ACC Championship Berth For Miami Hurricanes?

Can a young, but talented, Miami Hurricanes football team actually make it to the Atlantic Coastal Conference championship game in Tampa this year? It's possible. 

Their remaining schedule includes a home game against Virginia Tech, a team that hasn't overly impressed anyone this year. They travel to Georgia Tech to face a squad who lost to Virginia Tech, who barely beat Gardner Webb, and who has a tough game at North Carolina this weekend. Finally they face an NC State team that has lost four out of their last five games. Not to mention, Miami has a bye-week to get ready for next week's rivalry game with Virginia Tech (Thursday, Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m. EST).

I know what your saying—Miami who? Yes, believe it! The Miami Hurricanes are back in the picture in the ACC after a couple years of mediocrity.

Coach Randy Shannon is doing at Miami what Butch Davis did in the mid '90s. He's trying to turn a program around that once had success, hit rock bottom, and is now on the rise again. And he's doing it with great recruiting and discipline.

It will be another couple of years before they're back in the national championship hunt, but with a great recruiting class last year (no. 5 according to rivals.com), and another one on the way next year (no. 9 according to rivals.com as of Nov. 6), things are starting to get back to normal in Hurricane land.

After a slow start again (2-3), the 'Canes have reeled off four straight wins, putting themselves in a position to win the coastal division of the ACC, and giving them a shot at the championship game.  In order to do this, they need to win out, and get some help with UNC losing one of their last three conference games against Maryland, NC State or Duke.

This team is starting to learn how to win big games. Last week's win at Virginia showed that. You can see the confidence building.

I know anything can happen at this point. Sure, they could lose their last three games and finish 6-6. But, at least they are in the picture again, and with the way the ACC has been this year, I like their chances.

UM has two athletic QBs, two good running backs, and a talented pool of WRs who are tall, fast, and are learning to make plays—Travis Benjamin is electrifying. Their defense has some experience and depth.

If they can just stay grounded and avoid reading articles like these, who knows where it will lead them? They're flying under the radar right now, and I'm pretty sure Shannon doesn't have a problem with that.

With the way they're recruiting lately, I like their long-term outlook. They're finally starting to get some of these kids in Florida that they were losing to rivals like the University of Florida and Florida State University over the last several years.

The future is bright in South Beach for 'Canes fans.

The present might be too.