College Football: Hurricanes handle Knights

The University of Miami quarterback had another slow start Saturday, completing 3-of-10 passes for 20 yards in the first half against Rutgers in a game that was close early and lopsided, late. But thanks to a 28-point third quarter that included two Berlin touchdown passes, he could be back behind center for the opening snap next week when the Hurricanes end the regular season against Pittsburgh.

Berlin finished the day completing 6-of-14 passes for 86 yards and two touchdowns.

"I felt very comfortable out there," said Berlin following his team's 34-10 win over the Scarlet Knights at the Orange Bowl. "The big thing for us was to get into a rhythm and stay in that rhythm.

We executed the way we planned today, and we haven't been able to do that. Hopefully, this will be a building block for us."

Still, UM head coach Larry Coker -- who started junior quarterback Derrick Crudup last week against Syracuse -- wasn't giving up any secrets. Crudup saw limited play Saturday, completing only 1-of-3 passes for seven yards.

"Brock had a nice day and was very efficient," Coker said when asked who would start next week. "But there were errors made by both quarterbacks. We have to evaluate the film."

The one thing Berlin didn't do was turn the ball over.

"I didn't give you guys too much to write about with the turnovers," he said.

The game started slow, with Miami (9-2, 5-1 Big East) scoring on the game's opening drive thanks to a Jon Peattie 25-yard field goal with just over six minutes gone in the first quarter.

The 'Canes, who started the drive on their own 34, had to settle for the field goal after failing to reach the end zone following a first-and-10 on the Rutgers 11-yard line.

UM took a 6-0 lead in the opening minutes of the second quarter following an interception by defensive back Antrel Rolle, who returned the ball 15 yards to the Miami 48.

After moving to the Rutgers 24, the Miami offense again stalled, forcing Miami to settle for another Peattie field goal, this one from 41 yards out.

Berlin, meanwhile, completed his first two passes before throwing six incomplete passes in a row. Coker then pulled him and put in Crudup with just over 12 minutes left in the first half.

Crudup was in for just one series before Berlin came back into the game.

Rutgers (4-7, 1-5) made it 6-3 in the final seconds of the half following a 47-yard drive on 11 plays that moved the ball to the Miami 12. With only six seconds left, Ryan Sands kicked a 30-yard field goal.

Most of Miami's offense in the half came off the shoulders of running back Jarrett Payton, who rushed for 63 yards on 11 carries.

Rutgers quarterback Ryan Hart, meanwhile, ended the half completing 11-of-21 passes for 85 yards with one interception.

The 'Canes went up 13-3 early in the third quarter following the first of two blocked punts -- knocked down by linebacker Darrell McClover, giving UM the ball on the Rutgers 18. Two plays later, Berlin hit junior tight end Kevin Everett over the middle with a 17-yard touchdown pass.

After stopping Rutgers deep in its own territory, Miami started on the Knights 18 following a 17-yard punt return by Roscoe Parrish. After an incomplete pass by Berlin, Payton ran it in from 18 yards out.

Suddenly, it was 20-3, as the 'Canes scored two touchdowns in less than four minutes on only four offensive plays.

Just when it looked like Miami was going to run away with it, Rutgers got a break when a blocked punt by 'Canes free safety Sean Taylor in the Knights end zone was scooped up by linebacker Brian Hohmann, who returned the ball to the Rutgers 35.

But two plays later, a pass by Hart bounced off a receiver and was plucked out of the air by Taylor, who raced 44 yards for the touchdown.

After stopping the Knights again, UM made it 34-3 on a five-play drive that ended with Everett catching his second touchdown pass of the day and the third of his college career, this one from Berlin from 5 yards out.

Rutgers' only touchdown of the game came after an 81-yard drive on six plays, with Hart hitting fullback Brian Leonard from 3 yards out with 9:03 left in the game.

"It was a tough football game," said Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano. "(Miami) ran us out of the stadium. Two blocked punts and an interception, bang, bang.

Are we good enough to play with this team? I don't know, but we played with them the first half."