Miami Throws Its Weight Around, Then Rips Kansas

Kansas fought Miami to a draw in a pregame brawl, but the Jayhawks were punchless thereafter.

Players traded shoves and punches near midfield 30 minutes before kickoff Saturday, and it took coaches from the two teams about a minute to break up the fight. Miami then won, 34-0.

No penalties were assessed because of the fight, and no one appeared seriously hurt. The trouble erupted as the third-ranked Hurricanes (4-1) were going from their locker room to the far end of the field and walked through the area where the Jayhawks (1-4-1) were warming up.

Miami Coach Dennis Erickson, who was caught in the middle of the fight and tried to break it up, accepted the blame for it.

“We don’t have enough room in our tunnel to come out,” Erickson said. “And we had so many people on the sideline, there was no room. They were warming up and a couple of our guys went through, and a shoving match started.

“Since we’re the home team, it’s Dennis Erickson’s fault.”

Kansas Coach Glen Mason said he saw trouble coming and tried to intervene.

“But the Miami kids don’t listen to the Kansas coach,” Mason said.

“It’s part of the intimidation factor in college football. I don’t like it. It doesn’t have anything to do with ability.”

The Hurricanes scored on six consecutive possessions and had all of their points by the end of the third quarter.