Miami Football: 3 bold predictions for ‘Canes expected win over Virginia

Miami football travels to Charlottesville to face the Virginia Cavaliers, a conference opponent that shouldn’t pose a real threat to the Canes in Week 7.

The Miami Hurricanes have won five straight after dropping an embarrassing loss to the LSU Tigers in week 1. The Cavaliers are having a renaissance season under Bronco Mendenhall in 2018. This is going to be a defensive slugfest with some offensive sparks drizzled on top. The 5-1 Hurricanes are ranked 16th overall per the S&P+ but haven’t looked like a top 20 team at certain times of the season. The Cavaliers are 3-2 and are ranked 43rd in the nation per the same metric.

Miami has the talent at the skill positions to outrun and out athlete the Hoos all around the field but the offensive line and young quarterback could hold the ‘Canes offensive firepower at bay. Bronco Mendenhall’s top priority at BYU and now Virginia is to build the team around the offensive and defensive lines. The Hoos’ front seven could pose an issue for the Hurricanes who have had trouble running the football and keeping quarterbacks upright for three seasons now under Mark Richt.

The Cavaliers style of offense could give Miami troubles. Virginia likes to use multiple personnel groups and formations while taking advantage of an accurate and mobile quarterback in Perkins. This is the same scheme Mendenhall used at BYU with great success for just over a decade. Miami has struggled against mobile quarterbacks as the ‘Canes will have to blitz less, tackle better, and play their assignments versus their usual big play-big mistake scheme.

Here are my three bold predictions for the Canes’ Saturday night tilt.