Film Review: Iowa State Cyclones 42 – Miami Hurricanes 41

Miami lost the Pop-Tarts Bowl to drop three of their last four games of the 2024 season. Cristobal wasted a generational quarterback on poor game management and a bad defense to finish the season 10-3.

The Iowa State Cyclones defeated the Miami Hurricanes 42-41 in the 2024 Pop-Tarts Bowl. Miami held a three point lead going into the half but with Cam Ward on the bench saw that lead turn into the ‘Canes third loss in four games.

The Canyonero Keys to Victory over ISU were:

1- Win Bully Ball. 308 rushing yards on 7.9 yards per attempt with two TD’s is a win in the Bully Ball category for the offense. Miami’s defense allowed ISU to rack up 145 rushing yards on 4.7 yards per carry and three of their own TD’s.

2- Win the turnover battle. The Hurricanes opened the game with a bad snap and fumble that Damien Martinez should’ve slid on versus attempting to scoop. From there Miami fumbled away one drive and threw a pick to seal the game on a hail mary. ISU did not turn the ball over a single time in their PTB victory.

3- Avoid costly penalties. Miami played less idiotic than usual but still had 15 more penalty yards called against them, including a clothesline of Rocco Becht by Simon Barrow Jr. We’ll get into Barrow later.

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The Doppler

Both Miami and Iowa State finished 9-of-17 on 3rd and 4th downs combined. ISU out performed their normal 3rd down numbers while being consistent to their season long 4th down numbers. Miami stayed true to their season on both downs.

Miami turned the ball over three times while the Cyclones came away with a turnover free game. The ‘Canes defense lacks playmakers and it showed on a few sure-fire sacks that were slipped and with under and overthrown balls that weren’t picked off.

Miami was penalized six times for 45 yards compared to ISU’s two penalties for 30 yards. The Hurricanes still lack the discipline Mario Cristobal likes to say is a hallmark of his program.

Andres Borregales was perfect once again making both field goals and all five extra points. Borregales will be greatly missed next season as Miami tries to cobble together two kickers to replace him on placekicking and kickoff duties.

Jordan Lyle looked solid on kickoffs with 23 yards per return and could be a weapon back deep in 2025. I was excited about the fake punt run from Elija Lofton as well. He’ll be a fun weapon to have if you remember guys like Larry Centers, Frank Wycheck and Miami’s own- Najeh Davenport.

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The Miami Offense

When Cam Ward was on the field the offense, besides a boneheaded bad snap play, was unstoppable. Ward averaged 10 yards per pass attempt on three TD’s with zero INT’s.

Elijah Arroyo and Damien Martinez flashed their NFL potential against ISU’s defense as well. Arroyo averaged 16 yards per catch with a TD and Martinez pounded the Clones for 12.8 yards per rush and his own score.

Mark Fletcher didn’t quite have Martinez’s urgency to get paid now but still hit 5.4 yards per carry with a TD. Fletcher did fumble the football over to ISU, however.

Joshisa Trader caught three balls for 20.3 yards per carry and a score, while Lofton also hauled in a 17-yard reception.

The Miami offensive line didn’t allow a single sack and only two tackles for loss.

Now to the flip side: Emory Williams is not starting QB material for the 2025 season. Shannon Dawson is not a QB developer, that was Dana Holgorsen’s job at WVU and Houston. Williams averaged 1.9 yards per attempt with an INT on the Hail Mary while having multiple balls batted down.

Above- Zach Carpenter’s bad snap with a zero technique over him was disappointing. Alex Mirabal needs to develop a center for 2025. It can’t just be Portal Kombat and one year rentals every year for the captain of the OL.

Above– Martinez ended his season at Miami with a great game. Here he takes power to the house for 70+ yards. Jalen Rivers will make a hell of a pulling guard in the NFL.

Above– Arroyo works up and out to the numbers which opens the sail route for George. A nice head fake from George helps free himself up.

Above– Ward has his faults but the guy can do some of the little things really well. Great play-fake and perfect touch on this TD pass. No one else could get this but George. If you’re throwing back of the end zone it has to be high and away.

Above– Ward’s ability to throw on the run will help him in the NFL where defenders are hybrids and where everyone can run.

Above– Another play-action with the run game cooking and a beautiful TD catch and throw from Ward to Arroyo. A pair of NFL players in 2025 getting the game back to 28-all.

Above– With Williams at QB, ISU knew Miami would run the ball. They load the box, put everyone at the LOS and with Martinez out there’s no chance for Miami. I don’t even see an RPO or read tag here. Just a straight give.

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The Miami Defense

Rocco Becht averaged 7.5 yards per attempt and scored four times (three passing, one rushing) without a turnover against a once proud ‘Canes defense. Becht scrambled around and ducked sacks while looking like a C-rate Cam Ward for ISU.

Clones RB Carson Hansen averaged 5.1 yards per carry with two rushing TD’s as the workhorse back. Hansen also caught a TD in the red zone on a play I predicted would give Miami fits in the Film Forecast.

Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

Jaylin Noel was allowed to go off catching eight balls for 117 yards and a score. TE Gabe Burkle and WR Isaiah Alston also had solid games. Burkle averaged 13.5 yards per grab with a TD and Alston 26 yards per catch (39-yards came on one reception).

The ISU O-Line surrendered one sack and six TFL’s but did the job when it counted helping Becht push into the end zone to secure the win and Pop-Tarts Bowl MVP trophy.

Above– There are six OL/TE players to Miami’s left side of the ISU center, and only three Miami DL. Miami left three DL on the nub side over essentially two OL. No one bumped down a gap and no LB told anyone to bump down. It’s low Football IQ.

Above– It was 4th and 1 and ISU ran a power g toss Iso. The pull and toss action draws the LB outside and the RB and FB are headed inside.

Above– Why are TE’s so dangerous in college and the NFL? Mismatches. Get a solid 6-5 guy with a good vertical on a 6-1 LB that’s bulked up to stop the run and you’ve got a nice red zone target.

Above– Split zone is one of my favorite concepts because you can run it with the RB, same side or opposite, RPO tags can be used play-action for a naked boot, and the QB can run it, too. Miami’s tracking and tackling are an F- in this game.

Above– I just have no idea how the communication and Football IQ on the back end is this bad. I have nothing else to say.

Above– Great play design. The OL fans out left and the QB looks left. The RB works to the flat on the opposite side. Add in the motion dragging the CB in and the corner route pulling the safety and they walk in for a TD. Miami has no communication to ‘switch’ on an in-out call.

Above– Have a team that has terrible vision and communication? Use motion to confuse their OODA Loop and then whip back in when you normally slide out. Always throw short of the goal line low and slide down.

Above– Miami hit the portal hard for any life at CB and S and this is why. There’s nothing on this roster to work with. Starting with the coaching staff. Fire the CB coach, fire Lance Guidry and move on already.

Above– The Miami DB actually thinks he can make a play on this football. This tells you how poor their visual-cognitive skills really are.

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The Wrap

For two weeks all we heard about was how strong the culture is at Miami. Cristobal has great culture. His top-5 NFL draft pick QB is playing because he’s a winner who wants to win.

I thought Cam Ward was insane for playing, no matter the bag or the ‘record’ he set. Let’s face it, that record has an asterisk anyway since 71 TD’s were thrown at the FCS level. It’s a cute record, but it’s not even a real thing.

And then he didn’t play in the 2nd half. I honestly thought he should John Kruk the thing after the record setting TD (for reference, Kruk got a single to move his lifetime batting average to .300 and went home). For all the ‘he doesn’t care about stats or the Heisman Trophy, just winning’ cliches we heard it sure looks like both mattered a lot to him.

So Ward didn’t play the 2nd half when I thought he shouldn’t play at all. That’s fine. He left Cristobal and Co. with a three point lead and did the right thing for his future- sat out and tried to help Williams.

I get why fans and message boards try to hype a player or a decision, but this is proof that in the future people need to reserve both their commentary and expectations to their group texts.

Xavier Restrepo sat out to prepare for the Senior Bowl and NFL Combine– that’s fine. He’s earned that right. Ward was ‘playing because he’s a dawg,’ he kind of played, and that’s fine, too.

Miami’s culture is still bad. A player punching a helmet wearing teammate on the sideline shows you how stupid the team is. The bad snap to open the game with a turnover shows why those coveted bowl practices are a waste of time.

Cristobal still played George after his 15-yard penalty versus Syracuse. The culture is still bad. Miami ended the season losing three of their last four games and will head into the off-season without a realistic starting QB for spring football.

Remember- culture always looks great when it’s a sunny day and you’re pounding Ball State by 40 points. It’s a little more cloudy when you’re struggling to stop Iowa State’s 47th ranked offense per SP+ and your head coach is settling for field goals instead of going for a game leading TD.

Mario Cristobal has proven time and again he can’t manage a football game and he’s going to need a new defensive coordinator and another generational QB to get back to the Pop-Tarts Bowl in 2025.