In a dominant display under the lights at Raymond James Stadium, Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward continued to strengthen his bid for the Heisman Trophy. Ward threw for over 400 yards and three touchdowns, helping Miami secure a commanding 50-15 victory over South Florida. Despite an early interception that bounced off a receiver's hands, Ward quickly rebounded, finishing with an impressive 24-of-34 completions for 404 yards. His resilience highlighted his star potential and underscored why he's already being considered a top prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft.
Miami, now 4-0 for the second consecutive season, showcased offensive dominance, accumulating 574 total yards. Ward opened the scoring with a six-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Horton, setting the tone for the night. By halftime, the Hurricanes had a narrow 22-15 lead after Ward connected with Samuel Brown for a 76-yard catch-and-run touchdown, followed by a two-point conversion to Damien Martinez.
The second half belonged entirely to Miami as they reeled off 36 unanswered points. Ward capped off his night with a five-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Restrepo, solidifying Miami's fourth win of the season. The Hurricanes’ defense also held strong, limiting USF’s offense to just 365 total yards while forcing two key interceptions. USF quarterback Byrum Brown managed a respectable 254 passing yards and added a receiving touchdown, but the Bulls couldn’t sustain momentum after the first half.
One standout moment for USF came from freshman kicker Nico Gramatica, who nailed a 58-yard field goal early in the game, marking the second-longest in program history. Wide receiver Sean Atkins also logged his fourth career 100-yard game, adding 11 catches for 125 yards. Despite those bright spots, the Bulls fell to 2-2 as they faced their second top-10 opponent in three weeks.
Miami fans are buzzing with excitement as Ward’s stellar play has the Hurricanes poised to make a deep run in ACC play. Ward, who transferred to Miami after previously declaring for the NFL draft, has found new life in Coral Gables. His decision to spend his final college season at Miami is already paying dividends, with NFL scouts projecting his stock to climb even higher by the 2025 draft.
For Miami, the victory sets the stage for their ACC opener against Virginia Tech next weekend, where Ward will continue to build on his Heisman campaign. Hurricanes fans are hoping that this is finally the year their team claims the ACC Championship for the first time since joining the conference in 2004.
On the other side, USF looks to regroup as they begin American Athletic Conference play at Tulane. For the Bulls, staying competitive against top-tier teams like Miami is a sign of potential, but finding consistency will be key moving forward.
With Cam Ward leading the charge, Miami's undefeated start and Ward’s Heisman potential make them a team to watch in college football this season. As Ward continues to pile up stats and highlight-reel moments, it’s clear the Hurricanes are on a mission to reclaim ACC glory.
