TAMPA – After years of false starts and false hopes ended in Miami mediocrity, it's time to take the No. 8 Hurricanes seriously.

Their 50-15 victory over USF at Raymond James Stadium seemed to confirm that these Canes are ACC favorites and College Football Playoff contenders—not just to make the 12-team field, but to have a chance to break through.

Miami is off to a 4-0 start for the second straight season and fifth in the last 20 years. USF (2-2) lost its second game against a big-league opponent after falling to No. 4 Alabama earlier this month.

The Bulls kept the game exciting for over 50 minutes. Miami did not allow this on Saturday evening in front of 58,616 spectators.

Instead, the 'Canes scored 50 points for the third straight game; they have never done that before.

The first half was strange, even by college football standards. USF was assessed four penalties in three plays, which allowed Miami to score its first touchdown.

Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward threw an interception that hit receiver Jacolby George, bounced up and was intercepted by Brent Austin. On USF's ensuing drive, Byrum Brown a touchdown pass when receiver Sean Atkins took a reverse pitch and hit his completely free quarterback. Miami blocked the extra point. USF then appeared to catch its surprise onside kick, but a player was offside.

And that was only the first quarter.

USF's Nico Gramatica, son of former Bucs kicker Martin Gramatica, made a 58-yard field goal and a 51-yard kick, but the Bulls missed a 31-yard kick in the final seconds of the first half.

Miami went to the locker room with a seven-point lead and USF seemed to have a spark with a 23-yard catch by Atkins on the first play out of the lineup. The Bulls fell behind on a false start that stalled the drive. Miami responded with an 80-yard drive that Damien Martinez capped with his second touchdown rush.

The 'Canes scored another Martinez touchdown rush in the final minute of the third quarter, virtually securing the win.

Ward finished the game with 404 passing yards and three touchdowns at halftime. USF's running offense — which ranked eighth in the country in yards per game — averaged just 1.7 yards per carry through the first 52 minutes.

Miami hosts Virginia Tech in its ACC opener next week. The Bulls travel to Tulane for their first AAC game.

This story will be updated.

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