By Garin Turner
It’s been a crazy week five with a bunch of near upsets mixed in with an upset or two. The biggest one so far is the #25 Miami Hurricanes falling to Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders 45-31 at home.
The Blue Raiders (3-1) got out to a 17-3 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. After a 28-yard Zeke Rankin field goal field the Blue Raiders would get its first touchdown of the game on a Zaylin Wood 15-yard pick-six to put them up 10-0. After an Andres Borregales 39-yard field goal for the Hurricanes (2-2), the Blue Raiders would score its first offensive touchdown on a 71-yard pass from Chase Cunningham to DJ England-Chisolm.
Cunningham would score on a nine-yard run in the second quarter to bring the score to 24-3. Miami would finally score a touchdown with 1:20 left in the half when Tyler Van Dyke found Henry Parrish Jr. for six yards.
For the second half of the game, both teams would trade touchdowns. In the third, Middle Tennessee would score first on an Elijah Metcalf 69-yard TD reception. Miami responded with a one-yard score from Thaddius Franklin Jr. to bring the score to 31-17 Blue Raiders at the end of the third.
The fourth saw two scores in less than a minute into it. The Blue Raiders would strike first on a 98-yard TD pass to England-Chisolm. Key’Shawn Smith took the ensuing kickoff 91-yards for a Hurricane score.
Frank Peasant would score on a one-yard run for Middle Tennessee while Franklin Jr. also scored from a yard out for the Hurricanes for the final score of the game. The Blue Raiders were only 3/12 on third down but racked up 507 total yards compared to 367 for Miami. The three turnovers by Miami contributed to the stunning defeat.
Cunningham finished the day 16/25 for 408 yards and three touchdowns. Peasant rushed 19 times for 74 yards and a score. England-Chisolm both catches went for scores en route to 169 yards. Jaylin Lane added four receptions for 130 yards. Metcalf’s only catch was the 69-yard score.
In addition to the three turnovers, Middle Tennessee sacked the Miami QB four times including two by Yusif Ali.
Van Dyke had 138 yards passing for the Hurricanes. Backup QB Jake Garcia went 10/19 for 169 yards. Franklin Jr. had 15 carries for 36 yards and the two scores. Smith had four receptions for 81 yards to lead the Hurricanes in receiving yards.
Middle Tennessee is 3-0 all-time against the Hurricanes.
UP NEXT
Middle Tennessee State: They’ll host UTSA on Friday in the Conference USA opener for both teams.
Miami: The Hurricanes have a bye week. ACC play starts with a home Oct. 8 game against North Carolina.
