Key Notes and Quotes After No. 4 Miami's 'Resilient' Injury Filled Victory at Clemson
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No. 4 Miami (5-0, 3-0 ACC) showed why it is a championship-level team against the Clemson Tigers (3-2, 2-1 ACC) in a fourth-quarter beatdown, starting with the culture that has been built over the past five years in the Canes 41-13 victory.
It was more than just that, however. The Hurricanes are finding ways to win on both sides of the ball and win at the line of scrimmage. Miami has the talent, the players, the coaching, and the will to be a true championship contender, and it's not slowing down anytime soon.
Moreover, they have a bye week to clean up some of the injuries they have added over the past few weeks while also getting some players back. Here are some notes and quotes from after the game that keep the Hurricanes moving forward after another massive road win.
Miami took over Death Valley 🌴
— ACC Digital Network (@theACCDN) October 4, 2026
No. 4 Miami rolled past Clemson, 41-13, behind 227 passing yards and two total TDs from Darian Mensah. Cooper Barkate added 98 receiving yards and a TD, while Mark Fletcher Jr. rushed for two scores.@CanesFootball | @MiamiHurricanes | #GoCanes pic.twitter.com/h24AItHVQd
The last time Miami started 3-0 on the Road and 5-0 Overall, they won the National Championship
Need any more reason to believe in this battle-tested Hurricanes team? Look at this stat.
Miami is 5-0, with 3 of those wins on the road. This has happened 3 other times. It has turned out well in the past.#GoCanes pic.twitter.com/X7EbkPGxCp
— Canes Research (@CanesResearch) October 4, 2026
Even with the third- and fourth-team secondaries in, Miami's talent, will, and determination are at an all-time high. Miami continues to play at an elite level, and winning all three conference games on the road shows the Canes are nearly halfway through the regular season and playing at an elite level.
Mario Cristobal On Injuries and an Update on Marquise Lightfoot
Miami had many players go down to injury to start this game.
"We had a lot of guys go down," Cristobal said after the game. "It's an awful year for that for us, unfortunately. Keep our guys in your prayers. Hopefully they'll heal up and be in a good spot. But the resiliency of our team continued to show up, not only in the form of that, but in the guys that had to step up and just kept going.
"And so it's a great trademark to have as a team as you enter the middle of the season, and certainly we'll look at the tape and learn a lot from it, but I'm extremely proud of the way that these guys just continue to battle and fight when so many guys went down. There were several true freshmen in the game at several points."
Moreover, the Hurricanes didn't get Lightfoot back on the field after he had a monster game before halftime.
On Lightfoot: "We won't know until Tuesday, Wednesday, something like that. We'll go back and evaluate and see where he's at."
The Statement Drive: 9 plays, 9 runs, 62 yards, 1-yard touchdown — Mark Fletcher
This was the statement drive of the season so far for Miami. Pure smash-mouth football that got them through the College Football Playoff, and it continues to get them through momentum-swinging moments like the ones felt throughout this game against the Tigers.
Mark Fletcher Jr. might have only had 76 yards on 16 rushes, but his two touchdowns came after the Hurricanes pounded the rock time and time again. Miami's offensive line grew in front of the nation's eyes, proving to be better every game.
"Well, I just think as time has gone on when you assess O-line play we view it for what it is, and we measure progress, the metrics that we have for that are very tangible and concrete," Cristobal said. "Our O-line has been getting better and better and better, and there came a point in time where let's put the game on your backs and let's see what happens.
"And they did against a team that's been playing, I think they didn't allow a touchdown for 20 drives prior to our game. And the O-line just kept pounding away, pounding away, pounding away, and then did it there again at the end. So really proud of those guys."
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.
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