MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — This is basically where Miami was at this time last year. Unbeaten through four games, climbing in the national rankings, feeling good going into the start of Atlantic Coast Conference play.
And then, thud. ACC play last season for Miami started with a debacle against Georgia Tech, a contest where the Hurricanes didn’t take a knee to run out the clock and wound up giving the game away. This season’s ACC slate for No.
7 Miami starts on Friday night, at home against Virginia Tech, a game where these Hurricanes can try to continue to show that things really are different now. “They decided a while back,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “They’ve had enough.
” Expectations were high entering the year for the Hurricanes and have climbed every week since. Quarterback Cam Ward — now the Heisman Trophy favorite, according to BetMGM Sportsbook — is leading one of the highest-octane offenses in the country and the Hurricanes are one of only four unbeaten teams left in the ACC. “These games really don’t matter,” Ward said after Miami finished its four-game non-conference slate with a 50-15 rout at South Florida last weekend.
“Only games that matter are ACC play.” It’s also the ACC opener for Virginia Tech (2-2), which has two wins over Sun Belt teams and two one-score losses against Power Four opponents. The Hokies didn’t face the Hurricanes last year.
“I think it’s one of the better rivalries in college football,” Virgi.