This past Saturday was a cornerstone in the history of the University of Miami football team. After coming off of a crushing loss in Week One to Louisiana State University (LSU) in Dallas, Texas, the Hurricanes were looking to bounce back in their Week Two home game against the Savannah State Tigers. The game was played at Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens and started at 6:00 p.m. under overcast skies. As dusk approached, the Canes dominated the field, finishing strong with a well-deserved victory by a score of 77-0.

Following their defeat against the LSU Tigers on the previous Sunday, the Canes came onto the field with a sense of vengeance. Determined to maintain the reputation they had worked so hard to create last season and put on a memorable performance for the fans, the Canes snapped their four-game losing streak. In doing so, they tied a school record of 77 points and maintained control of all aspects of the game. The team produced a total of 11 touchdowns through offensive and defensive means, never missing an opportunity to score.

“I was really excited to experience this first victory. I feel as though the team is stronger now than it has been in years, so I’m excited to see how the rest of the season plays out,” senior Sophie Sepheri said.

What made this game even more special was that Hurricane fans got to see a glimpse of the future. Once they were leading by a significant margin in the second quarter, Coach Mark Richt replaced senior quarterback Malik Rosier with upstart N’Kosi Perry, who is expected to take over as commander of the offense next season. Malik exited the game after tallying 21 points on the scoreboard, and set the stage for Perry to score an additional three touchdowns, all of which came before the fourth quarter. Following Perry’s impressive contribution, sophomore quarterback Cade Weldon entered the game and he too gave fans a glimpse of what is to come. Despite playing only a handful of snaps, he scored a touchdown of his own off of a 16-yard rush.

Further contributing to the night’s excitement and energy was the impressive run game that the Hurricanes displayed, totaling over 200 rushing yards.  The audience got to see young talent come out and play once freshman Lorenzo Lingard took over for junior Travis Homer and rushed for 84 yards on only four carries and simultaneously scored a pair of touchdowns.

”It was great to see the younger players get playing time of their own in the past game because, from this, they can gain experience and become further prepared for when their own times come,” senior Willie Cunningham said.

Ultimately, the team as a whole looked and performed remarkably well on Saturday night. Many hope to see a continuation in performance and success as the season unfolds, beginning with the upcoming game against the University of Toledo next Saturday at 12:00 p.m. Looking forward, the future of Hurricanes football seems to be bright and full of potential, leaving hope and high expectations for the organization itself and the fans alike.