MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Cam'ron Huarris ran for 134 yards and scored twice to lead Miami to a 31-14 season-opening win over UAB Thursday night.
Harris' second touchdown from 4 yards late in the third period gave Miami a 24-14 lead after the Blazers of Conference USA got within three on Spencer Brown's 6-yard run.
Houston graduate transfer D'Eriq King threw for a touchdown and scored one for Miami, which became the first school from a Power 5 conference to begin the game-depleted 2020 season.
King's 4-yard pass to Brevin Jordan with time expiring in the third quarter gave Miami its final margin.
The Hurricanes snapped a 7-7 tie and took the lead for good on King's 12-yard run early in the second quarter. Jose Borregales' 25-yard field goal in the Hurricanes' first possession of the second half increased their lead to 17-7.
The Blazers (1-1) struck first on Tyler Johnston's 16-yard pass to Austin Watkins with 2:40 remaining in the first quarter.
The lead was short-lived after Harris' 66-yard run on the next drive. Miami opted to go for it on a fourth-and-1 at its 34 and Harris broke through the UAB line untouched for the longest touchdown run of his career.
Despite getting the go-ahead to play this season, Miami will be without highly regarded defensive end Greg Rousseau. Projected as a high NFL draft choice next spring, Rousseau opted to sit out the season.
UAB coach Bill Clark told a Birmingham radio station that a few of his reserves tested positive for coronavirus and didn't make the trip to South Florida.
Thursday's attendance of 8,153 at Hard Rock Stadium fell short of the 20% cap allowed at the 65,000-seat venue's capacity in compliance with coronavirus social-distancing guidelines. Spectators were scattered throughout the stadium's lower and upper decks.
