2016 Russell Athletic Bowl final score: Miami beats WVU as Brad Kaaya posts big numbers

Miami won the Russell Athletic Bowl against West Virginia on Wednesday night in Orlando, 31-14. Miami finished 2016 with a 9-4 record. WVU finished 10-3.

The Hurricanes got a great performance from junior quarterback Brad Kaaya, who now has to decide whether to turn pro with eligibility remaining or return for a final season in Coral Gables.

After a slow first 15 minutes, Miami set itself apart with an offensive explosion in the second quarter, powered by Kaaya. He threw three touchdowns in the frame: a 51-yarder to Ahmon Richards, a 3-yarder to Malcolm Lewis, and a gorgeous, looping 26-yarder to Braxton Berrios just before halftime, to make the score 21-7.

The second quarter at Camping World Stadium was a tantalizing taste of what Kaaya can be. If it turns out this was his last game at Miami, it was a good way to go out. If not, it was as happy a preview of next season as Miami fans could’ve asked for. He finished with four touchdowns, no interceptions, and 282 yards on 24-of-34 passing. He also had two interceptions negated on flags, which didn’t hurt.

Miami didn’t stop after that second-quarter burst. Kaaya threw another touchdown in the third quarter, a 23-yarder to David Njoku. The Canes had a three-score lead heading into the final 15 minutes and didn’t come close to blowing it, winning to end Mark Richt’s first year as the boss in Coral Gables. It was a solid effort in their home state.

Also, it included a ferocious hit at the end of the game by Miami’s Adrian Colbert on West Virginia’s Martell Pettaway.

Both programs had fine seasons, though it’s safe to say both expected better around midseason than ultimately winding up in the Russell Athletic Bowl. Miami’s season was a year of streaks, with a 4-0 start, an 0-4 middle, and a 4-0 end to the regular season. WVU opened up 6-0 and looked like a quiet Big 12 contender, but losses to Oklahoma State and Oklahoma snuffed that out.

Still, Dana Holgorsen’s team got to 10 wins. It wasn’t a bad year at all, even though Wednesday had Holgorsen flashing unhappy looks for much of the night.

West Virginia was playing in its 35th bowl game all-time, dating back as far as 1922. The Mountaineers carried in a 15-19 bowl record, and they were playing in a fifth bowl in six years under Holgorsen (winning two of the previous four). Miami entered 18-18 in bowls since 1945, with five national championships mixed in.

Before the game, the two teams got chippy with one another at a charity event. There were minor flareups of anger between plays during the game, but nothing major ensued. Everything was fairly smooth, including Miami’s ride to victory.