The case could be made that the Miami Hurricanes have overcome the hardest part of their schedule. They kicked it off with a crucial win over historic rival, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, claimed the state championship with victories against the South Florida Bulls, Florida Gators, and Florida State Seminoles, and have beaten three ranked opponents.
The Hurricanes are currently one of 15 teams in the nation to remain with an undefeated record, 5-0. Their schedule up to this point has sharpened them; the team responded tremendously well to the tests that were presented on the field.
In the Hurricanes’ recent matchup against the Seminoles, it was their first time playing on the road this season. It was a massive test and they passed it in flying colors, despite some defensive slip-ups in the fourth quarter.
Regardless, the victory boosted the Hurricanes back to second in the latest AP polls. For the rest of their season, as it currently stands, the team will face unranked ACC opponents.
The Hurricanes, alongside the SMU Mustangs, are the only teams to face an ACC opponent once so far into their schedules and come out victorious.
The Hurricanes are in a prime position to do something that has yet to be done in program history: win an ACC championship. They appeared in the championship game only once since joining the conference in 2004.
In 2017, the Hurricanes faced the Clemson Tigers, but fell short of glory, with a final score of 38-3. Quarterback Malik Rosier completed 14 of 29 passes, 48.3 percent, for 110 yards, no touchdowns, and two interceptions. They struggled to convert on third downs, 3 for 16, and the offense couldn’t keep up with the Tigers.
The current Hurricanes roster is arguably the most well-rounded team in the nation. They have a talented and efficient quarterback in Carson Beck; they can put numbers on the scoreboard in a variety of ways, and also defend at a high level with Ahkeem Mesidor and Reuben Bain Jr. leading the charge.
The Hurricanes can prove that they are the best team in the ACC, but that can only be done on the field. The team is clearly well-respected from a national media aspect, as they’ve been ranked in the top three of the AP polls for a third consecutive week.
The Hurricanes cannot take their foot off the gas because there are still plenty of football games ahead and much more to accomplish.