I’m seeing Miami +10.5… On a neutral field
Woof.
I guess Vegas says the 'Canes have no shot.
Miami +10.5 wow. I thought it would be like 7.
Ohio State is a good team. I am not going to knock them. That being said this Ohio State team is not last years version either. These announcers and pundits act like they unbeatable. Oh by the way they were just beaten by IU who is good but Miami is better. The canes have the best OL/DL in the country. That travels no matter where you play. I do think Miami needs to score more than 10 points to beat Ohio State. If Miami can get a lead and play from ahead the pressure will be on Ohio State. I am not a huge fan of Sayin and I think Miami can honestly rattle him. Keep Ohio State from making the big plays. I don’t think Ohio State is as good at RB as last year. While Smith is a stud - Miami has the ability on the back end to keep him from making the big plays. Win up front and Miami has a shot. I like Miami and +10.5
2 Likes
In almost every statistical category, the Ohio State Buckeyes are better than the Hurricanes. Small wonder the odds are skewed significantly against the Canes prevailing. But, let’s not forget how the lowly Hurricanes emerged out of nowhere to become a legendary football power.
In 1983, the Nebraska Cornhuskers were actually proclaimed the greatest college football team ever assembled, and the sporting nation pretty much agreed with this assessment. The Tom Osbourne coached Huskers demolished opponents, defeating Minnesota 84-13, Syracuse 63-7, Iowa 72-29. Unbeaten going into the Orange Bowl, the Huskers were favored by oddsmakers against the Canes, whom many thought had no business playing in the national championship, by 10.5 to 11.5 points.
Thus, the stage was set for what turned out to be IMO the greatest college football game ever played. The lowly Hurricanes stormed out of the blocks and their passing wizardry and team speed was something completely new in the game of college football. The Canes playing spectacularly took an early lead, but Nebraska, big and strong fought back. In the closing minutes, the Huskers were charging, scoring a TD making the score 31-30. All Nebraska had to do was kick an extra point to tie Miami, and they would be declared the National Champions. However, Coach Tom Osbourne was the consummate sportsman. He had the same philosophy as Bear Bryant: playing for a tie game is like “kissing your sister.” Osbourne, and I love him for it, went for the win, and he FAILED. Miami won its first National Championship, and that was the University of Miami’s beginning as a football power. Ever after, I had great respect for Tom Osbourne for whom I rooted when he subsequently won two national championships and retired as Nebraska’s greatest coach.
Can Miami beat OSU? Unlikely, but the same was true against the 1983 Cornhuskers. Miami can win, but the offense must show up for its finest hour. This year, I learned Shannon Dawson is a very good offensive coordinator. After losing two games the Hurricanes should have won, Dawson certainly defied the adage that an old dog cannot learn new tricks. He realized his former strategy of RPO where the rushing game between the A and B gaps is supposed to relieve pressure off the QB was not working, and he introduced plays we hadn’t seen before of this team. He turned Mali loose as a RB and even as a QB. He elevated Pringle into the line up and started rushing outside the A and B gaps. He modulated Beck’s play to a controlled, mistake-free short passing game.
Here is what Miami must do to beat OSU. 1. The defense must show up as it did against A&M. Sayin is the best QB we’ve faced this year, and Miami needs to make his life miserable. 2. Beck has to throw the long ball successfully. I would hope that we send this kid Josh Moore deep. This kid is a future star, and he is a terrific match up problem going deep, playing against shorter defensive back. In the short passing game, Beck is particularly successful throwing short out passes. On third downs, Miami needs to go to Elijah Lofton, whom we haven’t used enough, on short slant plays. I like slant plays, even though Skeeter doesn’t, but the slant is basic football. I also like the slant and go plays where the receiver turns up field. Finally, I’d like to see a few shuffle passes to Mark Fletcher which will give pause to the Ohio State defensive front from bullrushing our QB.
This game needs to be payback time for what I consider the worst robbery in UM football history when OSU stole a national championship away from Canes on a pass interference penalty that was completely bogus. Those of you who pray, I urge you to have at it.