Orange Bowl 2017: Was Wisconsin-Miami preview of 2018 CFP semifinal?
By Dana Becker
As we approached the stretch run to this past regular season, both Miami and Wisconsin were frontrunners to land one of the four spots in the College Football Playoff.
Instead, after a combined three losses, the two were forced to settle for a meeting in the Orange Bowl, with the Badgers coming out on top thanks in large part to a pair of missed field goals by the Hurricanes.
While the end result was not what either wanted in terms of competing for a national title, the contest could be one we look back on when 2018’s season rolls around as a potential CFP semifinal.
Being that we are still a year away from that taking place and a lot of moving pieces needing to be sorted out, the task at hand for both is doable.
Let’s take a look at Wisconsin and what Paul Chryst and the Badgers should have back in Madison next fall:
It all starts on offense for Wisconsin, as Heisman favorite Jonathan Taylor returns for a sophomore season. In the win vs. Miami, Taylor set an NCAA freshman rushing record, breaking the mark previously set by Adrian Peterson when he was running over foes at Oklahoma.
Taylor is the latest in a long line of talented backs for the Badgers, but he has a chance to become the best yet following his initial campaign.
Joining Taylor in the backfield will be junior-to-be Alex Hornibrook, who had his best game to date on the big stage. Hornibrook tossed four touchdowns without an interception against the ball-hawking Hurricane defense.
With another year under his belt after seeing time in 2016, Hornibrook should be more than just a game-manager next year.
The offensive line started two juniors, two sophomores and a redshirt freshman this past season, again meaning experience will be on the side of Wisconsin.
On offense, the biggest loss will be sure-handed tight end Troy Fumagalli, but Kyle Penniston is ready to step in and replace him. A.J. Taylor had a breakout Orange Bowl and will be joined in the receiving group by Danny Davis III, Kendrick Pryor and Adam Krumholz.
The defensive side of the ball will need some re-tooling by Chryst and his staff, as six starters graduate. Olive Sagapolu, Ryan Connelly, T.J. Edwards and D’Cota Dixon will be counted on to do even more in 2018.
While Miami’s season ended with back-to-back losses to Clemson in the ACC title game and Wisconsin in the Orange Bowl, Mark Richt’s group definitely served notice during the year.
Most felt as if “The U” was a year away from being a serious contender in the conference, but Malik Rosier, Travis Homer and a turnover-happy defense changed that.
Rosier, a redshirt junior, should return for another season under Richt’s guidance leading the offense. He wasn’t the best quarterback in the ACC this past year, but when he was on, Rosier looked the part.
Homer stepped in when Mark Walton went down with an injury and carried the load in the backfield. He’ll be helped out by DeeJay Dallas and anyone that Miami brings in from its recruiting class next fall.
Three of the five starting linemen are expected back, and tight end Michael Irvin Jr. should be fully recovered from his injury.
At receiver, Jeff Thomas, Mike Harley and Lawrence Cager will be counted on to replace Braxton Berrios.
And that Hurricane defense that made the “Turnover Chain” so infamous, they could return 10 of 11 starters, as Chad Thomas is the lone senior set to graduate.
Next: Predicting all 41 bowl games and CFB Playoff
So while we have plenty to see play out, and neither are defending conference champions, the Orange Bowl of 2017 definitely could be remembered as one that predicted where we sit come this time in 2018.