Tyler Van Dyke completed 10 of 11 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns in his first collegiate start, leading host Miami to a 69-0 win over Central Connecticut State on Saturday afternoon.
Cam’Ron Harris scored three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving), and Cody Brown added two rushing scores for Miami (2-2), which played without starting quarterback D’Eriq King (shoulder).
Van Dyke alternated series with true freshman Jake Garcia, who completed 11 of 14 passes for 147 yards and two touchdowns. Neither quarterback turned the ball over.
Neither quarterback had completed a college pass prior to this game, yet they participated in the third-largest margin of victory in program history.
In addition to playing without King, Miami suspended starting safety Gurvan Hall Jr. for this game. James Williams earned his first career start and had one interception in place of Hall.
The Hurricanes also benched center Corey Gaynor – who had made 27 consecutive starts — and played without injured starting left guard Jalen Rivers.
CCSU (1-3) was led by South Florida native Romelo Williams, who passed for 132 yards but was intercepted once.
Miami scored touchdowns on its first seven possessions to build a 49-0 halftime lead.
On his first drive, Van Dyke connected with Mike Harley for a 5-yard touchdown.
Miami made it 14-0 on Van Dyke’s bubble screen to Brashard Smith, who turned that into a 75-yard score.
The Hurricanes went up 21-0 on Brown’s 16-yard run.
Harris’ 51-yard untouched rumble made it 28-0, and Miami added two short touchdown runs by Brown (1 yard) and Harris (2 yards) to go up 42-0. Harris then took a swing pass 83 yards for a score, making it 49-0.
After the second-half kickoff was delayed for one hour due to lightning, Miami’s scoring pace slowed considerably.
However, three more freshmen got in the end zone in the second half. Romello Brinson made a one-handed catch under duress for a 17-yard TD; Jacolby George scored on a 44-yard bomb; and Thaddius Franklin Jr. ran 31 yards to the end zone.
CCSU had a shot to score with 7:21 left in the game, but Joe Zoppi was short on a 30-yard field goal. Miami ran out the clock from there.
–Field Level Media