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Miami Football: 2017 Game-by-game predictions

By Jerran Anderson

CORAL GABLES, FL - NOVEMBER 10: A view from inside the stadium prior to the last college football game played in the Orange Bowl as the Virginia Cavaliers take on the Miami Hurricanes at the Orange Bowl November 10, 2007 in Coral Gables, Florida. The University of Miami, which has played in the Orange Bowl since 1937, will be playing at Dolphin Stadium beginning next season. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)
CORAL GABLES, FL - NOVEMBER 10: A view from inside the stadium prior to the last college football game played in the Orange Bowl as the Virginia Cavaliers take on the Miami Hurricanes at the Orange Bowl November 10, 2007 in Coral Gables, Florida. The University of Miami, which has played in the Orange Bowl since 1937, will be playing at Dolphin Stadium beginning next season. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images
Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images /

The Arkansas State Red Wolves went 8-5 in 2016 including 7-1 in the Sun Belt Conference. After starting the season 0-4, they won six straight games, including a 35-3 victory over the 25th-ranked Troy Trojans. They have made three straight bowl games under head coach Blake Anderson. Head coaches Gus Malzahn (2012) and Hugh Freeze (2011) recently coached the Red Wolves as well.

The Red Wolves weren’t the greatest team on offense, but on defense, they allowed just 21.5 points per game (19th in the FBS). Ja’Von Rolland-Jones returns for Arkansas State after becoming the first defensive player to win the Sun Belt Player of the Year award since 2003.

He led the Red Wolves defense with 19.5 tackles for loss and 13.0 sacks in 2016. Now for the bad news: Arkansas State returns just five players each on offense and defense. They have quarterback Justice Hansen (2,719 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns, eight interceptions). He was third in the Sun Belt in passing yards last season.

The Miami Hurricanes are 2-0 against Arkansas State with their last meeting coming during the 2014 season. They’ve scored over 40 points across the two matchups.

The Hurricanes have done well against up-and-coming FBS teams. They won convincingly 45-10 on the road last season against the Appalachian State Mountaineers, another member of the Sun Belt Conference.

Final: Arkansas St 10, Miami 41 (2-0)

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