It is only a sample size of only three games for the Miami Hurricanes football program at this point.
Hurricanes are 1-2 after a 38-17 defeat to the Michigan St. Spartans in front of their home crowd.
Spartans remain unbeaten at 3-0 after Payton Thorne passed for 261 yards, four touchdowns, two of them to Jalen Nailor. Their best start since 2015.
Spartans outscored the Hurricanes 21-3 in the 4th quarter.
Miami’s 1991 national championship team — with coach Dennis Erickson, quarterback Gino Torretta and wide receiver Lamar Thomas to name a few — were recognized at halftime. The Hurricanes needed Dwyane Johnson, also known as the Rock, to run out the tunnel with Miami at halftime.
“At some point, you have to honor what the film says,” Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz said.
This was the Hurricanes’ worst home non-conference loss since a 31-6 defeat to East Carolina in 1996. The Hurricanes have trailed at halftime in five consecutive games going back to last season, their longest such streak since midway through the 2013 season.
Hurricanes committed four turnovers in the game.
D’Eriq King was 38 of 59 passing — both Miami school records — for 388 yards, with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Moreover fumbled the football ball once and lost another on a strip-sack in the fourth quarter.
King was taken off the field to the locker room for evaluation of possible injuries. He has become the offense for the Hurricanes. The rushing game accounted for 52 yards on the ground on 24 attempts. Spartans rushed for 193 yards.
“It comes down to turnovers and executions. I have to be better protecting the ball,” King said. “I think the run game was fine when we did run it, but we have to get better overall.”
Hurricanes wide receiver Charleston Rambo was eating out on the field. He tied a school record with 12 catches for Miami, good for 156 yards, and two touchdowns.
“It is there, but it is nothing right now,” Rambo said. “We took an “L,” so that doesn’t matter. Just be better next week, be better.”
Andres Borregales connected on a 55-yard field goal — tying the fourth-longest in school history in the fourth quarter, cutting the deficit to a touchdown. It was an impressive kick considering he missed a field goal in the second quarter.
The Spartans will not be under the radar after this week.
Michigan State was expected to be press far more than they were against Northwestern. Miami’s defensive front kept the Hurricanes in the game, but the Spartans rushing attack wore them down.
Kenneth Walker III rushed for 172 yards and caught a touchdown pass for the Spartans. Jayden Reed also had a scoring catch and a touchdown run for Michigan State.
The beat goes on.
Michigan State will host Nebraska next week.
Miami will host Central Connecticut next week.
Photo/KeithForde/Worldwidewest
