Miami Hurricanes Terminate Temple Owls, 41-7
Article photo of Miami Hurricanes running back Henry Parrish, Jr.; credit to © Andy Lewis-USA TODAY Sports
The Miami Hurricanes got off to a head start against Temple, scoring on their first drive via a seven-yard reception by Xavier Restrepo. That put the Hurricanes up 7-0, and they never looked back. Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke added to his touchdown total, throwing 3 scores on top of his scoring pass to Restrepo.
While the Owls put up respectable numbers, and even reached the endzone to close the first half, this one was all Miami all the way. The 'Canes put up 41 points in their fourth straight victory of 2023, this "W" comes thanks in large part to their defense, who held the Owls 11 yards rushing and just seven points.
In a game where the Hurricanes needed to prove the strength of their defense and their run game, they did both. Not only did Miami stifle Temple's rushing attack entirely, but the Hurricane backs combined for 323 yards averaging 7.7 yards per carry. Junior ball carrier Henry Parrish Jr. did the most of the heavy lifting, recording 139 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with a left arm injury.
Even Van Dyke did a little work on the ground, picking up 39 yards between two scrambles. As usual, though, the 'Canes field general did most of his damage through the air connecting with his receivers for 220 yards and three touchdowns before handing over the reins to freshman Emory Williams, who saw significant snaps for the second time this year.
The Miami defense put up their best performance of 2023, holding the Owls to 253 yards and snatching three turnovers. Defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III registered his first sack of the year and cornerback Te'Cory Couch came down with an interception to push the effort forward. The real stand out was senior corner and Fort Lauderdale native Jaden Davis, who was all over the field cleaning up with six solo tackles on the day. While the Hurricanes were without their preseason All-American safety Kam Kinchens, it looks like they'll be on solid footing until he returns.
At the end of the day, and no disrespect to the Owls, it's still just Temple. The 'Canes will face top-25 ranked North Carolina on the road in three weeks, which should be the first big game of their ACC season. For now, head coach Mario Cristobal and his team will have a bye to rest, recover, and reload for their conference opener with Georgia Tech in Week 6.
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