Comment on In divided America, average isn't typical

SYRACUSE, N. Y. — No. 6 Miami started Saturday in control of its own playoff destiny. After losing to Syracuse, the Hurricanes need some help. Miami will need the College Football Playoff selection committee to look favorably on it and give the team an at-large bid in order to make the 12-team tournament.

TULSA, Okla. — Tyriq Starks threw a career-high five touchdown passes, Daedae Hill had a pick-6 to ignite a 35-point second quarter, and Florida Atlantic rolled to a 63-16 victory over Tulsa on Saturday in a season finale for both teams. Hill intercepted a pass from Cooper Legas and returned it 16 yards for a touchdown to start the Owls off and running to their first conference win this season. Gemari Sands had a 22-yard touchdown run for a 21-2 lead.

SUNRISE — Spencer Knight made 20 saves, Mackie Samoskevich scored with less than a second left in the second period, and the Florida Panthers got four goals in the third to beat the Carolina Hurricanes 6-0 on Saturday and complete a two-day sweep. Aleksander Barkov, Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, Evan Rodrigues and Adam Boqvist also scored for Florida, which won 6-3 at Carolina on Friday.

SYRACUSE, N. Y. — The No. 6 Hurricanes went up 21-0 on Syracuse, scoring on each of their first three drives. Their goals were so close, they could reach out and grab them. But Miami (10-2, 6-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) collapsed down the stretch, getting outscored 42-17 from that point on as they fell to Syracuse (9-3, 5-3) 42-38 at the JMA Wireless Dome.

CORAL GABLES — RJ Johnson scored 23 points, including the go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute, Daylen Berry added two clutch free throws and Charleston Southern surprised Miami 83-79 on Saturday. The Buccaneers led for the last four minutes of the first half and deep into the second half before a 3-pointer from Austin Swartz gave Miami a 76-75 lead with 3 minutes left in the game.

UCF coach Gus Malzahn has resigned after four seasons with the school. ESPN’s Pete Thamel was the first to report the move, with Malzahn leaving to take the offensive coordinator job at Florida State. Malzahn previously worked with FSU coach Mike Norvell during their time at Tulsa under then-coach Todd Graham from 2007-08.