Fear Not, Canes Fans. This Friday Night Will Be Different

I know the narrative that surrounds this Miami Hurricanes football program the past several years. They have the talent to be one of the best teams in the country, but they seem to slip up in games where they are heavily favored. Games such as tonight’s road match up with Wake Forest.

Throw in the fact that several of these big, unexpected losses have occurred on Friday nights, and the recipe is there for panic in Winston-Salem.

But fear not, Canes fans. I am here to tell you there is nothing to worry about.

I know, just reading that made some of you cringe with fear. I can hear you through my keyboard. “Why is he saying something like that out loud! That kind of overlooking opponents is what led to these losses in the past.”

I cannot disagree with those of you that feel that way. So what I am about to say may really send you over the edge.

This team is different.

Not in the sense that individual teams have been as talented in the past, and lost in this spot. But in the idea that, since Mario Cristobal has taken over, this program has been a year over year project of progress.

In the early years, half the fan base was ready to run Cristobal out after he failed to take a knee against Georgia Tech, and it cost the Canes a most unlikely of losses.

Then there was the Cam Ward season of 2024, and losses to Georgia Tech, and even worse, Syracuse in the season finale, after being up 21 points.

That Syracuse loss came in a game that would have clinched a spot in the ACC title game, and likely the playoffs. Instead, Miami was left out at 10-2, and subsequently lost their bowl game.

Then last year, startling mid-season losses to Louisville and SMU, had us all feeling deja vu, and that the program would never get over the hump.

After being outside the Top 12 for every selection show, week after week, the committee shocked everyone and jumped the Canes over Notre Dame, and into the playoffs.

We all know what happened next. Yes, they defeated Texas A&M, Ohio State, and Ole Miss, before falling short on a last-minute drive to potentially win a national championship.

But something bigger happened, that was equally as important as the playoff run.

The program learned how to win, and the confidence that comes along with that.

Every championship team goes through that year, or multi-year process, of coming so close, but falling short. But as they get closer each season, there comes a time when they get over the hump.

And once that happens, and the confidence and process matches the talent, there is usually no looking back.

That is the stage this years Canes are in. The work has been done. The pain has been felt. The sweat and blood equity has been put in.

Which leaves us as fans in a position to finally believe that a Friday night game against Wake Forest is nothing more than it should be. A road trip to take care of business, and again show the country that these Canes are different.

So take today to relax, and look forward to a result similar to the first two games, a dominant performance, with a an exclamation mark final score.

I am going with 41-17 Canes.