Kaliakmanis completed his first seven passes and finished with a career-high four touchdowns — including two to wideout Ian Strong — as the Scarlet Knights (2-0) piled up 31 first downs and ran 33 more plays than the RedHawks. Strong hauled in nine passes for 116 yards.
Miami (0-2) battled early. D’Shawntae Jones punched in a first-quarter touchdown to tie it 7-7, and Lakota West graduate Jackson Kuwatch delivered a second-quarter sack that forced Rutgers to settle for a field goal.
But quarterback Dequan Finn’s costly second-quarter interception turned directly into a Scarlet Knights touchdown, sparking a 17-7 lead that Rutgers never relinquished.
Finn kept the RedHawks within striking distance in the third quarter, hitting Keith Reynolds for a 69-yard connection. Finn dove to the pylon on a touchdown run to cut the deficit to 24-17.
Kaliakmanis answered with another TD strike to Strong midway through the quarter before throwing a 5-yard touchdown to D.T. Sheffield. Rutgers tacked on another rushing score in the final minutes.
Rutgers outgained Miami by a wide margin, keeping possession with long, methodical drives and dominating on third down.
Finn ended with 251 yards passing and 85 rushing for Miami, while Kuwatch led the defense with 11 tackles.
Miami has a bye week the hosts UNLV on Saturday, Sept. 20, at Yager Stadium.
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