College Football: Preseason Top 25 Projections

Miami is a team that sits at a crossroads. In his third year at the helm of his alma mater, Mark Richt has the Hurricanes on an upward trajectory. A solid mix of veteran and fresh talent could coalesce to get Miami back to the ACC championship game. Eight starters return on each side of the ball, giving the Hurricanes a solid foundation from which to build upon last year’s division title and Orange Bowl appearance.

Malik Rosier is back for his final season piloting the offense. He can no longer rely on the hard running of Mark Walton to keep defenses honest. In Walton’s spot, Travis Homer needs to become more reliable as a junior if the Hurricanes hope to stay on track in the ACC Coastal. But Rosier also needs to improve upon his 54 percent completion percentage if Miami hopes to improve on last year’s 10-win campaign.

A defense that finished 28th in points allowed and 38th in yards allowed last year should get even better in 2018. Miami is indeed relevant once again, thanks to its former quarterback. This is Richt’s window of opportunity to win with this crop of stars, though there will certainly be more chances to party in Coral Gables for the U.