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Updated: 8 hours 21 min ago
How to watch Thursday night’s Miami Dolphins-Buffalo Bills game
MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins fans are at the point where they get nervous about their ability to watch games that aren’t played on Sunday afternoons, such as Thursday night’s game against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium.
You become jittery about which app or streaming service you might have to purchase to watch a single game.
Well, don’t worry.
You can watch the game at 8:15 p.m. Thursday locally on regular TV — WFOR (Ch. 4/CBS) — if you live in Broward and Miami-Dade counties.
If you live in Palm Beach County, however, you’ll need to stream the game on Amazon Prime Video. According to their website, that could cost $14.99 a month after a 30-day free trial.
Either way, you won’t want to miss this pivotal AFC East battle.
The Dolphins and Bills both had to rally for Week 1 wins.
An 80-yard touchdown from star receiver Tyreek Hill sparked a comeback and the Dolphins stormed back for a 20-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday afternoon at Hard Rock.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen had three of his four touchdowns in the second half as Buffalo overcame a 14-point deficit to defeat the Arizona Cardinals, 34-28.
The Bills (1-0) have defeated the Dolphins (1-0) in 13 of their past 15 meetings.
Buffalo holds a 4-1 edge against Miami in the two-year Mike McDaniel-Tua Tagovailoa era. Bills quarterback Josh Allen is 11-2 against the Dolphins.
Unfortunately for the Dolphins, the night time kickoff means they won’t be able to take full advantage of the September heat and humidity edge they normally get at this time of year.
The last time the Dolphins beat Buffalo (21-19 in 2022), it was noon kickoff in September and the Bills wilted in the heat and humidity.
Dolphins Deep Dive: Dave Hyde, Chris Perkins break down Miami’s come-from-behind win over Jaguars and talk Tyreek Hill | VIDEO
In this Dolphins Deep Dive video, the South Florida Sun Sentinel’s Dave Hyde and Chris Perkins break down Miami’s come-from-behind victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars and discuss coach Mike McDaniel, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and receiver Tyreek Hill’s drama-filled day.
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His celebrating inside the stadium was tempered by his laying in handcuffs a few hours earlier outside it.
His speed in Sunday’s game-changing touchdown was juxtaposed with his being stopped for speeding by police on his drive to that game.
His answers about the Miami Dolphins’ 20-17 win against Jacksonville took a backseat to his question about being detained by police in the oddest season opener of them all:
“What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill?” he said.
What if he wasn’t famous? What if he wasn’t rich? What if teammates didn’t come to help support him as he lay on the ground in handcuffs — and, in the case of Calais Campbell, a former NFL Man of the Year, get handcuffed, too?
This isn’t to take sides. Hill has too much of a past regularly littered with everything from immature actions to violent decisions to blindly say he did nothing on the way from turning a speeding stop into his being handcuffed on a sidewalk a couple of hours before kickoff.
The optics are awful both ways. Miami-Dade police put the officer in question on administrative duties. It also is, “reviewing body camera footage,” it said in a statement, meaning visual proof of something is coming. That will settle a lot of questions.
Is this a black man being unfairly treated by police? Is this an arrest going too far like with white golfer Scottie Scheffler, who was stopped this summer driving into the PGA Championship golf course in Louisville, Kentucky?
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Or was this the latest in a pattern of Hill and legal issues? Allegedly injuring a woman in backyard football. Allegedly hitting a man at a boat dock. This list goes on.
There was just one side talking Sunday, too. Hill’s first words about what happened with police was to say, “I’ve been trying to figure that out, too. Right now I’m trying to put it all together.”
Why was he put in handcuffs?
“I have no idea, for real,’’ he said. “No idea. No idea, man. It’s crazy. No idea. I wasn’t disrespectful, because my mom didn’t raise me that way. Didn’t cuss. Didn’t do none of that. So like I said, I’m still trying to figure that out.”
Campbell’s words matter. He’s as respected as any NFL player and said the police’s actions with Hill were, “a bit extreme and definitely unnecessary.” Campbell got out of his car to “just try to deescalate the situation and I think the officer just – I don’t know why he felt the need to put me in handcuffs.”
The only part of Sunday that wasn’t a surprise was Hill being at the center of the Dolphins’ celebration. One play after safety Jevon Holland caused a Jacksonville fumble on what looked like a sure touchdown and would-be 24-7 lead late in the third quarter.
The next play, Hill was sprinting down the field with an 80-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins had renewed energy that carried the day.
Hill celebrated as only he could. He put his hands behind his back as if handcuffed. He turned to the crowd and bellowed some words. He’d go on to have a seven-catch, 130-yard day, but that play changed everything.
“I think from then on, we found something,’’ Tagovailoa said of the offense.
The Dolphins addressed some questions Sunday that have dogged them in recent years. They weren’t frontrunners. They toughed out a win. They overcame a 14-point deficit that coach Mike McDaniel said his previous two Dolphins teams wouldn’t.
But the question of the day came from the man in the spotlight: “What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill?”
How would he answer that?
“It’s hard,’’ he said. “I’m still trying to figure that out. It’s all across the world. You see it. I don’t want to bring race into it, but sometimes it gets kind of iffy when you do. What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill? Lord knows what that guy or guys would have done.
“I was just making sure that I was doing what my uncle always told me to do whenever you’re in a situation like that: just listen, put your hands on the steering wheel and just listen. You’ve got to be careful.”
Chris Perkins: Dolphins’ special teams do their (game-winning) thing in season-opening victory
MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders won’t be strutting around South Florida, sticking his chest out, telling everybody how clutch he’s been the past few years.
But he’d be justified if he opted for that type of behavior.
Sanders, who has kicked the Dolphins into the playoffs each of the past two years, hit a 52-yard field goal as time expired Sunday to deliver the Dolphins’ 20-17 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars in the season opener at Hard Rock Stadium.
Earlier in the game Sanders uncharacteristically hooked a 42-yard field goal attempt wide left. Way, way, way wide left.
“It was just good to get one back after the miss,” Sanders, in his typical humble fashion, said of the game winner.
Here’s the thing, though.
Sanders’ game-winner was just one of a few outstanding special teams plays by the Dolphins on Sunday.
“We don’t win that game without them,” coach Mike McDaniel said of his special teams.
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I’m a guy who likes to follow special teams.
I like talking to the special teams guys.
I like watching them in practice.
I like watching them in games.
So it made me happy to see Sanders, punter Jake Bailey, long snapper Blake Ferguson, safety Elijah Campbell and a host of others turn in strong performances.
While we’re at it, let’s also give credit to special teams coordinator Danny Crossman.
He had his guys playing at a high level in the opener.
Take Campbell as an example.
Campbell forced a fumble on a kickoff return right after wide receiver Tyreek Hill scored on that 80-yard touchdown reception that cut Dolphins’ deficit to 17-14.
The Dolphins didn’t recover the fumble, but the play kept crucial momentum going and seemed to contribute to the Jaguars’ second-half struggles.
On its ensuing possession, Jacksonville went for it on fourth-and-1 from its own 32-yard line. Running back Travis Etienne was stopped for a 2-yard loss.
“The strip,” Campbell said of his play on the kickoff, “it was just a ball player making plays, man.”
In reality, it was special teams making yet another big play.
It seemed as though everybody did something good.
Punter Jake Bailey was magical.
He had four punts for an average of 49.5 yards. He successfully flipped the field each time he put his foot on the ball.
His first punt went to the Jaguars’ 4-yard line.
His second punt traveled 57 yards to the Jags’ 12-yard line.
His third punt was a 51-yarder.
And his final punt nailed the Jags at their own 3-yard line.
His final act of the game?
Hugging Sanders.
“Anytime I’ve got a kicker that makes a game-winner, I’m giving him a hug,” Bailey said.
Long snapper Blake Ferguson, who was also flawless, sprinted downfield after Sanders’ kick sailed through the uprights and grabbed the ball.
He wasn’t sure of the ball’s exact location after the game.
“I got back in the locker room and Jason didn’t have it,” Ferguson said, “so I don’t know.”
Sanders, of course, made the game-winning 50-yard field goal with 18 seconds remaining in 2002 to deliver the Dolphins an 11-6 victory over the New York Jets that ended a five-game losing streak and secured their playoff berth.
Last season, it was Sanders who kicked five field goals, including the game-winning 29-yarder as time expired, to deliver a 22-20 victory that secured a playoff berth.
On a Dolphins team that’s headlined by big offensive plays, don’t sleep on special teams and its big plays.
Those big plays were essential to the victory on Sunday.
And considering it was Sanders who won the game, you could maintain special teams won the game for the Dolphins.
“I don’t want to say special teams won the game,” Campbell said. “It was an all around team win.”
But special teams played a huge role in the victory.
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Today in History: September 8, Ford pardons Nixon
Today is Sunday, Sept. 8, the 252nd day of 2024. There are 114 days left in the year.
Today in history:On Sept. 8, 1974, one month after taking office, President Gerald R. Ford granted a “full, free, and absolute pardon” to former President Richard Nixon for any crimes committed during Nixon’s presidency.
Also on this date:In 1504, Michelangelo’s towering marble statue of David was unveiled to the public in Florence, Italy.
In 1565, a Spanish expedition established the first permanent European settlement in North America at present-day St. Augustine, Florida.
In 1664, the Dutch surrendered New Amsterdam to the British, who renamed it New York.
In 1900, Galveston, Texas, was struck by a hurricane that killed an estimated 8,000 people; it remains the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history.
In 1935, Sen. Huey P. Long, D-La., was fatally shot in the Louisiana State Capitol building.
In 1941, the 900-day Siege of Leningrad by German forces began during World War II.
In 1951, a peace treaty with Japan was signed by 49 nations in San Francisco.
In 1964, public schools in Prince Edward County, Virginia, reopened after being closed for five years by officials attempting to prevent court-ordered racial desegregation.
In 1986, “The Oprah Winfrey Show” began the first of 25 seasons in national syndication.
In 2016, California and federal regulators fined Wells Fargo a combined $185 million, alleging the bank’s employees illegally opened millions of unauthorized accounts for their customers in order to meet aggressive sales goals.
In 2022, Queen Elizabeth II, who spent more than seven decades on the British throne, died at age 96; her 73-year-old son became King Charles III.
Today’s Birthdays:- Former Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., is 86.
- Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is 83.
- Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis is 74.
- Civil rights activist Ruby Bridges is 70.
- Author Terry Tempest Williams is 69.
- Basketball Hall of Famer Maurice Cheeks is 68.
- Actor Heather Thomas is 67.
- Singer Aimee Mann is 64.
- Actor Thomas Kretschmann is 62.
- Alternative country singer Neko (NEE’-koh) Case is 54.
- TV personality Brooke Burke is 53.
- Actor Martin Freeman is 53.
- Actor David Arquette is 53.
- TV-radio personality Kennedy is 52.
- Actor Larenz Tate is 49.
- Singer-songwriter Pink is 45.
- Actor Jonathan Taylor Thomas is 43.
- Rapper Wiz Khalifa is 37.
- MLB pitcher Gerrit Cole is 34.
- Actor Gaten Matarazzo (TV: “Stranger Things”) is 22.
Republicans at the Hard Rock: Raising money, rallying party faithful, bashing the Democrats
Florida Republicans are supremely confident about victory in November — and wary of the perils of overconfidence.
Party activists, candidates and elected officials who gathered Saturday in Hollywood for a major Republican Party of Florida fundraiser predicted widespread wins.
“If anybody thinks we’re going to lose, if anybody thinks in any way that Donald Trump is going to lose Florida, they’re crazy,” said U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla. “The turnout in Florida all across the state for Republicans is incredible. We’re going to have a great year.”
Scott, especially, hopes that’s the case. He’s up for reelection this year, and some public opinion polls have shown a close race.
(An Emerson College/The Hill poll on Friday showed Scott with 46% to 45% for his Democratic challenger, former Congresswoman Debbie Mucarsel-Powell.)
Attempting to keep party activists and donors motivated in the final stretch of the campaign season, speaker after speaker brought up a powerful motivator: the specter of Vice President Kamala Harris winning the presidency.
There was at least as much, if not more, condemnation of Harris as there was praise for the Republican nominee, former President Donald Trump.
“We have the most radical ticket on the Democrat side in my lifetime,” Scott declared. “She’s a complete socialist.”
State Attorney General Ashley Moody said “everyone’s heads are spinning” at the Harris candidacy.
“I have never seen a candidate running on such thin air, smoke and fumes,” she said. “There is no substance. No substance at all.”
Moody said Harris will offer a “word salad,” will “cackle,” and “will be who you want her to be, she will say what you want her to say” to win — and become different and dangerous if she is inaugurated president.
The Trump campaign dispatched Kimberly Guilfoyle as its surrogate to the event at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood.
Guilfoyle is a former Fox News personality, longtime fiancee of Donald Trump Jr., and host of a show on the right-wing video platform Rumble.
Guilfoyle warned about “America-last madness” and “extreme left-wing rule” from the Democrats.
“Americans today walk out their door in the morning with less money in their pocket, with less safety on their streets, less sanity in their schools and with less confidence that the country that we all love and hold dear to our hearts can reach its full potential,” she said. “Why? Because of Kamala Harris.”
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Guilfoyle asserted that the vice president’s “radicalism is all too real. Pay attention to it. And her obsessive, reckless pursuit of power at all costs would take this nation down the path it may never recover from…. But the good news is that Donald Trump, and the Republican Party, has a plan to get this country back on track.”
She later came back to more criticism of the Democratic nominee. “Kamala Harris wants Americans to feel like the enemy in their own country.”
Gov. Ron DeSantis, delivering the keynote address, said Florida during his time in office has “led the way” on issue after issue. “We have delivered over and over again.”
He touted more funding for schools, infrastructure and Everglades restoration. And he highlighted some of the culture war social issues that have been a hallmark of his administration.
“We believe schools should educate, not indoctrinate, our kids. It was wrong to try to jam gender ideology into elementary school classrooms. It’s wrong to distort history and try to make Founding Fathers villains,” he said.
And he proudly pointed to the tough response at Florida state universities to pro-Palestinian protests, which he called pro-Hamas. “We’re not going to let the inmates run the asylum. We’re going to have order in the court.”
“We said that Florida is where woke goes to die and I can report to you that the woke ideology is dead in the state of Florida,” he said.
DeSantis also repeated his strong opposition to two referendums on the November ballot that would legalize recreational marijuana for adults and enshrine abortion rights in the Florida Constitution.
Both would be “really bad for the state of Florida.”
Evan Power, chair of the state Republican Party said in an interview that party activists are “excited and fired up.”
Still, he said during his speech that the party faithful should not assume the results will go their way without work. “We take nothing for granted. We must run like we’re 10 points behind. There is no room for complacency in the Republican Party of Florida.”
One big advantage for Republicans, cited by DeSantis and several others on Saturday: the party’s 1 million advantage over the Democrats in registered voters. When DeSantis was elected governor and Scott was first elected to the Senate in 2018, Democrats had more registered voters than Republicans.
DeSantis said the elections can’t be taken for granted, “but with numbers like that, that’s a big layup for Republican candidates.”
State Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis attributed much of the change to people moving to Florida
“Never did I think Florida would be a solid red state,” Patronis siad. “The ones we’re getting are the ones we want. They’re fleeing the deep blue states. They’re fleeing the high-tax hellholes they’re coming from.”
Money is another Republican advantage. Power said the state Republican Party has outraised the Democrats 7:1.
Saturday night’s event may end up bringing in $1 million, he said. Making the night more profitable: the Hard Rock donated the event venue. Power thanked the Seminole Tribe of Florida more than once for its support, and Patronis thanked its leaders.
The donated venue wasn’t the only reason for holding the event in Broward, the most Democratic county in Florida. The state Republican Party, Power said, has lots of donors in the region.
Anthony Man can be reached at aman@sunsentinel.com and can be found @browardpolitics on Bluesky, Threads, Facebook and Mastodon.
Gators stomp Samford behind UF freshman QB DJ Lagway’s record-setting night
GAINESVILLE — Billy Napier could breathe a little easier following a rough week that culminated with a much-needed and morale-boosting 45-7 win against Samford on Saturday night in the Swamp.
Napier’s prospects still appear bleak at UF, which led just 14-0 at halftime against a 38.5-point underdog on the Gators’ home field. But Florida’s future is bright with true freshman quarterback DJ Lagway
The nation’s top quarterback recruit in 2024 replaced injured veteran Graham Mertz (concussion) during last week’s 41-17 season-opening no-show against resurgent Miami. This week Lagway took charge from the jump and set a UF true freshman record with 456 passing yards, the ninth-most ever at a school with three Heisman-winning signal-callers.
“It was different,” Lagway said. “I was really nervous. I’ve never been put in a situation like this before, but it was a blessing. I learned a lot.”
Florida quarterback DJ Lagway surveys the field during the Gators win against Samford Sept. 7 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)A statue might not be in his future. Lagway did, however, make a case for a much larger role, if not a starting one, when the Gators host Texas A&M (1-1) on Saturday to open SEC play.
“We have a good young quarterback,” Napier said. “And we have a incredible veteran quarterback as well.”
With a reported crowd of 89,295 looking on, UF (1-1) took care of business against Samford (0-2) behind the 19-year-old from Willis, Texas, to snap a six-game skid dating to an Oct. 28 loss to top-ranked Georgia.
Much more formidable opponents await following a one-week reprieve. But in Lagway, Gators may have found someone to help them navigate the nation’s toughest schedule.
A week after Florida did not complete a pass of even 20 yards, Lagway completed six throws longer than 35 yards.
“He brings a different element to our team,” Napier said.
Lagway’s personal favorite was a 36-yarder for his first career touchdown to true freshman speedster Tank Hawkins to give UF a 21-0 edge less than two minutes into the second half.
“That’s one of my best friends here,” Lagway said. “So it was a real moment to get our first touchdown together. That was pretty cool.”
Florida quarterback DJ Lagway warms up before the Gators’ 45-7 win against the Samford Bulldogs Sept. 7 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)After Samford cut the lead to 21-7, the Gators answered with a 41-yard strike from Lagway to sophomore Aidan Mizell of Orlando. Lagway moved to his right and jumped near the line of scrimmage as he threw a strike to a streaking Mizell blanketed by a Bulldogs defender.
Lagway set the tone with his second completion of the night, a 77-yard strike to Elijhah Badger. The Arizona State transfer caught the ball along the sideline after it traveled 50 yards in the air and then juked his way to the Samford 3 to set up a touchdown by Montrell Johnson Jr. for a 7-0 lead.
UF’s freshman QB finished 18 of 25 and three touchdowns as UF racked up 632 yards against the Bulldogs, who received $525,000 for their efforts. Badger’s 123 yards came on just three catches while Tre Wilson’s 141 yards on six grabs were a career high, highlighted by an 85-yard score following a Lagway shovel pass.
Lagway started 7 of 7 for 202 yards until an incompletion with 26 seconds to go in the first half. Two minutes earlier, Lagway absorbed a helmet-to-helmet hit from Samford linebacker Malik Gather. Lagway reached for his facemask as he tumbled to the ground. He soon gathered himself, returned and following halftime continued to put on a show.
A week after allowing 529 yards to Miami, UF’s defense held Samford to 205 yards.
Florida receiver Elijhah Badger hauls in a pass from DJ Lagway for a 77-yard gain for the Gators Sept. 7 against Samford in the Swamp. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)The performance was far from complete. The Gators turned the ball over on downs and fumbled at the goal line during two of their first three drives. Meanwhile, the defense committed two personal fouls on the Bulldogs’ scoring drive.
Napier will take it.
The Miami loss supercharged hot-seat chatter and feelings that the end is near just 27 games into his tenure in Gainesville. Napier’s off-the-cuff remark dismissing criticism from some guy “living in a basement in rural Central Florida” went over like a lead balloon.
But against Samford, a freshman quarterback rose to the occasion to give Gator Nation a reason to smile.
“It was awesome in there; we gave them a little bit more to cheer about,” Napier said. “That’s a good step in the right direction. We all understand the level of competition — better teams and better opponents are coming.”
Edgar Thompson can be reached at egthompson@orlandosentinel.com
UCF storms past Sam Houston St. to start season 2-0
In what is quickly becoming a familiar theme for UCF, the Knights relied on a dominant ground game and a stingy defense to manhandle visiting Sam Houston State 45-14 on Saturday night.
UCF (2-0, 0-0 Big 12) entered the game with the top rushing offense in the nation and looked the part against the Bearkats, running for 384 yards and 6 touchdowns.
“I’m really proud of our team,” said coach Gus Malzahn. “It was a convincing win against a quality opponent. It was a good measuring stick of where our guys are.”
RJ Harvey finished with a game-high 126 yards — his fourth straight 100-yard performance — and 4 rushing touchdowns. It was the first time the preseason Doak Walker Award candidate scored four rushing touchdowns in a game, and it tied a school record held by several players, including Isaiah Bowser against Bethune-Cookman on Sept. 11, 2021.
Eight of UCF’s 17 rushing attempts in the first quarter went for 10 yards or longer.
“We go at each other at every practice,” Harvey said. “We’re pushing each other hard every day. I’m so grateful for them because they push me and make me a better running back.”
The game started at 7:02 after a 30-minute lightning delay that cleared FBC Mortgage Stadium before warmups. Both teams took to the field at 6:10 to allow for a 50-minute warmup period after showers drenched the field.
Quarterback KJ Jefferson rebounded from a slow start last week against New Hampshire by completing seven of his first eight pass attempts, finishing 12 of 15 for 169 yards. The 6-4, 250-pound fifth-year senior also accounted for 50 rushing yards.
Receiver Kobe Hudson led all receivers with 104 yards on 5 catches, highlighted by a 53-yard catch in the second half. It was Hudson’s first 100-yard receiving game since totaling 138 yards against Kansas State on Sept. 23, 2023.
Sam Houston (1-1, 0-0 CUSA) relied on some trickery to get on the scoreboard when receiver Noah Smith took a pitch from quarterback Hunter Watson before lofting a perfect pass to a wide-open Simeon Evans, who raced 64 yards for a touchdown.
It was Smith’s third touchdown pass of his career and the first touchdown the Knights have allowed this season.
UCF amassed more than 500 yards of offense for the second consecutive game while holding Sam Houston to under 300 yards.
After registering two turnovers last week against New Hampshire, UCF’s defense forced two more against the Bearkats as safety Sheldon Arnold and cornerback Mac McWilliams intercepted passes by Watson.
UCF finds the right balance with helmet communication
The Knights have four interceptions through two games and didn’t have that many until Game 4 against Kansas State last season.
Defensive end Nyjalk Kelly secured the team’s first sack of the season when he brought down Watson in the second quarter.
“It felt good getting a sack after being injured last year and only playing in five games,” said Kelly, who finished with 6 tackles, “getting back out there with my teammates and the coaches believing in me.”
UCF improved to 2-0 to open a season for the second consecutive year, with the Knights winning five straight regular-season non-conference games.
UCF opens its Big 12 slate with a road trip to Fort Worth to face TCU on Saturday (7:30 p.m., FOX). The Knights were 1-4 on the road in their first season in the conference.
Matt Murschel can be reached at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com
Cam Ward, Tyler Baron lead No. 12 Hurricanes to rout of Florida A&M in home opener
MIAMI GARDENS — The No. 12 Hurricanes, riding high off the momentum from a Week 1 win over rival Florida, made a point not to overlook Florida A&M in their home opener.
Miami succeeded in that, getting out to a quick, multi-touchdown lead and never looking back. The Hurricanes (2-0) rolled to a 56-9 win over the Rattlers (2-1) at Hard Rock Stadium in their home opener on Saturday.
“The only thing that matters to us is if you get a win,” quarterback Cam Ward said. “If you get a win, then by all means, you had a good day. That’s the biggest thing.”
The Hurricanes did not need much time to get going. Linebacker Wesley Bissainthe tipped a third-down pass to himself and caught it as he kept himself in bounds, notching his first career interception. Two plays later, Ward connected with tight end Elijah Arroyo on a 17-yard touchdown pass.
Ward continued his hot start on Miami’s second drive, leading the Hurricanes 99 yards down the field and capping the drive with a 50-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Xavier Restrepo. Tight end Riley Williams scored a two-point conversion with a trick play.
“Cam’s a special player,” Restrepo said. “We all have built a really good relationship with Cam since the day he’s come in here, and we’re still building.”
Miami continued rolling into the second quarter, as Ward orchestrated another scoring drive. He completed it with a 9-yard touchdown pass to redshirt freshman running back Chris Johnson Jr. for a 9-yard score.
Florida A&M had some positive drives in the first half but could not convert them into touchdowns, settling for a pair of first-half field goals.
The Hurricanes picked up right where they left off in the second half, driving down the field for a seven-play, 75-yard series that ended with a 4-yard touchdown run by Mark Fletcher Jr. — his third score of the season. Miami kept it on the ground for their next drive, with running back Damien Martinez scoring his first touchdown at UM with a 33-yard score early in the third quarter.
Ward added another touchdown to his ledger late in the third quarter, scrambling from the 8-yard line and leaping over the goal line for his first rushing touchdown as a Hurricane.
Miami subbed in its second-string players late in the third quarter, and Jordan Lyle got his first career touchdown to close out the scoring in the Hurricanes’ home opener.
“We handled our business,” Cristobal said, “and lots of areas to get better at.”
Five takeaways 1. Cam Ward continues his hot startThe Hurricanes’ new quarterback, coming off an excellent game against Florida, continued his strong start to his season. Ward, who played the first half and most of the third quarter, finished the game with 20 completions on 26 attempts for 304 yards and three passing touchdowns. He also ran for a score.
Ward became the first Miami quarterback to throw for 600 or more yards in his first two games of a season since Jacory Harris accomplished that feat in 2009, according to AP.
“You can see what he brings to the table,” Cristobal said. “What’s he not done is kind of more the question now.”
2. Run game dominant in limited actionThe Hurricanes let Ward sling the ball around the field often, limiting the running backs’ chances to rack up yards.
Miami’s two primary running backs, Martinez and Fletcher, had 15 combined carries for 132 yards. Both scored touchdowns. Their limited carries was not because they were ineffective: They averaged 8.8 yards per attempt.
“It’s never a pre-set determination,” Cristobal said about the balance between the running and passing games. “Our coordinators, they put together good game plans, and when those guys get on a roll, you let them go.”
Lyle, Ajay Allen, Chris Johnson Jr. and Chris Wheatley-Humphrey also got carries, and Miami’s running backs ended the game with 199 rushing yards.
3. Restrepo continues shiningRestrepo, an All-ACC selection last year, continued his strong partnership with Ward. The veteran wide receiver had four catches for 104 yards, including a 50-yard touchdown reception.
Restrepo’s performance was his eighth career 100-yard game and his fifth straight game with 99 receiving yards or more, dating back to last season.
Restrepo also notched a career accomplishment, moving into 10th place on the Hurricanes’ all-time receiving yards leaderboard. He passed Andre Johnson and Allen Hurns on UM’s all-time list.
“It means a lot,” Restrepo said, “but honestly the only thing that matters right now is that we went 1-0 this week. And again, I’m just super excited to take the field with my guys every single week.”
4. Tyler Baron leads pass rushTyler Baron, playing his second game with the Hurricanes after transferring from Tennessee, was a dominant force on Miami’s defensive line.
The veteran defensive end notched three sacks in the Hurricanes’ win on Saturday, giving him four for the season. He had 3.5 tackles for loss, as well.
“He’s built like an Avatar,” Cristobal said. “He’s just explosive and one of the most natural feels for the game of anyone I’ve seen. He understands leverage, angles. He’s really smart, He’s locked in. He’s in tune with what’s going on. He’s always trying to figure out how to get better. He works hard. He’s tough. He checks all the boxes, and now he’s full-throttle.”
5. Young players get their snapsMiami rotated many of their new and young players into Saturday’s game, and they made an impact.
Markel Bell, a junior college arrival, started at left tackle for Jalen Rivers. Freshman five-star defensive lineman Justin Scott got his first career sack, and fellow five-star freshman Armondo Blount got his first career snaps.
St. Thomas Aquinas High alum Jordan Lyle scored his first career touchdown after making his college debut last week, and kicker Abram Murray made his debut with the extra point. Murray also kicked his first career field goal.
Freshmen linebackers Bobby Pruitt and Adarius Hayes both made their first career interceptions.
Freshman safety Zaquan Patterson and freshman defensive lineman Cole McConathy also made their first appearances on Miami’s defense. Wide receivers JoJo Trader and Ny Carr and offensive linemen Frankie Tinilau and Nino Francavilla made their UM debuts, as well. Carr and Trader each made their first career catches.
“There’s nothing like repetition,” Cristobal said. “Nothing. There’s nothing that you can do in practice, there’s nothing you can do in a meeting room or a walk-through that can ever replace the value of that. The value of those reps are tremendous.”
López triple shy of cycle as Marlins bounce back with 9-5 win over Phillies
MIAMI (AP) — Otto López was a triple shy of the cycle, Connor Norby homered and drove in three runs, and the Miami Marlins snapped NL East-leading Philadelphia’s six-game winning streak with a 9-5 victory over the Phillies on Saturday.
Jonah Bride also homered, while Xavier Edwards and Nick Fortes had two hits each for the Marlins, who had 14 hits a day after losing 16-2 to the Phillies.
“(Friday) was not great. Today was a lot better,” Marlins manager Skip Schumaker said. “To face one of the better pitchers in the league and one of the better teams in the league was impressive especially with all the moving parts in the clubhouse, meeting new guys.”
The Marlins were busy Saturday, adding four new players to the roster. Infielder Javier Sanoja made his major league debut with a pinch hit appearance in the seventh. The 22-year-old Sanoja hit a grounder to shortstop Trea Turner, who threw errantly attempting to cut down a runner at the plate that led to two runs. Sanoja was credited with a fielder’s choice RBI.
“I wanted to go out there and be aggressive,” Sanoja said through a translator. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get my first hit but I was able to get the RBI.”
John McMillon (2-1) pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief for the win.
Phillies starter Aaron Nola (12-7) was lifted after he allowed five runs and nine hits over 4 2/3 innings, walking two and striking out five. It was his shortest start since allowing eight runs and 11 hits in 3 1/3 innings against Boston on June 13.
“I think just command of the baseball. He just missed the glove a lot — a lot more than he normally does — and he paid for it,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said.
Miami worked long counts against Nola throughout his start. He finished with 101 pitches.
“He’s an amazing pitcher and today the plan was let him pitch,” López said. “His command is amazing so we wanted to stretch out the pitches.”
Bride homered to lead off the fifth and put Miami ahead 5-3 and Jesús Sánchez added an RBI single in the sixth.
The Marlins padded their lead with a three-run seventh against former starter Taijuan Walker. López hit a solo homer over the center field wall before Griffin Conine and Fortes scored on Turner’s throwing error.
Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber hit a tying sacrifice fly in the third inning for his 93rd RBI of the season.
Norby hit a two-run homer in the first to put Miami ahead 2-1.
Marlins starter Darren McCaughan allowed three runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings. The right-hander struck out four.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies: Thomson said catcher J.T. Realmuto has some swelling but will remain with the club as he recovers from a left knee contusion sustained Friday. The Phillies selected the contract of catcher Aramis Garcia from Triple-A Lehigh Valley and designated RHP Nick Nelson for assignment.
Marlins: Placed RHP Max Meyer (right shoulder bursitis) and RHP Calvin Faucher (right shoulder impingement) on the 15-day injured list and OF Derek Hill (right shoulder impingement) on the 10-day injured list. … LHP Andrew Nardi (left elbow muscle) was transferred to the 60-day injured list.
UP NEXT
RHP Seth Johnson will make his major league debut when he starts the series finale for the Phillies on Sunday. The Marlins have not announced a starter but Schumaker said RHP Edward Cabrera could get the nod when he cleared all tests after he withdrew from his scheduled start Friday because of migraine-like symptoms.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
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Confessions of a college football fan: Jags, Bucs, Dolphins more intriguing than state college teams | Commentary
This is hard to admit after only one week of the college football season.
Especially coming from a lifelong college football fan who grew up in this state when we had only one professional sports team.
Back in those days, college football was our pro sports. There was no NBA, no NHL, no Major League Baseball. No Magic. No Lightning. No Rays.
The only pro team we had in Florida was the Miami Dolphins back in the day before the NFL was the king of all sports in this country; back before it became a socio-cultural juggernaut that gave us Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction, Taylor Swift’s love affair with Travis Kelce and Colin Kaepernick kneeling for the national anthem.
In those days, the Sunshine State — before it became a melting pot of transplants from the professional sports hotbeds in the northeast — was painted in collegiate shades of orange and blue, garnet and gold or orange and green.
Many of us longtime native Floridians grew up as college football fans, rooting for Florida or Florida State — and to a much lesser extent — Miami. As for UCF, its football team didn’t even exist when I was kid.
The reason I’m telling you all of this is to let you know that for the first time in forever, I find myself more jacked up about our state NFL teams, the Jaguars, Bucs and Dolphins, than I am our state college teams.
Maybe it’s because the lunatic fringe of Gator Nation was already frothing at the mouth to have their coach Billy Napier fired after only one game (last week’s season-opening blowout loss to Miami). Or maybe it’s because Florida State is 0-2 and the Seminoles’ preseason hopes of a conference title and a national championship are all but gone.
As for UCF, we don’t know yet if the Knights are good enough to make some noise in the Big 12; just as we don’t know if Miami is really a legit national championship contender or just a team that beat up on the lackluster Gators in the opener.
But, sadly, there are deeper reasons for my growing fandom toward the NFL and my waning loyalty toward college football.
I admit, I long for the 1980s and ’90s when our college teams were the best of the best; when Steve Spurrier’s Gators were redefining the SEC; when FSU, under the legendary Bobby Bowden, was a perennial national title contender; when Miami, with all of its trash-talking swagger, was the most dominant, despised team in the sport.
Those golden years seem like a distant memory now.
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is accessible and affable, making him easier to root for than players in today’s college game. (Wilfredo Lee/AP)I can honestly say I’m more excited about the Jaguars-Dolphins NFL season-opener this week than I was about the Gators-Hurricanes college football season-opener last week. I believe the Jaguars and Dolphins (and the Bucs as well) will all win their divisions and have a chance at making the Super Bowl. It would be a stretch to think any of the college teams in our state are capable of winning a championship.
The storylines, too, are more intriguing for our state NFL teams, starting with the three likable quarterbacks, Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins), Trevor Lawrence (Jaguars) and Baker Mayfield (Bucs), who all signed lucrative extensions during the offseason and now must show that they are worth the nine-figure contracts.
Furthermore, as fans, we actually get to know the players in the NFL, where the league mandates that locker rooms are open and coaches are accessible multiple times a week. As a result, fans and media build a connection with their team, their players and their coaches.
Chris Perkins, who covers the Dolphins for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, was telling me the story earlier this week of reporters gathering around Tua’s locker and gabbing with the Dolphins QB about whether he will let his son Ace play football, his alma mater Alabama in the post-Nick Saban era, high school players now being able to earn NIL money and a number of other topics.
“We’ve had great conversations with Tua,” Perkins said.
In contrast, in today’s college football, coaches are given so much power and autonomy (see Deion Sanders) that many of them rarely make themselves accessible and they severely restrict access to players. Consequently, the fans and media don’t really get a chance to know (or love) the players on the team.
And I hate to sound like the old get-off-my-lawn fogey, but college football has become more transient than a politician’s promise. Transfer quarterbacks such as Miami’s Cam Ward, UCF’s KJ Jefferson and FSU’s DJ Uiagalelei will be at their schools for nine months and then they’ll be gone like a soap bubble in the wind to parts unknown. They are simply rent-a-QBs; not part of the family and the fraternity of the program itself.
In all honesty, it makes me melancholy and nostalgic to admit that I have become more interested in our state NFL teams than our state college teams. It makes me sad that I look forward to Sunday afternoons more than Saturday afternoons.
I long for the old days when college football was everything in my home state. I miss the intensity of the rivalries, the larger-than-life personalities, and the thrill of knowing that, more often than not, the road to the national championship went through the Sunshine State.
Our state has changed politically, demographically and philosophically over the last 40 years, and, likewise, our sports culture has changed dramatically as well.
I’ll always cherish the memories of those surreal Saturdays at the Swamp, Doak Campbell Stadium or the old Orange Bowl watching the Gators, Seminoles or Hurricanes battle it out for gridiron glory.
But the river of time flows on.
It’s the first week of the NFL season.
Let’s go, Jags, Bucs and Dolphins!
Email me at mbianchi@orlandosentinel.com. Hit me up on X (formerly Twitter) @BianchiWrites and listen to my Open Mike radio show every weekday from 6 to 9:30 a.m. on FM 96.9, AM 740 and 969TheGame.com/listen
Starting tackle Rivers among players out for Miami Hurricanes against Florida A&M
MIAMI GARDENS — In addition to Rueben Bain Jr. and Damari Brown, whose absence from UM’s game against Florida A&M was announced earlier in the week, Miami had several other players out for Saturday’s home opener vs. Florida A&M.
Starting left tackle Jalen Rivers did not participate in pregame warmups after playing last week. Markel Bell started in his place.
Miami was also without freshmen defensive backs Ryan Mack and Isaiah Thomas, as well as transfer safety Isaiah Taylor, whose left arm was in a sling.
Recruits aplenty at home openerThe Hurricanes encouraged fans to pack Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, and the message went out to recruits, as well.
Miami is hosting numerous high-profile recruits, including several members of its 2025 class for the game against Florida A&M.
Cornerback Jaboree Antoine and cornerback Chris Ewald Jr. announced their plans to attend the game, and several other commits — including running back Girard Pringle Jr., safety Hylton Stubbs and defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald — are expected to attend, according to 247Sports.
Another major target, LSU five-star cornerback commit DJ Pickett (who was in attendance for UM’s win over Florida last week), is expected to attend, according to 247Sports.
Other prominent uncommitted prospects were in attendance, too. Chaminade-Madonna 2026 five-star running back Derrek Cooper, four-star 2026 cornerback Ayden Pouncey, four-star 2026 wide receiver Jabari Brady, 2026 three-star offensive lineman Ryan Miret were among those who announced their plans to attend the game.
Miami’s 2025 class is currently ranked 12th in 247Sports’ composite rankings, and its 2026 class (which has three members) is ranked 10th.
I Will Be Visiting The Crib This Weekend For Home Opener Game
Dolphins elevate WR Robbie Chosen, bypass CB call-up despite Jalen Ramsey being questionable
Shorthanded at wide receiver for Sunday’s season opener, the Miami Dolphins elevated Robbie Chosen from the practice squad to the game-day roster Saturday.
They also bypassed calling up a cornerback from the practice squad with their top player at the position, Jalen Ramsey, questionable with a hamstring injury. The decision not to elevate a cornerback could potentially bode well for Ramsey’s status against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Sunday’s 1 p.m. kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium.
The Dolphins are already down wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. (physically-unable-to-perform list) and River Cracraft (injured reserve, shoulder) to start the season. Both will be sidelined at least the first four games of the season.
Additionally, rookie wide receiver Malik Washington was ruled out Friday due to a quadriceps ailment. Chosen joins Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, Braxton Berrios and Grant DuBose as available wide receivers for Miami on Sunday.
Chosen (6 feet 3, 185 pounds) played in nine games with the Dolphins in 2023, catching four passes for 126 yards and a touchdown in last September’s 70-20 win over the Denver Broncos.
The Broward County product from South Plantation High has also played with the New York Jets, Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals in his eight previous NFL seasons since his college career at Temple.
If Ramsey plays, the Dolphins can maintain their top three cornerback lineup of him, Kendall Fuller and Kader Kohou in the nickel package. If Ramsey does not play against Jacksonville, second-year player Ethan Bonner likely jumps into that rotation and/or undrafted rookie Storm Duck gets into the mix. Miami also has options to deploy three-safety sets with Marcus Maye or Elijah Campbell joining projected starters Jevon Holland and Jordan Poyer on the field.
Miami had the option of elevating either veteran cornerback Nik Needham or undrafted rookie Isaiah Johnson from the practice squad but opted against it.
Army mixes in trick play with dominant ground game, stymies FAU 24-7
BOCA RATON — Bryson Daily threw for a surprise touchdown as Army’s running game dominated and the Black Knights iced the game with another trick play to debut in the American Athletic Conference with a 24-7 win over Florida Atlantic on Saturday.
A play after what would have been Daily’s second touchdown pass was dropped in the end zone on a third-and-12 play, holder Matthew Rhodes scored on a 23-yard run around the left end on a fake field goal with 13:57 left in the fourth.
If that 15-play, 96-yard, 10 1/2-minute drive following an interception by Max DiDomenico didn’t salt the game away, DiDomenico’s stop of FAU quarterback Cam Fancher on 4th-and-goal from the 1 with 8:44 to go on the ensuing possession sure did.
Army (2-0, 1-0) used 14 plays to run out the clock and finished with 38-minutes, 39-seconds time of possession.
The Black Knights, who began playing football in 1890, are in a conference for just the second time ever. They played in Conference USA from 1998-2004. They joined the AAC as a football only member, joining rival Navy, which joined in 2015.
Kanye Udoh capped an 82-yard drive on Army’s first possession with an 8-yard run. The next possession Daily found Casey Reynolds wide open behind the defense for a 44-yard score.
The Owls (0-2, 0-1) capitalized on a fumble with Fancher hitting Omari Hayes just before halftime.
Army opened the second half with a field goal before DiDomenico’s pick set up the key drive.
Noah Short, who came in with less than 100 career yards, beat that by halftime before finishing with 160 for the Black Knights. Army finished with 405 on the ground, 117 by Daily on 18 keepers.
Fancher threw for 193 yards for FAU. The Owls rushed for just 42.
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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football.
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Today in History: September 7, Germany launches Blitz on UK
Today is Saturday, Sept. 7, the 251st day of 2024. There are 115 days left in the year.
Today in history:On Sept. 7, 1940, Nazi Germany began an intense bombing campaign of Britain during World War II with an air attack on London; known as The Blitz, the eight-month campaign resulted in more than 40,000 civilian deaths.
Also on this date:In 1921, the first Miss America Pageant was held in Atlantic City, N.J.
In 1943, a fire at the Gulf Hotel, a rooming house in Houston, claimed 55 lives.
In 1963, the Pro Football Hall of Fame opened in Canton, Ohio and enshrined its first 17 members.
In 1977, the Panama Canal Treaty, which called for the U.S. to turn over control of the waterway to Panama at the end of 1999, was signed in Washington by U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos.
In 1986, Bishop Desmond Tutu was installed as the first Black clergyman to lead the Anglican Church in southern Africa.
In 1996, rapper Tupac Shakur was shot and mortally wounded on the Las Vegas Strip; he died six days later.
In 2005, police and soldiers went house to house in New Orleans to try to coax remaining residents into leaving the city shattered by Hurricane Katrina.
In 2021, El Salvador became the first country in the world to make Bitcoin legal tender.
Today’s Birthdays:- Jazz musician Sonny Rollins is 94.
- Singer Gloria Gaynor is 81.
- Actor Julie Kavner is 74.
- Rock singer Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders) is 73.
- Actor Corbin Bernsen is 70.
- Actor Michael Emerson is 70.
- Pianist-singer Michael Feinstein is 68.
- Singer/songwriter Diane Warren is 68.
- Actor J. Smith-Cameron is 67.
- Actor Toby Jones is 58.
- Actor-comedian Leslie Jones (TV: “Saturday Night Live”) is 57.
- Actor Tom Everett Scott is 54.
- Actor Shannon Elizabeth is 51.
- Actor Oliver Hudson is 48.
- Actor Evan Rachel Wood is 37.
- Olympic gold medal swimmer Ariarne Titmus is 24.
- Actor Ian Chen (TV: “Fresh Off the Boat”) is 18.
Sidan’s last-second kick tops American Heritage 48-45, keeps Chaminade-Madonna from falling to 0-3
HOLLYWOOD – Junior kicker Noah Sidan drilled a 28-yard field goal as time ran out to give host Chaminade-Madonna a heart-thumping, 48-45 victory over rival American Heritage before a raucous crowd on Friday night.
Sidan, who missed a game-winning field goal in regulation along with an extra-point kick in the Lions’ 35-34 overtime loss to Blanche Ely last week, gave Chaminade its first win of the season.
“(The misses a week ago) didn’t affect my mental state at all,” said Sidan, who had winning field goals against Miami Norland and Miami Central last season. “I knew I had it. I’m confident in these situations…it’s an amazing feeling.
“I feel like any big game can come down to me,” Sidan added. “I am no stranger to this. I knew it was going to happen. It looked really big. It was right in front of me.”
Chaminade-Madonna senior quarterback Preston Wright, who started in the Class 1S state championship games in 2022 and 2023 for Ocala Trinity Catholic, and left briefly for Cardinal Gibbons before transferring to the Lions (1-2) this summer, threw for 428 yards and three touchdowns in his first start for the three-time defending state champions.
“Jasen (Lopez) ran a heckuva route that we hit on a couple of times tonight,” Wright said. “We did what we needed to…. we left some points on the table. We’ll fix some small things and be ready to go next week.
Jasen Lopez (7) of Chaminade-Madonna catches a pass covered by Jordan Louis (13) of American Heritage and gets out of bounds with seconds remaining in the fourth quarter to set up a winning field goal. Friday, Sept. 6, 2024 (Jim Rassol/Contributor).“We have been through some situations, especially me,” said Wright, who was filling in for sophomore Tyler Chance, who started the first two games of the season, but spent the night on crutches and in a knee brace after getting injured in the Ely loss. “I have teammates around me and coaches that put you in good positions to win and you can go out and succeed and that’s what we did tonight.”
American Heritage, the nation’s No. 14-ranked team, battled back throughout the contest, tying the game at 45-45 with 49 seconds remaining on a 16-yard TD scamper by junior quarterback Dia Bell. The Texas commit threw for two TDs and ran for another while piling up more than 350 all-purpose yards.
Chaminade-Madonna marched right down the field as Wright hit Lopez on a 31-yard pass to the American Heritage 2-yard line. Lopez, who finished the game with 9 catches for 268 yards, was able to get out of bounds to set up Sidan’s winning kick.
“This is a big win for us and our program,” Lopez said. “Coming off our two losses, both one-possession losses, we stayed together until the end.”
Lopez said after he hauled in the late pass, he was seeking the sideline.
“Of course,” Lopez said. “Either way, if I didn’t get out of bounds, we would have burned a timeout. This was a really big win. We just got bumped down in the rankings to No. 42 and many people were doubting us. We work hard every day, and we just came out and executed.”
Malachi Toney (1) of American Heritage dives for a touchdown against Chaminade-Madonna during the first half. Friday, Sept. 6, 2024 (Jim Rassol/Contributor).Chaminade-Madonna seized a 24-21 halftime lead as Wright threw for 253 yards and a touchdown.
Chaminade-Madonna coach Dameon Jones said his team had been in dogfights the past two weeks. The Lions dropped its season opener 34-27 to third-ranked St. John Bosco (California). The last time Chaminade-Madonna started the year with two straight losses had been in 2013 when they dropped their first six games and ended the year 2-7.
“We got a young ball club that is still learning how to win,” said Jones, who graduated 21 seniors from last year’s state champion. “I tell them every year; we get oiled up around game five or six. We got a lot of stuff we got to clean up and do better. To pull this one out is fantastic.”
The Lions took the game’s opening kickoff and drove 80 yards in 11 plays capped by a 1-yard run by junior Derrek Cooper. Senior running back Jaquari Lewis made it 14-0 on a 20-yard run with 28.8 seconds left in the first quarter.
American Heritage drew within 14-7 on a 19-yard scoring run by junior Malachi Toney.
American Heritage quarterback Dia Bell (3) fumbles against Chaminade-Madonna during the first half. Friday, Sept. 6, 2024 (Jim Rassol/Contributor).Chaminade-Madonna extended the lead to 21-7 on a 59-yard bomb by Wright to senior wide receiver Kyle Washington with 6:46 left in the first half. The Patriots came right back and trimmed the lead to 21-14 on a 34-yard scoring toss from Bell to senior Jamar Denson with 3:49 to go in the second quarter.
The Lions stretched the advantage to 24-14 on a 30-yard field goal with 2:41 left in the first half by Sidan before the Patriots pulled to within 24-21 on a 36-yard TD pass from Bell to Toney.
The game see-sawed back and forth in the second half.
American Heritage (1-2) picked up a 41-yard field goal by Gavin Harvey to tie the game at 24-24 in the third period. Chaminade made it 31-24 on a 56-yard TD pass from Wright to Denairius Gray with 2:09 left in the quarter. American Heritage senior Byron Louis scored on a 1-yard run with 45 seconds to go in the third, however, the Patriots missed the extra-point attempt, leaving it 31-30.
Chaminade-Madonna built on its lead midway through the fourth at 38-30 on a 14-yard TD pass from Wright to Koby Howard. The Patriots answered on a 28-yard run by junior Brandon Bennett and a 2-point conversion pass from Bell to Col Jean-Noel.
“We just work through it,” Jones added. “Whether we are 0-2, 0-3 or 0-4, we just got to work through it. (Preston) did a helluva job. He can get better, and I still want more.”
Did Jones expect a high-scoring affair?
“I expected a dogfight, not a shootout.”
Malachi Toney (1) of American Heritage catches a touchdown past Camaro Hall (9) of Chaminade-Madonna during the first half. Friday, Sept. 6, 2024 (Jim Rassol/Contributor).Hughley, Brown carry Cardinal Newman past host Benjamin for district title
PALM BEACH GARDENS — Cardinal Newman junior quarterback Jyron Hughley and senior running back Jaylin Brown both accounted for two touchdowns as the Crusaders defeated host Benjamin 34-20 to capture the District 12-1A championship on Friday night.
Cardinal Newman has won five consecutive meetings between the teams.
The Crusaders (3-0) jumped out to a 14-7 lead at the end of the first quarter and had a 27-13 advantage at halftime.
Senior Xanai Scott recorded two interceptions to lead the Crusaders defense.
Despite the victory, Cardinal Newman coach Jack Daniels noted his team made several mistakes on both sides of the ball.
“Tonight was not a good reflection of how good our team can be,” Daniels said. “Benjamin played their butts off. We were so sloppy in so many areas. We took a step backwards this week. We need to get some things changed. We got a lot of work to do.”
Benjamin played without senior starting quarterback Jayden Vega, who is recovering from a concussion. Senior tight end Preston Douglas was also held out due to an injury.
“We had some opportunities tonight that we let slip away,” Benjamin coach Eric Kresser said. “I am definitely proud of their effort. They left it all out on the field.”
Benjamin (0-3) started the game with a turnover on downs deep in their own territory. On fourth-and-6 at their own 24-yard line, the Bucs failed to convert after a 6-yard loss.
Cardinal Newman took advantage on their opening series on offense. On third-and-10, Hughley rolled out to his right and fired an 18-yard touchdown pass to senior Max Redmon to make it 7-0 with 9:08 left in the first quarter.
Benjamin junior quarterback Charlie Smith orchestrated a scoring drive to tie the game. Smith connected with junior Adam Balogoun-Ali for a 21-yard gain to the Crusaders 5-yard line. On third-and-goal, Smith rushed up the middle for a 5-yard touchdown with 2:15 left in the first.
Cardinal Newman answered back on the ensuing drive. Hughley bounced out to the right and pitched the ball to senior running back Jaylin Brown for a 23-yard touchdown run to make it 14-6 with 1:06 left in the first.
Cardinal Newman had a turnover on downs after an incompletion on fourth-and-10 at their own 49.
Benjamin capitalized on their next series on offense as junior running back Phoenix Donghia rushed for a 4-yard touchdown to cut the deficit to 14-13 with 4:59 left in the first half.
Cardinal Newman junior Zamarii Sanders had a kickoff return for a touchdown to extend the lead to 21-13.
The Crusaders started their next drive at the Bucs 35 after a short punt. On fourth-and-1, Hughley raced past the defense for a 26-yard touchdown to push the lead to 27-13 with 1:51 left in the first half.
Cardinal Newman scored on their opening drive of the second half. Brown rushed for a 1-yard touchdown to make it 34-13 with 9:38 left in the third quarter.
Benjamin responded on the ensuing drive. Smith connected with Balogoun-Ali for a scoring pass to make it 34-20.
Cardinal Newman will play their home opener against Pahokee next week.
“Our offense looks pretty good,” Hughley said. “We still have some areas to clean up. We have to stay focused, humble and keep grinding.”
Park Vista grad Trea Turner leads Phillies’ 22-hit onslaught against Marlins
MIAMI (AP) — Trea Turner was a triple shy of the cycle, Kyle Schwarber hit his 33rd homer and Bryce Harper had three hits to help the Philadelphia Phillies overpower the Miami Marlins 16-2 on Friday night.
Johan Rojas added three doubles, and Kody Clemens also had three hits for the NL East-leading Phillies — at 85-56, eight games ahead of second-place Atlanta in the division.
Philadelphia had season highs for runs and hits, with 22.
Zack Wheeler (14-6) threw six innings of one-run ball. The right-hander allowed two hits and struck out seven. He retired the first 10 before Connor Norby singled in the fourth.
The Phillies scored seven runs over the first two innings against Marlins emergency starter Austin Kitchen (0-1). Harper, Bryson Stott and J.T. Realmuto hit RBI singles in a three-run first, and Turner had a two-run homer in a four-run second.
Realmuto singled twice and had two RBIs before leaving in the fourth because of a left knee contusion. He fouled a pitch off his knee in the second and limped away from the box before concluding the at-bat with a single.
Otto López hit a run-scoring double in the fourth to put Miami on the board.
Philadelphia increased its advantage to double figures with three runs in the fifth and four in the sixth. Rojas had his second double to drive in two runs in the fifth, then Schwarber made it 14-1 with a 434-foot drive to right-center in the sixth.
Kitchen allowed seven runs and nine hits over two innings. Edward Cabrera, the original starter for Miami, was a late scratch because of migraine-like symptoms.
Marlins outfielder David Hensley pitched the last two innings and allowed two runs in the ninth.
Before the game, retired Marlins outfielder Jeff Conine threw the ceremonial first pitch to son Griffin, whom Miami promoted from Triple-A on Aug. 26 and started in right-field Friday.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Phillies: Placed 3B Alec Bohm (left hand strain) on the 10-day injured list and recalled infielder Buddy Kennedy from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Bohm hurt his hand while taking a swing in the Phillies’ game against Atlanta on Aug. 29.
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Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (12-6, 3.29) was set to start Saturday against RHP Darren McCaughan (0-0, 8.24).
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
High school football week 3 scoreboard
Friday
Chaminade-Madonna 48, American Heritage 45
St. Thomas Aquinas 42, Miami Columbus 6
Dr. Joaquin Garcia 29, Hollywood Hills 20
Dillard 44, Northeast 0
Plantation 25, West Broward 21
Atlantic 43, North Miami Beach 7
Jupiter 17, Palm Beach Gardens 0
Palm Beach Central 40, Spanish River 21
Pahokee 28, Seminole Ridge 3
King’s Academy 35, Gulliver Prep 15
Santaluces 28, Boynton Beach 6
Boca Raton 35, St. Andrew’s 22
Martin County 17, Dwyer 7
Forest Hill 28, Lake Worth 0
Cardinal Newman 34, Benjamin 20
American Heritage-Delray 21, Astronaut 10
Park Vista 14, Wellington 11
South Broward 40, Cooper City 15
Baylor (Tennessee) 49, Coconut Creek 21
Blanche Ely 54, Stranahan 20
Boyd Anderson 28, Fort Lauderdale 15
Miramar 28, McArthur 0
Coral Glades 35, Coral Springs 7
Fort Pierce Central 35, Nova 8
Thursday
Everglades Prep Academy 36, Avant Garde Academy 6
Pembroke Pines Charter 55, North Broward Prep 34
Oxbridge Academy 20, Somerset Academy Key 14
Piper 35, South Plantation 0
Jupiter Christian 26, Glades Day 14
St. Edward’s 30, Pine Crest 7
Man charged with plotting shooting at a New York Jewish center on anniversary of Oct. 7 Hamas attack
By PHILIP MARCELO
NEW YORK (AP) — A Pakistani man was arrested in Canada this week and accused of plotting a mass shooting at a Jewish center in Brooklyn on the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas that sparked the latest conflict in the Middle East, federal authorities announced Friday.
U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said Muhammad Shahzeb Khan had attempted to travel from Canada, where he lives, to New York City with the “stated goal of slaughtering, in the name of ISIS, as many Jewish people as possible.”
The 20 year-old, who is also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, was apprehended Sept. 4 and charged with attempting to provide material support and resources to the terror group, which stands for the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham.
“Jewish communities — like all communities in this country — should not have to fear that they will be targeted by a hate-fueled terrorist attack,” Garland said in a statement.
It was unclear if Khan has a lawyer, where in Canada he was being held and when he may be brought to the U.S. to face the charges. There was no listing for the case in the online federal court system.
Edward Kim, a spokesperson for the Manhattan federal prosecutor’s office, which is handling the case, deferred to Canadian authorities, who didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment.
U.S. authorities said Khan began sharing ISIS propaganda videos and expressing his support for the terror group in social media posts and communications with others on an encrypted messaging app last November.
In conversations with two undercover law enforcement officers, he said he was trying start a “real offline cell” of ISIS in order to carry out attacks against “Israeli Jewish chabads” in America. Khan said he and another ISIS supporter based in the U.S. needed to obtain AR-style assault rifles, ammunition and other materials, according to the Justice Department.
Khan also provided details about how he would cross the border from Canada and said he was considering conducting the attacks on either the Oct. 7 anniversary or on Oct. 11, which is the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, authorities said.
On Aug. 20, he told the undercover officers that he had settled on targeting New York because of its sizeable Jewish population and sent a photograph of the specific area inside a Jewish center where he planned to carry out the attack, according to the Justice Department.
His online messages described the Brooklyn site, which is not named in court documents, as “the ultra orthodox hasidic jews world headquarters,” according to authorities
A spokesperson for the Chabad-Lubavitch, an influential Hasidic Jewish movement headquartered Brooklyn’s Crown Heights section, didn’t immediately comment Friday.
Khan began making his way to the U.S. using three separate vehicles that included other drivers and passengers before he was stopped around Ormstown, a town in the province of Quebec that is about 12 miles (19 kilometers) from the international border, federal authorities said.
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