With Clemson On Tap, Miami Hurricanes Have Chance To Show Out

When you are consistently one of the top programs in the country, as the Miami Hurricanes have been for the better part of the past year, people start looking for reasons why you are vulnerable.

This week, the Canes have one of those reasons staring them in the face. Miami is on the road this week, going into what has been one of the most hostile environments, in Clemson, of the past decade and a half.

Miami, #4 in the country, is a 17.5 point favorite. That is how much the powers that be in Vegas think that the Canes are better than the Tigers.

Clemson has only been a home underdog three times since 2013, and never by more than 3.5 points. The 17.5 points the Canes will be laying when they take their white stormtrooper uniforms into Death Valley for a 7:30PM kickoff may seen preposterous to some, but I believe it is an opportunity.

The Canes have played exactly one below average half of football on either side of the ball this season. The team has looked better than even many of us enthusiasts thought possible.

The only slip up, was the second half of offense, against what is now looking like a quality Wake Forest team. And even in that half, it could be explained away by the fact that the Canes experienced some key injuries in that game, that appeared to change the gameplan a bit in the second half in question.

Outside of that, they have been nearly flawless on offense, surgical, by some standards. Darian Mensah is completing nearly 90% of his passes through the first third of the season.

Most of us cannot complete 90% of our passes on the PS5, on easy mode. Most of us cannot complete 90% of our passes, throwing the football around at our tailgates each week. Those of us who have kids, have maybe NEVER, completed 90% of our passes with our kids, with no defenders, and standing within a three foot radius of each other.

Have I driven home just how ridiculous that stat is?

The defense, which was one of the question marks coming into the season, after losing two first round defensive lineman, has been equally as flawless.

They are giving up nine points a game, and are currently the second ranked defense in the country. And that is with a revolving door in the defensive backfield, due to injuries.

So what can be expected on Saturday?

For me, that is an easy question to answer. A Canes blowout.

Yes, I know a lot of you cringed when you just read that. But let us look at the facts, removing the emotion, from the equation.

We can start with the idea of playing in a hostile environment. The thing about hostile environments, is they are only hostile, until they aren’t.

Miami went into the Swamp two years ago, on opening day, in one of the toughest environments in college football, and took the crowd out of the game before halftime. They then last year, went on the road to another hostile environment at Texas A & M, and emerged with a playoff win.

So if what I think is going to happen, happens, the Death Valley experience of terror will only last until the first Canes touchdown, which likely will come early.

The second factor that can ruin a Top 5 teams day, on the road, is one explosive playmaker on the other team, having a supernatural day.

Clemson currently has no such playmakers. In fact, the Tigers sit with the 121st ranked offense in the country, and 15th ranked offense in the ACC. Yes, that is out of 16 teams.

To expect a team with that dreadful of an offense to keep up with an offense ranked second nationally, is irrational.

The one area where Clemson fans could say, maybe this is the path. Is their defense. The unit has not allowed a touchdown in their opponents’ last 20 drives.

Breaking that down, however, shows us those 20 drives came against North Carolina and California.

The one game they played against a team that could be considered even near what the Canes offer up in offense, LSU, put up 51 points.

So I am here to again be the voice of reason, like I was before the Wake Forest game.

I view Saturday not as a trap, or a test, but as yet another chance to show the country that storylines no longer matter with the current version of the Canes. Execution matters. And as long as the execution operates at 75% of what it has been this year so far, on both sides of the ball, it should be smooth sailing this weekend.