No. 7 Miami hosts Florida A&M tonight in a home opener that projects to be more of a tuneup than anything else.
On one sideline there will be a Hurricanes team that comes in after Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney shredded Stanford last week. On the other sideline there will be a Rattlers squad that is 1-1, on a short week, and without starting QB Isaiah Knowles.
Here are three bold predictions for the game.
1. Toney, Mensah and Fletcher all cash in on the same night
Malachi Toney is coming off of 234 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 12 catches at Stanford. Florida A&M just allowed 479 yards to South Carolina State and is replacing its starting quarterback on four days of rest. That combination is perfect for dominant showing.
Darian Mensah might not have a ton of volume tonight, but he should still throw four or more touchdowns without an interception. FAMU's pass defense is not built to handle Miami.
Mark Fletcher Jr. managed only 40 rushing yards on 13 carries against Stanford. This will also be the game to clean that up. Expect Fletcher to push past 100 rushing yards as Miami leans on the run once the game is out of reach.
2. Miami matches or tops the series high of 70 from 2016
The Hurricanes put 70 on Florida A&M in 2016, scoring a school-record 42 points in the third quarter. That remains the high-water mark in an 11-game Miami winning streak that has produced scores of 63, 57, 56, 51, 49, 49 and 48.
This roster is more explosive than most of those teams. A 70-point night is not a stretch, especially with the way this series has gone as of late.
3. FAMU does not score an offensive touchdown, and Miami records five or more sacks
Florida A&M's only touchdown against South Carolina State came on Justin Bostic's 80-yard interception return. The Rattlers rushed for minus-1 yard and finished with 161 total yards. QB Dustin Fletcher was efficient in relief at 6 of 8 for 68 yards, but he did that against a MEAC defense, not a front that just held Stanford to two field goals.
Miami has not allowed more than 14 points to an FCS team since beating these same Rattlers 48-16 back in 2009. The last two meetings ended 70-3 and 56-9, with FAMU kicking field goals and failing to reach the end zone on offense in 2024.
FAMU also allowed five sacks last week. Miami's defensive line is far better than what South Carolina State has and the Canes will show that tonight.
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