Dorsey passes Torretta as Miami's top gun

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MIAMI (AP) -- As Miami Hurricanes assistant coach Art Kehoe jogged off the Orange Bowl field, he turned to the emptying bleachers and started doing the "Gator Chomp.''

Florida A&M quarterback Casey Printers is dropped by Miami defensive tackle Matt Walters in the first quarter.

After disposing of Division I-AA Florida A&M 63-17 on Saturday night, the top-ranked Hurricanes think they're ready for The Swamp.

Ken Dorsey threw three touchdown passes and became the winningest quarterback in school history as the 'Canes overwhelmed Florida A&M in their season opener.

Dorsey improved to 27-1 as a starter and moved past Gino Torretta (26-2) on the school's career victory list. The Hurricanes also extended the nation's longest winning streak to 23 games.

No. 6 Florida will provide a much tougher challenge next Saturday, especially considering how convincingly the Gators beat Alabama-Birmingham.

"It's a huge game, obviously,'' Miami coach Larry Coker said. "They have great talent. We're playing at their place. It's going to be a tremendous challenge for us, but at the same time, it's what our players are looking for.

"National championships seem to come through the state of Florida, so it's certainly a very important game for both of us.''

Dorsey played a little more than a quarter, spending part of the first half with his hands on his hips, a towel around his neck and former Miami quarterback Bernie Kosar by his side.

Dorsey probably wasn't getting any tips from Kosar on how to win in Gainesville. Although Kosar led the Hurricanes to their first national title in 1983, he lost 28-3 at Florida in the opener of that season.

Miami looks much more prepared for the Gators this time. It'll be the first regular-season meeting between the teams since 1987. The Hurricanes were sharp, efficient and almost error-free against Florida A&M.

"It's not about Florida; it's not about FAMU,'' defensive tackle Vince Wilfork said. "It's about us. If we go out and play like we practice, there's no one who can beat us.''

Even players at positions of concern played well. The offensive line, which lost All-American tackle Bryant McKinnie and four-year starter Joaquin Gonzalez to the NFL, kept Dorsey's uniform clean.

The young, inexperienced and injury-depleted secondary, which is trying to replace four NFL draft picks who helped Miami lead the nation with 28 interceptions last season, prevented the Rattlers and quarterback Casey Printers from making any big plays.

And the running game, which lost Clinton Portis to the NFL and Frank Gore and Jarrett Payton to injuries, gained more than 300 yards, including 199 from backup tailback Jason Geathers.

"We made a statement as a team,'' guard Sherko Haji-Rasouli said. "The first game is a stepping stone, and we need to use it that way. Anytime you're playing a Division I-AA team, you expect a lopsided score, but we wanted to set a precedent for the year, and I think we did that.''

The Hurricanes have outscored the Rattlers 256-23 in the last five meetings. Saturday's game was over early, with Miami taking advantage of excellent field position to score on six of its first eight possessions. The Hurricanes started seven of those drives in Florida A&M territory.

"The Miami Hurricanes, that's what was wrong with us,'' Rattlers coach Billy Joe said. "We were truly outmatched.''

Although Dorsey threw an interception on the first drive, he quickly made it 28-0 on his next 10 snaps.

Willis McGahee scored from 19 yards out. Dorsey hit Kellen Winslow Jr. for a 12-yard touchdown, then connected with Andre Johnson for a 7-yard score, and Roscoe Parrish took an end around 46 yards to cap a 28-point first quarter.

The 'Canes cruised from there.

Dorsey hit Ethenic Sands on a crossing route, and Sands twisted and turned between tacklers for a touchdown and a 35-0 lead. Dorsey and many of the other starters were done for the night.

Dorsey finished 8-of-13 passing, McGahee ran six times for 60 yards and Johnson caught three passes for 44 yards.

Geathers, who moved from receiver to running back this fall, had TD runs of 20 and 62 yards in the second half.

The Rattlers scored three times in the second half against mostly freshmen and non-scholarships players as the Hurricanes cleared the bench. The first half, though, is what the Hurricanes hope will carry into Gainesville.

"That's the way we wanted to open our season,'' Coker said.