Miami Bounces Back with Dominant 42-7 Victory Over Stanford Behind Fletcher's Three Touchdowns
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The No. 9 Miami Hurricanes delivered the statement performance they desperately needed Saturday night, overwhelming the Stanford Cardinal 42-7 at Hard Rock Stadium to bounce back from last week's stunning home loss to Louisville.
Mark Fletcher Jr. rushed for 106 yards and a career-high three touchdowns, while quarterback Carson Beck rebounded from his four-interception nightmare by completing 21 of 28 passes for 189 yards and a touchdown without turning the ball over. Miami (6-1, 2-1 ACC) outscored Stanford 35-0 in the final 30 minutes to turn a 7-7 halftime tie into a rout.
"Certainly proud of the way our guys just stuck with it after starting a little bit sluggishly on the offensive side of the ball," Miami head coach Mario Cristobal said. "The defense did a phenomenal job after the first drive just shutting down the opponent and giving us an opportunity to get back in it."
Tale of two halves
The first half provided little indication of the blowout to come. Stanford (3-5, 2-3 ACC) marched 74 yards on its opening drive, capping the possession with a Ben Gulbranson touchdown pass to Caden High for a 7-0 lead that stunned the crowd of 63,892.
Miami's offense sputtered early, missing a 44-yard field goal attempt on its opening drive and struggling to establish rhythm against Stanford's defense. The Hurricanes finally broke through late in the second quarter when Beck connected with wide receiver CJ Daniels on a fade route for a spectacular touchdown catch that tied the game 7-7 at halftime.
The momentum shift occurred immediately after intermission. Miami's defense, which had surrendered 74 yards on Stanford's opening drive, allowed just 70 yards the remainder of the game—a defensive performance for the ages.
Second-half domination
Malachi Toney ignited the Hurricanes' explosion with two electrifying punt returns of 31 and 42 yards in the third quarter, providing Miami with ideal field position and galvanizing the offense.
"Toney is a magician on punt returns," observers noted. "He's consistently magical and was due to break one all the way."
The Hurricanes scored touchdowns on five of their final six possessions. The lone drive that didn't result in points ended when Stanford stuffed Fletcher on a fourth-and-1 attempt at the Cardinal 21-yard line—a minor hiccup in an otherwise flawless second-half performance.
Miami's defense forced turnovers on consecutive Stanford possessions in the third quarter. Linebacker Wesley Bissainthe intercepted Gulbranson and returned it 32 yards to the Stanford 3-yard line, setting up Fletcher's second touchdown. Defensive back Xavier Lucas picked off Gulbranson on the ensuing possession, again providing Miami with favorable field position at the Stanford 45.
Fletcher dominated the fourth quarter, carrying the ball on four consecutive plays covering 45 yards for his third touchdown of the night, extending Miami's lead to 28-7 and effectively ending any Stanford comeback hopes.
Beck's redemption
The Georgia transfer needed a clean performance following last week's four-interception debacle against Louisville, and he delivered exactly that. Beck completed 75 percent of his passes, distributed the ball to multiple receivers and protected the football—the three elements that escaped him in the Louisville loss.
"Beck showed the poise and decision-making we expect from him," Cristobal said. "He took care of the football and got us into the right plays all night."
Beck's 16-yard strike to Toney early in Miami's second possession demonstrated his restored confidence, while his touchdown pass to Daniels showcased his ability to deliver in critical moments.
Fletcher's career night
The Miami running back punished Stanford's defense with his physical running style, breaking tackles and powering through arm tackles on his way to the best performance of his college career. His three touchdowns represented a career high, while his 106 yards on 23 carries provided the ground game that had been missing in recent weeks.
"Mark Fletcher showed why he's such a great player and why he's so important to this football team," Cristobal said.
Fletcher scored touchdowns of 7, 1 and 7 yards, consistently finishing drives in the red zone and providing Miami the physical presence it lacked against Louisville's stout defensive front.
Stanford's struggles continue
Interim head coach Frank Reich's Stanford squad showed fight in the first half but couldn't sustain any momentum after intermission. Gulbranson completed just 9 of 21 passes for 50 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. After completing five of his first six passes for 31 yards, Gulbranson managed just 4-for-15 passing with two picks and only 19 yards the rest of the way.
Running back Cole Tabb provided Stanford's most consistent offense, rushing for 64 yards on 19 carries, but Miami's defensive adjustments in the second half eliminated any sustained Cardinal drives.
"I thought our defense did a pretty good job in the first half, and then they got after us real good in the second half," Reich said.
Stanford athletic director and general manager Andrew Luck spoke to ESPN during the game and praised Reich's interim work, but the Cardinal continue searching for a permanent head coach for the 2026 season.
Historical context
The victory marked Miami's biggest margin of victory in an ACC game since defeating Duke 47-10 on November 27, 2021. The 42-7 final score represented the first meeting between these programs and provided Miami a dominant win to restore confidence heading into the season's final month.
Notable was the absence of Miami defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor, who missed the game with an injury that ended his streak of 19 consecutive starts over the last two seasons. Mesidor entered the weekend with 26.5 career sacks, second-most among active FBS players.
Despite missing their defensive leader, Miami's front seven dominated Stanford's offensive line, generating pressure and forcing Gulbranson into rushed decisions that resulted in critical turnovers.
Looking ahead
Miami visits SMU on November 1 in a critical ACC matchup before hosting North Carolina State and Syracuse. The Hurricanes control their ACC championship destiny but cannot afford another slip-up against conference competition.
Stanford hosts Pittsburgh on November 1 as the Cardinal continue evaluating their roster under Reich's interim leadership. Stanford finishes the season with three of its final four games at home, where they remain undefeated in 2025.
For Miami, Saturday night provided the cathartic performance the program needed following last week's devastating home loss. The Hurricanes rediscovered their offensive identity, Beck regained his confidence, and the defense delivered a suffocating second-half performance that reminded everyone why they entered the season with championship aspirations.
The path back to playoff contention remains open. But Miami must maintain this level of execution and avoid the mistakes that derailed their undefeated season just one week ago.
