Tyler Van Dyke fired a career-high five touchdown passes — three of them to Jacolby George — leading host Miami to a 48-33 win over No. 23 Texas A&M on Saturday afternoon.
Miami All-American safety Kamren Kinchens, who had one interception and a fumble recovery, was carted off the field on a stretcher with 1:58 left in the game after a big hit and airlifted to a nearby hospital.
Van Dyke completed 21 of 30 passes for 374 yards and no interceptions to lead Miami (2-0).
Brashard Smith added a 98-yard kickoff return for Miami, and Xavier Restrepo had six receptions for 126 yards.
The Aggies (1-1) were led by their special teams, quarterback Casey Weigman and running back Amari Daniels.
On specials, Texas A&M blocked a kick and recovered a fumbled punt, leading to two touchdowns. Weigman completed 31 of 53 passes for 336 yards and two touchdowns, although he suffered the first two interceptions of his career. Daniels, a Miami native, rushed for 62 yards and one touchdown. But he lost a fumble that led to a Miami touchdown.
Texas A&M led 10-0 early in the first quarter on Weigman’s 3-yard run and Randy Bond’s 24-yard field goal.
But the Hurricanes rallied to take a 21-17 lead at halftime.
One of Miami’s biggest plays of the first half came when Van Dyke floated a deep 52-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Horton down the left sideline, cutting the Hurricanes’ deficit to 17-14.
After two missed field goals — Miami from 54 and Texas A&M from 42 — the Hurricanes got the ball with 53 seconds left in the half and ended up with Van Dyke’s 11-yard TD pass to George. That capped a six-play, 75-yard drive.
Bond’s 28-yard field goal on the first possession of the second half cut Miami’s lead to 21-20. Just before the field goal, the Aggies were going to go for it on fourth-and-one, but a false start changed the plan.
On the ensuing kickoff, Smith went untouched to give Miami a 28-20 lead. Restrepo had the play’s final big block, on Bond.
Weigman got picked off when Ainias Smith slipped, and the throw went right to Kinchens. That ended a no-pick streak of 179 attempts, and it led to Andres Borregales’ 34-yard field goal.
But on third-and-one from Miami’s 19-yard line, Weigman tossed a play-action TD pass to Earnest Crownover. The Aggies went for two, but a fumbled snap led to an incomplete pass, and the score held at 31-26.
In the fourth quarter, Miami cornerback Jaden Davis forced the fumble on Daniels, recovered by Kinchens. That led to Van Dyke’s 3-yard TD pass to George for a 38-26 lead with 12:37 left.
Borregales gave Miami a 41-26 lead by drilling a 50-yard field goal with. 6:28 remaining.
Texas A&M responded with Weigman — who took a big hit on the play — flipping a 9-yard TD pass to Noah Thomas, cutting Miami’s lead to 41-33 with 5:02 left.
Miami put the game away on Van Dyke’s 64-yard TD pass to George for a 48-33 lead with 2:36 left.
–Field Level Media