After two weeks of easy wins, Week 4 presents a unique challenge for the No. 7 Miami Hurricanes as they travel north to face South Florida.
Miami (3-0) shocked everyone with their dismantling of the Florida Gators in Week 1, and it’s been nothing but blowouts since, with Cam Ward and others padding their stats.
Even with this year's Hurricanes looking much different than teams from recent years, skepticism still surrounds the program. Many are questioning if this team is truly legitimate and if “The U” is indeed back. The next true test for this Miami (FL) football team comes this weekend when they hit the road for a primetime game against South Florida (2-1).
This is the same South Florida football team that had Alabama on the ropes just a couple of weeks ago. So, this shouldn’t be a team that Hurricanes fans overlook.
For those interested in the history, this will be the seventh meeting between the two schools, with Miami holding a 5-1 record and remaining undefeated against the Bulls in Tampa. South Florida’s only win against the Hurricanes came back in 2010 at Hard Rock Stadium. Miami hopes to add another win to their column this weekend.
Now, let’s dive into our bold predictions for Miami versus South Florida in Week 4.
Miami runs for 200-plus yards against South Florida
Even though Miami rushed for 243 yards against Ball State last Saturday, they struggled to establish the run early on. The Cardinals were stuffing the run for most of the first half, forcing Cam Ward and the passing game to find wide-open receivers to create separation. The Bulls are allowing just under 150 rushing yards per game (142). Don't be surprised if Miami looks to avenge their early-game running woes by putting up a significant number of rushing yards against South Florida.
Miami avoids making a turnover against South Florida
When Miami arrives at Raymond James Stadium on Saturday night, they’ll be up against the No. 8 team in the country for turnovers gained. The Bulls have recovered five fumbles and made three interceptions in their three games this season. Surprisingly, a significant portion of those turnovers came in the game against Alabama (3), which is what kept South Florida competitive for so long against the Crimson Tide.
Miami will aim to avoid falling into that trap and stay turnover-free. The Hurricanes have committed just one turnover this season, which was a Cam Ward interception early in the first quarter against Florida.
Cam Ward makes four consecutive games throwing for 300 yards and at least three touchdowns
Beyond his nonchalant, carefree, yet exhilarating play style that has made him a must-see and an early Heisman Trophy candidate, Cam Ward has been putting up massive numbers this season. He currently leads the nation in passing touchdowns with 11 and ranks second in passing yards with 1,035, trailing only Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart.
Ward's consistency has been remarkable; in three straight games, he has thrown for over 300 yards and at least three touchdowns. Last week, he elevated his touchdown total by tossing five scores against Ball State. Ward will aim to keep his hot streak alive against South Florida.
Miami beats South Florida, moves to 4-0
As noted previously, this game against South Florida will be Miami's first significant test since their season-opening victory over the Gators. The Hurricanes are up against a strong Group of Five team that, who knows, could potentially meet them again in the College Football Playoff.
Miami must approach this game with seriousness and avoid underestimating a South Florida team led by head coach Alex Golesh. So far, Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal has done an excellent job keeping his team focused and level-headed. It would be a major setback if Miami were to falter against what is perceived as a lesser opponent on primetime television.
While a loss to South Florida would undoubtedly be a blow to Miami's fans and cause a significant drop in the polls, it wouldn’t affect their pursuit of an ACC title and a playoff berth. Under the new 12-team College Football Playoff format, winning the conference would grant Miami an automatic bid and likely secure a top-four spot. Since South Florida is a nonconference opponent, a loss would simply be viewed as a bad blemish on their record.
However, Miami should take care of business and secure another win here, potentially beating the Bulls by 20 points or more. They currently stand as a 17.5-point favorite heading into the matchup, per ESPN Bet. They are 2-1 against the spread this season, not covering in the game against Florida A&M.
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