Detmer Is No. 1 Man in BYU’s Upset : Miami: Quarterback throws for 406 yards and three touchdowns as Cougars let air out of Hurricanes, 28-21.

The stunning 28-21 victory belonged to Brigham Young, but the night belonged to quarterback Ty Detmer, who left Cougar Stadium with six stitches in his bloodied chin, a bruised thigh and the new-found respect of the late-great Miami Hurricanes, No. 1 in the polls no more.

In a game billed as the biggest in BYU history, the Cougars did the improbable, some say the impossible: They put a muzzle on the big, bad Hurricanes, college football’s poster team for free speech. Pressing the mute button was Detmer, who completed 38 of 54 passes for 406 yards, three touchdowns and a two-point conversion.

Only a few days earlier, Miami’s players were predicting an early exit for the slender Detmer, who looks 21 going on 14. Hurricane defensive lineman Anthony Hamlet vowed to rough him up. Safety Hurlie Brown scoffed at the idea of comparing Detmer to Miami’s own Heisman Trophy candidate, quarterback Craig Erickson. No contest, he said--Erickson. Defensive back Darryl Williams added that Detmer was a “long way” from being considered a great player.

Yes, well, that was before Detmer dismantled the Miami defense as if they were Lego blocks. He used seven different receivers to slice up the Hurricanes. He scrambled with ease. He improvised. In fact, the last time Miami had been subjected to this sort of abuse was in 1984, when Boston College’s Doug Flutie completed 472 yards’ worth of passes, including the famous “Hail Mary” prayer at the final gun.

This was different, though. This was a performance, even by Detmer’s demanding standards, almost without fault.

“I didn’t throw a ball that I didn’t want to,” he said. “We had a perfect game plan for their defense.”

Miami allowed an average of 147 passing yards per game in 1989, the season in which it won a national championship. Detmer had 287 yards in the first half.

Miami wore down opponents last year. Battered them. Taunted them. On Saturday, in front of a record BYU crowd of 66,235, to say nothing of a national television audience on ESPN, the Hurricanes went meekly into the night.

Miami’s Erickson completed 28 of 52 passes for 299 yards, but he was intercepted once, sacked three times and didn’t throw a touchdown pass.

Detmer, who was mobbed by jubilant BYU fans after the scoreboard clicked zeros, exacted his own wry bit of revenge. In a comment that tears right at the heart of Miami’s macho image, Detmer said that he received more hits trying to make his way to the Cougar locker room “than I did the whole game.”

The Hurricanes, who aren’t used to this sort of thing, reacted humbly enough.

“We knew (Detmer) was going to be a nuisance,” said Russell Maryland, Miami’s All-American defensive tackle. “And he proved it to us. He proved he has Heisman potential.”

This isn’t exactly a news flash to BYU followers, who have watched Detmer pass for gobs of yardage on Saturdays past. So sure were BYU sports information types of Detmer’s potential, 10,000 handmade paper ties were sent to the national media. Each one read: “The Official Heisman Ty.”

Votes no doubt were swayed as Detmer could do little wrong. His first touchdown pass--a 14-yarder to wide receiver Matt Bellini--tied the score, 7-7, early in the second period. A BYU field goal a few minutes later, again made possible by Detmer, gave the Cougars a 10-7 lead.

Back and forth it went. Miami scored with 3:35 left in the first half on fullback Steve McGuire’s second touchdown of the game. BYU responded with a hurry-up offense, a 74-yard scoring drive and a surprising 17-14 halftime advantage.

Miami appeared to take control in the third quarter. The Hurricanes scored on their opening drive and led BYU by four. It would be their last points of the game.

The Cougars cut the lead to 21-20 with a 29-yard field goal with 9:26 left in the third quarter. They added a touchdown on their next possession, courtesy of Detmer’s scramble that left four Miami defenders grasping at air. He then found Mike Salido open in the end zone.

“I wasn’t even supposed to be in the pattern,” Salido said. “But somehow he’ll find you.”

A two-point conversion pass accounted for the final points.

Afterward, Detmer considered the ramifications of BYU’s victory. He dismissed the Heisman hype. In fact, he said he doesn’t even own one of those keepsake ties. Instead, he talked about the Cougars, ranked 16th at game’s beginning.

“We were close against Penn State last year (in the Holiday Bowl),” Detmer said. “But then again, no one takes us for real this year. Right now, maybe people will start thinking we’re a little better than they think.”

Miami will vouch for all claims.