Game Day Notes: Miami Hurricanes vs. USF ... how to watch, start time, game notes & more

NO. 5/6 MIAMI HURRICANES (2-0) VS. NO. 18/23 USF (2-0)

Date: Saturday, September 13, 2025
Time: 4:30 p.m.
Location: Miami Gardens, Fla.
Stadium: Hard Rock Stadium (64,767)
Series History: Miami leads, 5-1
Miami / Miami Gardens: Miami leads, 2-1
Tampa: Miami leads, 4-0
Neutral Site: N/A
Last Meeting: Miami won, 50-15 (Sept. 21, 2024)
Television: The CW
Talent: Thom Brennaman (pxp), Will Blackmon (color),
Wes Bryant (sideline)
Radio: 104.3 WQAM
Talent: Joe Zagacki, Don Bailey, Jr., Josh Darrow
Spanish Radio: Radio Libre 790 AM
Talent: Alfredo Alvarez, Joe Martinez

MIAMI GAME NOTES

QUICK HITS

• The Miami Hurricanes continue their fourth season under the direction of head coach Mario Cristobal on Sat., Sept. 13 at Hard Rock Stadium against USF. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m.

• Miami posted its first 10-win season since 2017 and only its second 10-win season in the last 20 years in 2024. The Hurricanes also finished the season undefeated at home for the first time since 2002 (6-0).

• The Hurricanes are coming off a 45-3 win over Bethune-Cookman on Sept. 6 to improve to 2-0 for the fourth straight season. QB Carson Beck threw for 267 yards and two touchdowns in the victory.

• The Hurricanes opened 2025 with a thrilling 27-24 win over #6/#6 Notre Dame in their season opener on Aug. 31. A sold-out crowd saw Miami earn its first top-10 win since a 2017 victory, also over the Irish.

• Miami topped USF, 50-15, in the 2024 matchup between the two teams in Tampa, Fla., on Sept. 21.

NOTABLE

• #5/#6 Miami continues its fourth season under head coach Mario Cristobal with a matchup against USF at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 13. Kickoff is set for 4:30 p.m. on The CW, 104.3 WQAM, Radio Libre 790 AM and WVUM 90.5 FM.

• The Hurricanes entered the season ranked in the top 10 of both the Associated Press and Coaches Polls, checking in at No. 10 in both rankings, and rose to No. 5 in the AP and No. 7 in the Coaches Poll after a 27-24 win over Notre Dame in their opener. Following its win over Bethune-Cookman, Miami moved up one spot to No. 6 by coaches and stayed put in the AP.

• Among UM’s top newcomers is QB Carson Beck, who arrived from Georgia via transfer portal. Beck, who missed spring practices while recovering from UCL surgery, has a 26-3 (.896) record as a starting FBS quarterback, the best of any active player (minimum five games). THE MATCHUP

• #5/#6 Miami continues the 2025 football season at Hard Rock Stadium vs. #18/#23 USF on Saturday, Sept. 13. Kickoff is slated for 4:30 p.m. on The CW, with radio broadcasts set for 104.3 WQAM, Radio Libre 790 AM & WVUM 90.5 FM.

• The Hurricanes carry a 6-1 record all-time vs the Bulls into Saturday’s matchup in Miami Gardens. USF is off to a 2-0 start, posting ranked wins in its first two games over then-No. 25 Boise State, 34-7, on Aug. 28 and then-No. 13 Florida, 18-16, on the road on Sept. 6. The Bulls made the top 25 of both polls released on Sept. 7.

• Last year, then-No. 8 Miami topped USF, 50-15, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa on Sept. 21, 2024. It was the first matchup between the two programs since 2013.

A LOOK BACK: MIAMI TOPS WILDCATS IN WEEK 2

• The No. 5/7 Miami Hurricanes topped visiting Bethune-Cookman, 45-3, in their second game of the season on Sept. 6. The win marked Miami’s eighth straight at home overall and their 27th straight win over an FCS opponent by more than 20 points – the longest such winning streak in the country.

• QB Carson Beck finished 22-for-24 for 267 yards and two touchdowns, both to WR CJ Daniels. The performance marked Beck’s 14th career outing with multiple touchdowns and zero interceptions – the second-most of any active player in FBS, trailing only Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia, who has 19.

• Daniels became the first Hurricane since at least the year 2000 to record three receiving touchdowns in his first two games at Miami. WR Malachi Toney led Miami in receptions (6) and yards (80) for the second straight week.

• Beck completed 15 passes in the game vs. the Wildcats, setting a new single-game record in the process. The previous mark was held by Vinny Testaverde, who completed 14 straight passes vs. Oklahoma in 1986. Beck has gone 185 consecutive passes without an interception – the third-longest active streak among FBS quarterbacks.

• Defensively, the Hurricanes were led by DB Keionte Scott, who had three tackles for loss, DL Rueben Bain, Jr., who had a forced fumble and a sack, and DB Bryce Fitzgerald, who recorded the first interception of his career.

CANES RISE TO #5/#6 IN THE WEEK THREE POLLS

• The Hurricanes jumped to #6 in the US LBM Coaches Poll released on Sunday, Sept. 7 and stayed put at their previous ranking of No. 5 in the Associated Press poll.

• Following its impressive victory over the Fighting Irish on Aug. 31, UM rose to No. 5 in the Associated Press poll and No. 7 in the Coaches Poll released on Tuesday, Sept. 2. Miami was ranked No. 10 in both preseason polls.

• The Hurricanes opened the 2024 season at No. 19 in the poll and found their name in every top 25 ranking of the season. The Hurricanes reached as high as No. 4 (after improving to 9-0 to start the year) and ended No. 18 in the final poll, its highest final ranking since being ranked No. 13 to end 2017. Mario Cristobal’s highest-ranked finish as a head coach came in the final 2019 polls, when Oregon was No. 5/5.

• The Hurricanes were not ranked in the 2023 preseason polls, but were ranked in the 2022 preseason polls in Cristobal’s first year as head coach, checking in at No. 16 in that year’s coaches poll and No. 17 in the AP top 25.

FOLLOW THE BLUEPRINT: MILESTONES HIT IN 2024

• Miami reached a number of notable milestones in 2024, its third season under Mario Cristobal. The Hurricanes managed only the second 10-win season in the last 20 years at Miami (2017), finished undefeated at home for the first time since 2002 and ended the season inside the Associated Press Top 20 at No. 18 – only its second finish that high since 2005.

• The Hurricanes had 10 NFL Combine invites and its seven NFL Draft picks ranked sixth-most nationally. The Hurricanes had just one NFL Draft pick in the draft prior to Cristobal taking the helm, in 2022 – and it came in the seventh round (Jon Ford, Green Bay Packers).

• Miami won the unofficial “state championship” by beating Florida, FSU and USF in the same year last season.

• QB Cam Ward, the winner of the Davey O’Brien Award and Manning Award as the nation’s top quarterback, was selected with the No. 1 overall pick by the Tennessee Titans – it was the third No. 1 overall pick in program history.

• The Hurricanes, who led the nation in yards per game and points per game, were one of just three teams in the nation to have a 4,000 yard passer (Cam Ward), a 1,000-yard rusher (Damien Martinez) and a 1,000-yard receiver (Xavier Restrepo). The other two teams were Ohio State and Syracuse.

MIAMI MAKES IT FOUR STRAIGHT YEARS OF 2-0

• With a 45-3 win over Bethune-Cookman last time out, the Hurricanes opened the season with a 2-0 start for the fourth straight year – something it has not done since a four-season span from 2001 to 2004 (2022-2025).

CANES LEAD THE NATION IN FG PCT. SINCE 2020

• The Hurricanes have been the most accurate field-goal kicking team in the country over the last six seasons. Miami has made 87.5 percent of its field goal attempts since 2020 (98/112), including a 3-for-3 start to 2025.

TONEY MAKING NAME FOR HIMSELF AS FRESHMAN

• Since at least 2008, no freshman (redshirt or otherwise) in all of FBS had ever led his team in the first two games of the season in both catches and yards until WR Malachi Toney did so for Miami against both Notre Dame (6 catches, 82 yards) and Bethune-Cookman (6 catches, 80 yards) in 2025.

• Toney became the only Hurricane in the last 30 seasons to have at least six catches, 80 receiving yards and a receiving touchdown in his college debut. He was named 247Sports National True Freshman of the Week for his performance against the Fighting Irish.

MESIDOR 2ND IN CAREER SACKS IN ALL OF FBS

• A key member of Miami’s defensive line who has been stellar through the first two games of the season, veteran edge rusher Akheem Mesidor is second in all of FBS with 24.5 sacks over the course of his career.

• Now in his sixth year, Mesidor spent the first two seasons of his career (2020-21) at West Virginia before transferring to Miami. He is one of just three players with more than 20 career sacks at the FBS level, joining Trey Moore of Texas (27.5) and Mikail Kamara of Indiana (22.5).

HOME WINNING STREAK AMONG TOPS IN NATION

• The Miami Hurricanes opened their 18th season at world-class Hard Rock Stadium on Aug. 31 vs. Notre Dame; with its win over the Irish, UM holds a 18-0 all-time mark in home openers at the stadium, having outscored opponents 810-155 for an average margin of victory of 36.4 points in those 18 home openers since 2008.

• The Hurricanes have won eight straight home games dating back to Sept. 7, 2024 – a stretch that encapsulated the entirety of 2024. Miami’s eight-game winning streak is tied for the ninth-longest streak nationally and represents its longest run of consecutive home wins since Miami won nine straight from 11/05/2016 – 11/18/2017.

• With a win on Sept. 6, UM started the season 2-0 at home for the 13th time in the last 14 seasons (since 2012).

• The Hurricanes have not lost a home opener since 2006, when they fell to Florida State 13-10 at the Orange Bowl on Sept. 4, 2006. Miami has won 19 straight home openers since – each one since 2007.

• In the modern era of Miami Hurricanes football (since 1979), UM has opened the season at home 20 times and is now 18-2 in those games. The Hurricanes are 35-12 in regular season openers dating to 1979.

NEW RECEIVER TRIO IMPRESSES IN EARLY GOING

• The Hurricanes lost their top-six pass-catchers by receptions from a season ago, when the Hurricanes had the No. 1 offense in the country. Miami’s three starting wide receivers were all making their debuts on Aug. 31 vs. Notre Dame: transfers CJ Daniels (LSU) and Keelan Marion (BYU) as well as true freshman Malachi Toney.

• The trio combined for 14 catches totaling 157 yards and two touchdowns in Miami’s 27-24 win. Toney was targeted 10 times – more than any other player – while both he and Daniels had touchdown catches.

• Daniels is one of only two active FBS players with 2,500 receiving yards (2,553) and 20 touchdowns (24) over their careers at the FBS level. The other is Arkansas State’s Corey Rucker (3,168, 25). Daniels’ eye-popping onehanded score vs. ND was named the Crunch Time Play of the Week by the Football Writers Association (FWAA).

• Daniels ranks third among all FBS players with 2,558 career receiving yards, trailing Rucker and Caullin Lacy of Louisville (2.787). There are only four players in FBS who have 2,500-or-more receiving yards.

BROWN ONE OF JUST 30 BACKS IN 1,100/15 CLUB

• Despite having two running backs – Mark Fletcher, Jr. and Jordan Lyle – that will play massive roles for Miami’s offense in 2025, Mario Cristobal went out and added one of the best players at the FCS level to the roster this offseason – former North Dakota State running back CharMar “Marty” Brown (pronounced like Shemar).

• Brown was one of 30 DI (FBS/FCS) players last season to record at least 1,100 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns last season, and is the only active underclassman among that group. He is a redshirt sophomore.

• Brown, the Jerry Rice Award winner as the top freshman player in Football Championship Division last season, was a member of the Stats Perform, FCS Football Central and Phil Steele FCS Freshman All-America teams. Brown won Missouri Valley Football Conference Newcomer of the Year and Freshman of the Year honors, becoming just the third Bison player and sixth in league history to sweep both awards.

• The Omaha, Neb., native led all FCS freshmen in rushing attempts (244), yards (1,181) and touchdowns (15) and became the first Bison tailback in seven years to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark. He is a 5-11, 220-pound back.

“HURRICANE” BAIN IS PFF’S TOP-GRADED P-4 DL

• One of the top performers in the nation in his first two years at Miami was DL Rueben Bain, Jr., who enjoyed a dominant rookie campaign that resulted in ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2023. That year, the 6-foot-3, 275-pound defensive lineman tallied 44 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks over 13 games, earning Freshman All-American honors. He was also selected to the All-ACC Third Team.

• The standout junior was named ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week after a dominant performance Aug. 31 against Notre Dame, where he recorded his first career interception, six tackles and a half tackle for loss.

• Through two weeks, Bain is graded as the No. 1 defensive lineman (either edge or tackle) by Pro Football Focus at the Power-4 level. He has a 94.7 defensive grade overall, 91.9 pass rushing grade (No. 2 in Power-4) and a 91.2 run defense grade (No. 3 in Power-4).

• Bain, who has 19.5 career TFLs, ranks No. 14 nationally among active players in TFL per game (0.81). He has been projected as a top-10 overall pick by multiple prognosticators in advance of the 2026 NFL Draft.

• Bain’s uncle, Tolbert Bain, lettered for the Hurricanes from 1984-1987. His older brother, Reggie, is an offensive line graduate assistant. The rising sophomore, who was named to the preseason watch lists for the Bednarik and Lombardi Awards, has a nickname “Hurricane Bain” – a writeup from the Miami Herald on the moniker is below:

• The “Hurricane” started swirling almost 30 years ago, years and years before Rueben Bain was even a thought in his father’s mind and long before the elite edge rusher was one of the crown jewels of the Miami Hurricanes. It all started, fittingly, at “Traz” Powell Stadium in Miami, where Rueben Bain Sr. — just like his son — played his home games and wreaked havoc as a two-way lineman for Carol City. Willie Wilcox, the stadium’s iconic public address announcer, gave him the nickname because of his physicality and tenacity, inspired by the story of wrongfully imprisoned boxer Rubin Carter. It turned out to be something like a premonition from Wilcox. After a solid career with the Chiefs, Bain Sr. graduated, played at Division II Morris Brown College in Atlanta, moved back to Florida, where he started a family. He had a few sons and gave one his own name, and, with it, his own nickname, once Bain Jr. started playing for Miami Central and Wilcox realized who he was. He became the latest in a long line of Bains to star athletically in Miami-Dade County, starting with grandfather Herman Bain, who was a three-sport star at Northwestern. It turns out, Wilcox had something like a premonition…he also embodied the nickname in a way not even his father could, with four state championships in four years, 58 1/2 sacks across his final two seasons at Central and finally a nod as the MaxPreps Florida Player of the Year on Tuesday.” -David Wilson, Miami Herald, December 2022.

THREE TRUE FRESHMEN MAKE DEBUTS VS. IRISH

• WR Malachi Toney, WR Joshua Moore and DB Bryce Fitzgerald made their collegiate debuts on August 31.