Miami Can Contend for ACC Title, Even After Near Choke Job
The mood at Sun Life Stadium before Saturday’s Miami-Nebraska game was, shall we say, sub-optimal.
Multiple planes carrying banners calling for coach Al Golden’s job flew overhead, and numerous fans masqueraded as empty seats in 90-degree temperatures that felt closer to 100 with stifling South Florida humidity.
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The Hurricanes don’t return home until Oct. 17 against Virginia Tech, but chances are the airspace above Sun Life will be crowded again.
After building a 23-point lead with nine minutes to go, Miami escaped in every sense of the word. Nebraska scored 23 consecutive points to force overtime before Miami intercepted a Tommy Armstrong Jr. pass and kicked a field goal for a 36-33 overtime victory.
The Hurricanes are 3-0 entering their bye week before an Oct. 1 game at Cincinnati, but it’s hard to have confidence in this group. Still, when you look at the rest of the ACC, you can see a path that will leave Golden’s group as a 2015 contender.
Following a disappointing 6-7 2014 that ended with an Independence Bowl loss to South Carolina, Golden was sitting on one of the nation’s hottest seats with a 28-22 record in four full seasons.
Sophomore quarterback Brad Kaaya has built on 2014’s ACC Rookie of the Year performance with a solid-to-strong effort through the season’s first quarter.
Saturday, he struggled down the stretch, but still completed 25 of 42 passes for 379 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.
The Hurricanes lost a lot of offensive talent, including all-time leading rusher Duke Johnson and receiver Philip Dorsett, a first-round pick of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, as well as four starting offensive linemen.
However, the offense is showing signs of life around Kaaya. Tailback Joseph Yearby is adjusting to the lead tailback role, with 125 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries against Nebraska.
Senior Rashawn Scott is developing into a go-to receiver for Kaaya as well. Saturday, he caught nine passes for 151 yards, his second 100-yard game of the season.
Miami’s pass defense needs work. Armstrong shredded it with a strong fourth quarter, finishing with 304 yards and four touchdowns against three interceptions.
Can the Hurricanes be ACC contenders?
That’s a difficult question to answer.
Golden’s team could very easily begin the season 4-0, but the early league slate will be very telling.
The Hurricanes begin the ACC schedule with a trip to arch-rival Florida State, which owns a five-game win streak in the teams’ series; Miami’s last win came in 2009.
That’s followed by a two-game homestand against an improved Virginia Tech team and preseason ACC favorite Clemson. The schedule softens up a bit after that, although a Nov. 21 visit from defending Coastal Division champion Georgia Tech will be challenging, too.
However, outside the Yellow Jackets (who struggled mightily Saturday at Notre Dame) the Coastal is wide open. Drawing both Clemson and Florida State from the Atlantic is difficult, but the rest of the schedule is manageable if Kaaya continues to improve while developing chemistry with his new receivers.
This week, both Clemson and Florida State looked vulnerable on the road, with Clemson escaping with a 20-17 victory at Louisville and a young Seminole team taking a sluggish 14-0 win at Boston College. Both teams should be in the Top 10 this week, but both have issues they must solve for serious ACC contention.
If Miami can emerge from the Florida State-Virginia Tech-Clemson stretch 2-1, the ‘Canes stand an excellent chance of competing for the Coastal Division title and challenging the Atlantic Division winner for the overall ACC crown.
Golden’s seat won’t cool much following Saturday’s near-disaster, but with a little improvement, the Hurricanes can make noise in the ACC this fall.
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