Canes want to continue growing at Ball State

“We're not even close to playing our best football,” said Ward, who has completed 75 percent of his passes and thrown for 689 yards and six touchdowns in two games. “If you look back at the first game, I'd say there were at least 10 bad plays. … And from that last game, the biggest takeaway was the fourth down. That's just because we're not doing the little things, so that's something we've got to get a handle on. I mean, we say we want to win games, but you know, if we don't get the little things right now, it can hurt us down the back. So we're getting better at that. We got better this week at handling those situations and implementing the right concepts that we're supposed to use. But we're going to keep chopping wood and just keep playing ball.”

Miami head coach Mario Cristobal added: “Every team has good football players, and if you don’t really believe in it and don’t train like that, there will come a Saturday or Friday or Thursday where [you’re] will be disappointed, you know? For us, the best thing we do, the very best thing, is the way we practice; the way we train and prepare. And the best thing we have – it's team-led – the best thing we have is our culture. It allows us to be very direct and honest and get straight to the point and get to the point. … We've made it very clear from the beginning: There are no easy games on our schedule and anyone who thinks that way is going to be disappointed one day. So, stay hungry, stay motivated. The most important game of the year is Saturday at 3:30 p.m. and we're looking forward to it.”

Saturday's game is against Ball State, which just won its season opener 42-34 over Missouri State.

The Cardinals (1-0) are seeking their first win against a top-10 team in program history and are looking to start the season with two straight wins for the first time since 2013.

Quarterback Kadin Semonza had a solid performance in Ball State's opener, completing 28 of 39 passes for 262 yards and four touchdowns, as well as scoring a touchdown on a run.

The redshirt freshman already has some experience in big games, playing in the Cardinals' matchups against Kentucky and Georgia last fall before stepping up as a redshirt freshman.

Meanwhile, running back Braedon Sloan, who transferred from Eastern Kentucky, totaled 149 yards in the opening game and linebackers Joey Stemler and Keionte Newson led the defense with seven and six tackles, respectively.

And Cristobal acknowledged that Ball State – which limited Missouri State to just 62 rushing yards – is a physical team, especially in the trenches.

“First [that] stands out, their line of attack is big, mean, [and] physical; four or five returning starters. A lot of starts in a row. Just nasty. I mean, they get on your nerves. They really, really do,” Cristobal said. “The quarterback played a great game last game. They have explosive wide receivers and a veteran offensive line. They have a lot of turnover on defense, but you don't see a drop off on defense. You see a team that, I think, barely allowed more than 15 points a game in the second half of last season and has bolstered its roster with some transfers and some freshmen and some other guys that have been in the program for a while. … All summer we knew this was going to be a really good opponent to play against us, so we're excited for the challenge.”