Quotable
“I felt like a proud uncle. It was amazing. I was so hyped I almost caught a calf cramp just jumping out there, just being happy. It’s amazing just seeing all those guys out there. They did a phenomenal job. They stepped up to the test. We just want to see, ‘Can you guys hold up the standard?’ and they did. They did a phenomenal job.”
– Offensive lineman Matt McCoy on what it was like for Miami’s veterans to watch some of the younger Hurricanes step up and make plays in the win over FAMU
“It meant a lot. It was a blessing, obviously, something that I prayed for and the coaches having trust in me, it means a lot to me.”
– Defensive back JJ Dunnigan, on what it meant to get his first start as a Hurricane in only the second game of his collegiate career
“Being able to get in the game while being in the best running back room in the country is just a blessing. I feel like the older guys, Mark [Fletcher Jr.], Jordan Lyle, Marty [Brown], [Girard] Pringle Jr., they’ve all helped me from my first day here during the playoffs. They have all taken me under their wing and they’ve guided me to get where I am today. I’m just very thankful.”
– Running back Javian Mallory, on scoring two touchdowns against FAMU
“It’s awesome. Those two dudes work their butts off. Seeing them in the game, I mean, they’ve been playing this game for as long as I have. I’m sure it means a lot to them. It means just as much to me.”
– Quarterback Darian Mensah, on what it was like to see reserve quarterbacks Luke Nickel and Dereon Coleman play the second half against FAMU
“It’s invaluable. I can’t emphasize that enough. You would love to have another quarter of football and not even worry about the scoreboard. And I adamantly support playing players deep into games, [players] that have to be developed. Those guys that played tonight, they’ve worked just as hard as everybody else. And those guys are itching for time. Unless you put them in the game, you’re never going to find out what they can do when the lights come on. So, we had that opportunity tonight. We took advantage of it as best we could and certainly looking forward to watching the tape and seeing what kind of moves and what type of opportunities we can further create for some of those guys.”
– Head coach Mario Cristobal, on Miami’s reserves getting playing time in the win over FAMU
Up Next
The Hurricanes are set to hit the road again for another conference showdown, this time heading to Winston-Salem, North Carolina to face Wake Forest.
The Demon Deacons opened the season with a 38-16 win over Akron on Sept. 3 and are set to host Purdue this weekend.
In the win over the Zips, quarterback Gio Lopez completed 21 of 32 passes for 350 yards with three touchdowns, while running back Ty Clark III rushed for 105 yards on just seven carries.
Miami and Wake Forest have met 12 times, with the Hurricanes winning the last eight meetings, including the most recent matchup in 2024.
The game will mark Miami’s first visit to Winston-Salem since 2009. The Hurricanes have won all three games played there and own a 9-3 record in the all-time series.