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Miami Routs Florida A&M 77-7 After Coaches Agree to Shorten Fourth Quarter

The lopsided result with a $760,000 guarantee raises fresh questions about whether buy games are worth the cost to HBCU programs.

Overview

  • Miami piled up a school-record 856 total yards and tied its single-game scoring mark while scoring touchdowns on 11 of its first 12 possessions.
  • The Hurricanes emptied their depth chart so backups could play, with three quarterbacks and six running backs logging meaningful snaps and 16 receivers catching passes.
  • Florida A&M was paid $760,000 to play the game and entered on three days’ rest with several key players injured, factors that left the Rattlers badly overmatched.
  • Coaches agreed in the third quarter to shorten the fourth period to 10 minutes, and a late timeout and an apparent terse postgame exchange highlighted visible frustration over how the game finished.
  • The result sharpened debate over buy or guarantee games by forcing schools, donors and HBCU leaders to weigh short-term revenue against competitive imbalance, player safety and long-term program reputation.