ORLANDO, Fla. _ The pass came high out of the night air to Josh Hammond, sailing right over his shoulder. He took the ball and, with it, Florida soon had the lead that kept being passed like a cold jug of water on a hot day.
What a fun game. What a big night. What a perfect way for college football season to start off in not just style but full entertainment for all.
Can they play this opener every year?
It went back and forth, nip and tuck, big play and bigger play, all night long. Miami kicked a field goal on its opening drive in a nice introduction of new starting quarterback Jarren Williams.
Florida answered with a fake punt for a first down and 66-yard touchdown pass on the next play to snatch the lead and momentum right back.
And so it went, like two teams playing H-O-R-S-E, right to the end, when Hammond made that 65-yard catch to put Florida ahead, 24-20, in the fourth quarter and Williams answered by driving Miami right back down the field.
There, on fourth-and-9 at the Florida 30, in a game where the fourth-down fun was an ongoing storyline, Williams was sacked to end that threat.
The Gators held on to win, 24-20. But this wasn't just a fun game. It was the right way for these two in-state programs to open the season. It became an event in Orlando as much as a game.
Hurricane greats lined the field on Saturday. Miami great Michael Irvin lost his mind in a pep talk on Friday about, "coming to your damn house to put our foot on their throat and snatch out your damn heart."
Florida fans got a view of full nostalgia up in a suite on Saturday night. Urban Meyer and Steve Spurrier, their championship coaches, talked together as the game played. Meyer wore a Florida shirt. Was it enough to start mending a fence with fans?
Spurrier started back when Florida refused to play Miami. He changed that. But these teams still hadn't played much _ eight times since the 1980s _ but Saturday showed why they should.
There were five lead changes. Each team thought it was putting away the game at different instances. Miami missed a 27-yard field goal and punter returner Jeff Thomas muffed the punt catch to set up another Florida touchdown.
To that point, Miami had taken care of the ball. That was another box Miami wanted to check this year. It had a staggering 26 turnovers last year.
All the emotion was on display from The New Miami, the one Manny Diaz invented this offseason with pro-wrestling introductions for players and boat rallies on Miami River.
On Saturday, you saw the new, "305" turnover chain for the defense, the four-finger rings spelling, "Hurricanes" for the offense after touchdowns, plus the full-Cane swagger and other accoutrement of this hash-tagged movement.
More importantly, you saw this: A team that got punched in the mouth early by Florida and didn't fold. A bold, fake punt at its 28-yard line on Florida's first possession and 66-yard pass on the next play threatened to take over the night.
Last year, Miami constantly collapsed at key moments, as Diaz told them this offseason. It started at the start in 2018: A 3-3 game turned into a non-competitive affair after LSU scored a touchdown.
"The secret sauce is how you demand it," Diaz said of playing through problems. "You have to demand it every day."
Even more, Miami unwrapped redshirt freshman Jarren Williams, who did everything Diaz could hope right from his first pass.
It was a smart and simple play to tight end Brevin Jordan that went for 18 yards. Offensive coordinator Dan Enos had a confidence-building game plan for Williams that way.
It was necessary because, with two freshmen tackles, Williams was under pressure all night. That's where Enos helped. Just on the first drive, Williams also threw short to KJ Osborn, who went 18 yards, and then Jordan again for 15 yards. That drive ended in a field goal.
Later, just before half, Williams faced a second-and-16. A screen pass to running back DeeJay Dallas went 40 yards. Williams did everything asked and delivered everything needed. He just wasn't burdened with too much in his first start.
What a night. What a game. What a way to start the college season in style.
