With the No. 7 Miami Hurricanes preparing to take the field at Hard Rock Stadium, persistent rain across South Florida caused soggy conditions on the field ahead of the game. Pesky thunderstorms passing over Miami Gardens in the afternoon caused the soggy field at Hard Rock Stadium but, barring a ny further weather issues, the Canes are still expected to take on the Florida AM Rattlers Thursday night. After the Canes dismantled the Stanford Cardinal 45-7 to open their season on the road, the U are seen as heavy favorites to pull off a similar dominant win in front of their home fans. Head coach Mario Cristobal lobbied for the game to have a late kickoff at 8 p.m. and for employers across South Florida to allow for as many fans as possible to show up and rock the stadium. “It means the world to our guys when they come out and that place is going bananas. That’s what we want every single week. Pushed the game back until 8 o’clock game time so that all the supervisors and bosses around Dade and Broward County allow your employees to make it to Hard Rock on time so that we can have the appropriate atmosphere,” said Cristobal. Fans in attendance will get their first chance to cheer on quarterback Darian Mensah after the early Heisman favorite and college phenom put on a clinic with 401 passing yards and five touchdown throws against the Cardinal. Mensah is looking forward to his first chance to play in front of the UM faithful. “I’m super excited to get in front of all of the fans screaming all at once, I think the energy in there is just different, even with no fans in there, being in an NFL stadium,” said Mensah. While many have already pointed to Mensah as a potential contender for the Heisman Trophy, his teammate, wide receiver Malachi Toney, has garnered even more attention for his record-setting performance against Stanford. The sophomore’s 234 receiving yards set a school record in a single game, needing just three quarters to reach that number. He also hauled in two touchdown passes. After that incredible display, he’s already being called the best player in college football by many. Several Canes defenders say that comes as no surprise, calling Toney impossible to defend. “That’s a tough challenge, you know, but I think he’s the best in the world so, I mean, you can’t – it’s no answer to cover him,” said Canes defensive back Zechariah Poyser. In Thursday night’s game, the Canes are seen as 55-point favorites. With the incredible offensive display from the previous week, it seems likely the Canes will look to make it clear that this team can put up points in a hurry against any defense. The Canes are expected to arrive at Hard Rock Stadium at around 5:45 p.m. for the Hurricanes Walk outside the southwest gate. Florida Panthers’ brother duo of Brady and Matthew Tkachuk will also be on hand to ring the Canes siren on the field to rally the crowd before the game begins. ...read more read less