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BOX SCORE
MIAMI (AP) -- No. 5 Miami used the first half to prepare for Washington and the second half to prepare for the future.
|  | | Santana Moss had 204 all-purpose yards, including a 75-yard punt return for a touchdown. |
The Hurricanes (also ranked No. 6 ESPN/USA Today coaches poll) appear ready for both.
Ken Dorsey threw three touchdown passes and Santana Moss gained
204 all-purpose yards as Miami beat Division I-AA McNeese State
61-14 on Thursday night.
The Hurricanes totaled 628 yards, most of them coming in the
first half. Dorsey, Moss and many other starters sat out much of
the second half while their backups picked up playing time. In all,
Miami used 69 players.
"The playmakers on offense, they just kept making big plays," said Miami coach Butch Davis, whose team plays at No. 14 Washington next Saturday. "Kenny played well, very poised. Sixty percent of his plays were audibles. And Santana, he did what we've come to expect from him."
It was a good start to what figures to be Miami's best season in recent years.
In Davis' five seasons at Miami, the Hurricanes have as many losses (19) as they had in the 12 years before he arrived. They also won four national championships in that span.
After enduring NCAA sanctions and 31 lost scholarships between
1995 and 1997, the program has been rebuilt and reloaded with
talent at every position.
It showed, especially against the overmatched Cowboys.
"They have great talent. Their No. 2s and 3s have as much
talent as their first team," Cowboys cornerback Jerod Jones said. They're big kids -- fast and physical."
Miami scored on six of eight first-half possessions, including five touchdowns.
Dorsey, a sophomore, hit Reggie Wayne on a pair of perfectly
thrown fade passes in the same corner of the end zone in the first
quarter. Dorsey also hit Daryl Jones on a 23-yard pass in the
second to give Miami a 34-7 lead.
Dorsey completed 17 of 29 passes for 248 yards, winning for the
fourth time in as many starts. In his four starts, Dorsey is
81-for-120 for 966 yards with 12 TD passes and just one
interception.
"You could really tell it was my first game," Dorsey said. "I missed a couple of reads here and there. I made a few more mistakes than the coaches wanted. But all in all, not bad.
"They were trying to stop the run and it opened up the pass. We
really thought they would try to take away one or the other, it
just so happened to be the run and it really opened up the outside
guys."
Moss ran through holes that opened up everywhere.
The speedy 5-foot-10 receiver returned a punt 77 yards late in
the first quarter, putting the 'Canes ahead 20-7. He picked up the
bouncing kick at the 23, cut right toward the sideline, turned
upfield and sprinted untouched into the end zone. He got two key
blocks on the play, one from Andre King and another from Al Blades.
Moss added a 75-yard run on an end around, skirting outside the defense and cutting back across the field for the score. Moss finished with 35 yards receiving, 75 yards rushing and 94 return yards.
He sat out the second half with a sore right foot.
"I feel I showed something tonight," Moss said. "But we still have a lot to prove."
The Cowboys answered Miami's opening-drive score with a nine
play, 65-yard drive that they kept alive by converting a
fourth-and-3 play at the Hurricanes' 36. Jessie Burton scored two
plays later, breaking three tackles en route to 21-yard run.
McNeese State added a late touchdown, converting a Miami
turnover into a 27-yard scoring pass from Slade Nagle to Jermaine
Martin. The Cowboys tallied 409 yards.
But they just couldn't stop Miami.
The 'Canes added two late touchdowns. Ethnic Sands connected
with Andre Johnson on a 32-yard pass play, and Clinton Portis
outran the defense 82 yards for the final score.
"They have so many weapons, and you saw them tonight," McNeese
State coach Tommy Tate said. "The offense is so good. They're
talented and deep. It was a challenge for our team to make a first
down, but we did sustain some drives and made some plays, but they
were few and far between."
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
McNeese State Clubhouse
Miami (Fla.) Clubhouse
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