One of the most talked-about teams coming out of Week 1 was Miami (1-0), which pummeled Florida in its own stadium. The Hurricanes, now the No. 12 team in the country (No. 9 in our power rankings), moved up from No. 19 after walking out of The Swamp with a 41-17 victory. That one win over the Gators has since changed the outlook for this year's Miami football team.
The Hurricanes entered the 2024 season with more hype than usual, though not without the usual skepticism as well. Often over the last 20 years or so, Miami, otherwise known as “The U,” has been touted as “being back,” yet nothing has truly materialized to support that notion. Since joining the ACC in 2004, Miami has lost at least three games every season.
It’s only one win, but it's one that could have easily been a loss and had many ready to throw in the towel on this program again if it had happened. In Week 2, the stakes aren't quite as high—unless this team lets the hype get in their heads.
Miami gets to play host to Florida A&M (2-0), which is first in the SWAC and ranked No. 24 in the FCS Coaches Poll. This will be just the 12th meeting between the two teams, with the last game in 2016 when the Hurricanes beat the Rattlers 70-3. However, there is something of note about this game.
All-time, Miami is 24-1 against FCS teams, with its only loss coming back in 1979. That loss? Florida A&M, beating Miami by three, 16-13, albeit in Tallahassee at Doak Campbell Stadium, according to Winsipedia.
With that said, let's delve into some bold predictions for Miami versus Florida A&M in Week 2.
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No need for Cam Ward or others to play long
It can't be emphasized enough just how important Cam Ward is to Miami's season this year. All you have to do is look back at how dynamic he was in the Week 1 opener to see that. Ward makes Miami a completely different team than those from years past. That being said, in a game like this, where Miami can easily handle a team like Florida A&M, the Hurricanes don't need to be too flashy.
Not that Mario Cristobal's team should take any opponent lightly, but Miami doesn't have to show too much in this one. Let Ward get a few snaps in, throw a touchdown or two, let the running backs do the rest of the work, and then get him the heck out of there. Once a three-touchdown lead is in place, Ward should be out of the game and watching the second-string come in.
Miami puts up over 500 yards of offense for the second straight week
Against Florida, an SEC team in its own home stadium, Miami put up 529 yards of total offense, with 144 on the ground and 385 through the air. The Rattlers should be a lot less talented than the Gators were last week. Then again, the first-string offense shouldn't be on the field past the first half or even before.
For comparison’s sake, when the Hurricanes faced Bethune-Cookman last year, another FCS team in the SWAC, they posted 589 yards of total offense. Actually, 500 yards may be underscoring it.
Jordan Lyle is the star running back of the game
Miami likes what it sees in true freshman Jordan Lyle. He was said to be one of the standout youngsters in fall camp. That showed as he earned playing time against the Gators last Saturday. Lyle had 13 snaps, carrying the ball six times for 18 yards. Look for him to get many more snaps against Florida A&M, and maybe score a touchdown or two.
Miami holds Florida A&M to seven or fewer points, beats Rattlers by at least 50 points
In the Cristobal era at Miami, it isn't often—in now the coach's third season—that the team scores over 40 points unless they just have to. They had four games last year, including the 48 points they scored against Bethune-Cookman. In total, there's been eight times that a Cristobal-led Miami team has scored over 40 and twice over 60.
Don’t look for Florida A&M to put many points on the scoreboard Saturday. Do expect the Hurricanes to, however. A 50-point difference between the teams is a real possibility.
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