Two down, two to go.  The Miami Hurricanes are halfway through their conquest of Florida collegiate football, having taken down Florida State and Florida A&M, with a pair of up and coming programs still on the docket. 

Central Florida takes their shot at the 'Canes on Saturday, looking to reaffirm their place as a contender in the Sunshine State.  UCF has taken a bit of a backseat to their rivals from, ironically, the north in South Florida after a down year in '08.  They could take a big step forward though if they can take down the No. 9 Hurricanes. 

Miami did what they were supposed to do in their battle against the Rattlers last week, going up 31-3 in the first half, and getting their backups a lot of quality playing time. 

One thing that may have actually been a detriment during that brutal opening stretch was the fact that their backups couldn't see any time.  That depth suddenly has become a priority with as many as five Hurricanes lost for the season with injuries already. 

This week will certainly be a bigger test than anything FAMU could have thrown Miami's way, but it's a game that a top 10 team shouldn't have much trouble with. 

 

1. No Letdown Games

OK, maybe this is key is a bit of a cop-out, but it had to be said.  If the Hurricanes want to be an elite team, they have to play every single game against opponents like UCF as if though it were USC. 

Hurricane fans know all too well how upsets can derail promising seasons, and while they work their way back to the top, they need to win these games convincingly just as badly as the big ones.

There were a ton of potential consequences relating to what could happen after the first four games of the year, having to play the caliber of teams Miami did week after week.  Perhaps one positive that was overlooked was the potential for the Hurricanes to get used to playing their best every week. 

 

2. Get The Main Backs Rolling Again

Against Oklahoma, Jevarris James had 15 carries for 150 yards, his best game ever in a Hurricane uniform.  Against FAMU?  One carry for four yards. 

I understand that he wasn't exactly needed against the Rattlers and the younger backs needed reps, but we should be seeing a big return game from Baby J and his buddy Graig Cooper against UCF. 

The Knights have been fairly good against the run so far this season, allowing only 90 rushing yards per game, which makes for a perfect test for James and Cooper. 

The two of them will become more and more important as the season goes on, after all, because the pressure of winning out in the ACC may start getting to their younger offensive players. 

 

3. The Front Four Need to Make Plays

Even after five games, the defensive line for the Hurricanes is as much a question mark now as it was before the season. 

The loss of Marcus Forston for the rest of the season is a shot to depth, but not as big of a loss as one might think.  Allen Bailey has quietly been getting better, tying with Marcus Robinson for the team lead in sacks, and Forston really wasn't playing near his potential. 

There's a lot of talent sitting on that line, but it's about time that they started imposing their will in some games.  Olivier Vernon and Andrew Smith have emerged as legitimate players at end, but they, along with Robinson and Eric Moncur, are going to have to make a bigger impact. 

They'll be needed specifically to help slow down the UCF rushing attack led by Brynn Harvey, who is coming off a 200 yard effort against Memphis. 

 

4. Big Plays Without Big Mistakes

Jacory Harris has been the creator of many a great play this season, but he's also made some of his worst mistakes when trying to stretch the field.  Now Jacory doesn't have a laser arm, but it's certainly enough to make all the throws that are asked of him.  What his problem has been is much more of a timing issue than anything else. 

When the timing on those deep routes get thrown off, not only does it make it a lot harder for the receiver to make a clean play on the ball, it could also keep him out of range to defend against interceptions. 

Early interceptions down field really hurt the 'Canes in the Oklahoma game, and could cost Miami games down the line, so why not get some practice in against UCF?

 

5. Draw From VaTech, Learn How to Deal With the Atmosphere

I know that this isn't exactly the Swamp or anything, but UCF fans seem fairly confident in their ability to create a bad environment for Harris and his Hurricanes.  Whether they'll fill up the 45k at Bright House Network Stadium, I don't know, but it might not be such a bad thing to have that place rocking on Saturday. 

The last Hurricanes game on the road was in terrible conditions in Blacksburg, one of the toughest places to play in the country.  That of course didn't turn out too well for Miami, so a bounce back performance in the "Bounce House" would be a good omen for the future. 

Remember, the 'Canes still have road games against Wake Forest, Butch Davis, and North Carolina, and No. 21 South Florida on the schedule.

 

 

Ok, that's that.  Should be another entertaining prime time game for Miami, we'll see if they can prove that Top 10 ranking is deserved.