The Miami Hurricanes bounced back from their disappointing loss to SMU with a four-touchdown win over a struggling Syracuse team, keeping their playoff hopes alive. Miami needed the win, and ultimately got the victory. Here are five things we learned from Saturday evening’s win:
### 1. The Offense Started Poorly
Hurricanes fans were getting restless in the first half as Miami’s first four drives ended in punts. UM did not get on the board through the first 27 minutes of the game against a defense that has been one of the worst in the Power 4. Several things tripped the Hurricanes up. A potential big play was batted down at the line, and UM made mistakes like dropped passes that caused drives to stall.
As halftime neared, Miami’s offense was clearly struggling. It was a bad look for an offense that was hovering just above 50th in the nation. Going forward, the Hurricanes will need to put pressure on teams early.
“I thought the players attacked the opportunities with a lot of energy and I think after some moments of struggling, we finally just cut it loose,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “I think it’s that simple. We called it more freely, played more freely. We just cut it loose and stopped worrying about the outcome and started focusing more on the process.”
### 2. But It Ultimately Showed Up
After a slow first half, UM started putting up points. Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson reached into his bag of tricks, pulling new plays out including running wide receiver Malachi Toney as a Wildcat quarterback. Toney threw a touchdown pass to quarterback Carson Beck, and Beck tossed a backwards pass to offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa for a touchdown.
The Hurricanes ended the game with 385 total yards, a bit below their season average. They scored 31 points and put the game out of reach by the start of the fourth quarter. UM also got a spark on offense from freshman running back Girard Pringle Jr., who averaged 7.9 yards per carry and scored his fourth touchdown of the season.
“Great eyes. He sees it really well,” Cristobal said. “Very explosive—you saw that. He has a different gear as well.”
### 3. Defense Wins Games
While Miami’s offense struggled early, the defense dominated. Syracuse’s offense was not the toughest test Miami’s defense has faced, but the Hurricanes aced it all the same. Miami held Syracuse scoreless until the third quarter and constantly caused havoc.
UM finished the game with a season-high three sacks and 11 tackles for loss. Miami also had three takeaways: two interceptions including a pick-six by Keionte Scott, and a fumble recovery.
“At the end of the day, if the opponent doesn’t score, they don’t win,” defensive end Akheem Mesidor said. “That’s the mindset.”
The one blemish on the defense’s record was the run defense. Syracuse rushed for 161 yards, or 214 yards when adjusted for sack yardage. It was UM’s worst performance against the run this season.
### 4. Penalties Cleaned Up
The Hurricanes have battled penalty issues all season, but fouls were not a big problem during this game. Miami finished with five penalties for 54 yards, which, while not excellent, was better than the eight penalties for more than 60 yards they were averaging entering the game.
“I think when all three facets of the game—special teams, defense, offense—are working hand in hand, it creates those types of clean games,” Beck said. “You eliminate the penalties, you eliminate the turnovers, and usually you have efficient plays that move in a positive direction, which ultimately leads to wins.”
Importantly, the offensive line cleaned up its penalties. That unit did not have a single penalty called against it Saturday after committing five pre-snap penalties in the loss to SMU.
### 5. Akheem Mesidor Dominates
UM defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. has earned much attention for his excellent season, and rightfully so. But Bain’s counterpart on the opposite end of the defensive line deserves just as much recognition. Mesidor has been outstanding this season, and he had one of his best games as a Hurricane.
Mesidor finished with five tackles, a team-leading 3.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. Pro Football Focus gave Mesidor a team-best defensive grade of 87 for this game. His season defensive grade is 90.3, ranking 19th nationally among defensive players with 200 or more snaps.
“As a defensive lineman, the best thing for me is getting sacks,” Mesidor said. “So to be able to do that and then have defensive line coach Jason Taylor come out and celebrate with me is amazing.”
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The Hurricanes showcased resilience and growth in their win over Syracuse. If they build on these performances, especially enhancing their offensive starts and shoring up run defense, Miami’s playoff hopes remain very much alive.
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/11/09/five-things-we-learned-in-miami-hurricanes-needed-win-over-syracuse/