After transferring to the Hurricanes for the 2026 season amid a legal dispute with Duke over NIL agreements, Mensah has stepped in and looked every bit like the quarterback Miami hoped it was getting, completing 41 of 45 passes for 653 yards and eight touchdowns.
The backdrop to all of it is what made the deal so unusual in the first place. Mensahs transfer came with reported high NIL valuations and a settlement that cleared the way for him to play at Miami, turning a roster move into a national talking point long before he took a snap. For the Hurricanes, the on-field returns have arrived quickly, but the bigger story remains the business side that made this gamble possible. [Read more 🡒]