☀️ Sunshine State Showdown ☀️ Miami Hurricanes vs. Florida Gators | Full Game Highlights

and this is what it looks like when deep rooted Rivals who infrequently meet up finally play a game with so much on the line the swamp is filled a sellout and it is roaring with energy as the canes are headed out there ready to take on this Challenge and if you spend a lot of time talking to those around the Miami program they know they have a roster capable of a very special season but the roar comes from the home fans they are stepping into it this year playing the hardest schedule in the country what do you say we do this here at the [Applause] swamp and Graham Merz will Trot on out for his second full year at Florida Merz quick to the outside to the very talented Trey Wilson the most explosive player on the Florida team by far third and five tap past Wilson struggling to find anything and how about that front of the canes as they come up with the big stop on third down empty look on second and eight Ward's going to run it himself and he's got a lot of room to just jog ahead and Coast out for another Kane's first down second and six Ward spins to hit his left looking for an opportunity directing traffic and what a catch an effort by Restrepo to come back to the ball and make that grab and move the chains again play action Ward with time now darts ahead gets free looks behind and strides clearly out of bounds just inside the 20yd line Ron Roberts one of the gritty Veterans of coaching War drifting back again floats it complete and into the end zone goes cam McCormick one of the great stories of college football his ninth year playing the game and he scores the opening touchdown for the kanes he's gone through injuries for years he kept on playing we will tell you the emotion behind the why of kamam McCormick in N9 years when we come back back on offense Florida MZ and Johnson in the back field here is MZ and connecting with DK out to the 35 and then he scores a touchdown to open things up Merz downfield back shoulder and gets it to Elijah Badger the transfer from Arizona [Applause] State oh and a great special teams that time that was Jim DK the wide receiver Gunner inside the five Ward quickly gets it out to a Royo and the very athletic tight end is able to turn the corner for a first down second and nine Ward you say he scrambles to throw throws against the graen and that ball is intercepted that was Shamar James coming up with the pick off oh that linebacker comes up with the interception in a huge huge momentum shifting play Early going the Gator's way now they get great field position what will they do with it second and seven fakes the bubble looks downfield doesn't have it there Merz decides to run and this time does lower the shoulder smart enough to move the chains game goes on acc official Marcus Woods is leading This Crew here's third and 10 Merz incomplete as he was looking for Aris Bingham on Third and 10 try to have fla's first points of the season and with that the Gators are on the board intended shallow receiver before it went into the hands of Shamar James there is Martinez and look at Martinez when he makes a decision to accelerate and then just steamrolls downfield as he went straight over DJ Douglas kind of sets this up Shamar James is mirroring him and I think number six for the Gators was surprised at how quickly number six for the canes that ball was a little shabow for Restrepo but he's a to haul it in and then dance his way for a first down it's part of the Dana holders coaching Tru first down Ward just relaxed and then slings it and it gets it to Restrepo again First Team all ACC Xavier Restrepo play action on first down with pressure one little move buys him time gets it complete and getting inside to the 10 yd line was Horton here's Warden third pressure off the edge as he gets a complete but taken down right at the line of scrimmage is martinz as that was pup Howard who came up big defensively [Applause] and he is as reliable as can be Johnson big hole Montrell Johnson for a first down on second and seven over the middle complete as he goes to Horton under center now here's Fletcher with a Blocker in front and Fletcher will take it right in right here it was a slow developing Run play coming around the other side with Sam Brown the transfer from Houston at wide receiver getting it changes everything and it galvanizes your team Merz on first down ball was batted down that was a deflected pass right in his face that time this thing away look at it take it back right now 41 Chase Smith Joyce boots it away as DK's driven all the way back to the 10 yd line but he splits Defenders and makes a good return of it out to the 29 Jim DK the transfer from Wisconsin 3 and 1/2 minutes until halftime they start on the ground with Johnson who turns the corner and here goes m trell Johnson hello swamp go ahead and let him hear it guards and tackles to get bigger bodies at the point of attack and Florida's leading rusher for the last two seasons the transfer from Louisiana monell Johnson shows you the speed this is a guy who had a knee procedure in cam Ward's mind you're thinking if we can get somewhere near the 35 yd line here we're in boris's range Ward gets it complete threw it behind a Royo but complete and now Miami all of a sudden second down and 10 Ward quick strike and into the end zone goes Xavier Restrepo how about that drive by the canes 24 yd touchdown they Buzz out it's jacem Jackson who also runs with with it it's Restrepo that runs inside wide open on the smash route two guys covering the same there was some hesitation and cam W does not need a big window to take advantage of that we saw coverage bus be a big issue for a very young and inexperienced Gator defense a year ago some untimely penalties and now that big coverage bus there that has really been the gator undoing in this first half here's Merz on the split Shadows of the field in midaf afternoon and he's taken down that was Kiki Maan NOA here's Ward good protection and he gets it on the inside to Restrepo who turns around spins free and gets all that extra yardage Xavier rreo one of the best around he knows right now there's no question going to number seven see what he can do after the catch Xavier Restrepo Miami opens up this second half gets right down to the floor to 29 yard line ward off play action it's going to check down underneath the Fletcher Fletcher look at him go inside the 10 and it's going to be first and goal kanes gets it out quick again here's Brown to the corner had a block down field for him and looked like his momentum was going to carry him in but Denon who just messed the last tackle able to make this one as you take a look at this from the progressive py line oh that's close that's really close the tail back as he goes up and tries to get over and it is a touchdown Mark Fletcher is in again his second of the day they're able to cap it off in the end we talked about in this running game there not a lot of mystery they just line up mono imano and just go right down the middle and now it's a third and 13 MERS steps up being pressured and being driven down and sacked as Simeon Barrow right on top of him he's throwing up against one of the best secondaries in the country at Notre Dame there's that sidearm as he goes to a Royo with blockers in front Elijah Royo and he could be a Breakout start sort of has that Jimmy grahames body to him a Royo there's ly as he will move the chains again third down and 10 Ward with time downfield and just Lofts it to Horton who secures it third down and 11 Ward able to spin free of cersi and then goes to the end zone and in the back of the end Zone it is jacobe George my oh my cam Wards having himself a day two yards before this puts Miami back on the board this could not have been a better week one start for the canes you can't look at Kentucky I mean they've beaten them three times in a row that's right here's MZ they go with the inside tunnel Wilson Wilson trying to weave his way along listen Wilson's their best playmaker by far but they just got to find a way to utilize has arrived to the stadium to get ready for that Prime Time game that Kirk and Chris will have tonight Merz he is torn down that was Tyler Baron the big transfer from Tennessee makes for a second and 17 they're going to run the ball with Johnson he is tackled for a loss he is brought down by Alon fourth down for MZ gets it out quickly and gets it complete for a first down that was well done to connect with the transfer Elijah Badger that was one of the matchups that all week long people pointed to as a distinct Advantage for Miami here's Merz he keeps it himself and slides down with a first down for Florida 10 play drive for Florida here trailing by four touchdowns Merz that ball is picked off it is pal on the return Mech pal still on his feet Mees Pow with the interception and the big return that forces Tryon web to finally tackle him and Graham MZ is still down after throwing that pass hoping Graham Merz is okay you see him wincing in pain after throwing this ball and getting rocked and Meese pal four years ago Mario chrisal said I wish the boralis family had even more children that one is off the mark one of the best kickers in the [Applause] country and lagway is taken down for a tackle for a loss by Tyler Baron the veteran played at Tennessee and then came over to Miami DJ lagway the true freshman quarterback getting playing time and there's his first completion of his college career as it goes to Trey Wilson is out fast and it just looks a little bit different you're right these are just things you can't coach he has that now Merz got injured earlier and with the score this way no matter it's good time for lagway as he connects with Wilson again I like the idea calling plays and it's easy slant completions sure says I miss Tim TBO second and nine short pitch Jackson with a nice run jacobe Jackson the jco transfer in 2023 lague steps up now he's going to have to run it and he's going to do so and get the first down and set up a first and goal [Applause] so web trying to spin his way in for a touchdown and it is a score for Florida over 2100 yds playing for Oregon State here's Ward scrambling around casually slings it downfield and gets it complete inside the 20 he is almost too relaxed Jesse it's unbelievable time again going to his left side aring it back to Elijah a Royo and this coaching staff is staying aggressive they're still letting Ward throw it down the field and how special a year could be with the talent as Bor Gallas will put it through he's going to be a guy if he can stay healthy if he can stay healthy he's going to be a guy right [Music] away was hit as he throws that time and it goes for an interception is they're trying to get their Center all the way outside to block Barrow and Jake Slaughter is not able to get there nice job by Barrow exploding out of his stance and getting penetration into the back field getting the hand up he forces the aent throw also a really nice catch by hard to imagine a better first game and Mario crystal ball has got to be very pleased not just with Cam Ward but his football team really in all three phases how down a good times staring down the CL some Hu