With the opening of USF’s football season just over two months away, Green, Gold, and Bold will examine each opponent the Bulls will face in the 2025 season.
Here’s the third in the series.
Team: Miami Hurricanes
When: September 13, 4:30 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium in Coral Gables.
Head coach: Mario Cristobal. He is entering his fourth season at Miami after previous stops at Florida International and Oregon. In 14 years, his lifetime record is 84-76, including 22-16 at Miami.
Last year’s record: 10-3. The ‘Canes started 9-0, including a 50-15 blowout of USF, and rose to No. 4 in the country before falling apart down the stretch. They blew a 21-point lead against Syracuse in the regular-season finale, losing 42-38 to fall out of the ACC championship race and the College Football Playoffs. The slide continued in the Pop-Tarts Bowl when the ‘Canes lost 42-41 to Iowa State.
Name to know: Mark Fletcher, Jr. After serving primarily as a rotational running back behind Damien Martinez for his first two seasons, Fletcher is ready for a bigger role. He had 112 carries for 607 yards and nine touchdowns last season. The Bulls certainly will remember how Martinez had three short TDs against them last year.
The biggest potential weakness: Carson Beck’s health. He is the former Georgia quarterback who transferred to Miami for a reported $4 million to replace Heisman Trophy winner Cam Ward. If Ward is healthy, the ‘Canes should be fine. But is he?
He had surgery on his throwing elbow after the season and missed UM’s spring practice. Cristobal says he expects Beck to be ready when the games begin, but missing that much practice time with his new team is a concern.
Biggest question mark: The Hurricanes must replace their top six receivers from 2024. Sure, the replacements are talented, but an inexperienced receiving corps with a new and possibly physically challenged quarterback is a major concern.
Interesting things to know: Miami has lost 11 of its last 12 bowl games. Its last bowl win was in 2016 under then-coach Mark Richt in the Russell Athletic Bowl.
Dating to 2005, Miami is 2-17 in bowl games.
During the same time span, USF is 8-4 in bowl games, including wins in the last two seasons under Alex Golesh.
Many believed Miami would dominate the ACC when it joined the league in 2004, but it hasn’t worked out that way. The Hurricanes have appeared in only one ACC championship, losing 38-3 to Clemson in 2017.
Winning the ACC and advancing to the College Football Playoff has to be No. 1 on the minds of boosters who lured Cristobal to Coral Gables with a 10-year, $80 million contract in 2021.
Miami fans are not noted for their patience.