Miami Football: 5 reasons to be optimistic about 2019 season

5. Winnable schedule

Clemson rules not only the ACC but holds the entirety of college football in a vice grip. Luckily for Miami and the rest of the Coastal Division, Clemson finds itself primarily terrorizing the opposite half of the ACC – the Atlantic Division.

Besides Clemson, Miami has little reason to fear any other ACC opponent. According to Saturday Blitz’s way-too-early top 25, none of Miami’s scheduled ACC opponents are currently ranked and only the Florida Gators – Miami’s 2019 season opener – are in the top 25. No doubt, the ACC is soft, which provides Miami a quick escape route to rebound atop the Coastal Division in 2019.

Further, Miami owns a friendly travel schedule for the upcoming season. Despite having five away games and one neutral-site game, Miami only travel outside the state of Florida three times, and two of those three games are a short trip up the coast to North Carolina.

Aug. 31: vs. Florida Gators (Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL.)
Sept. 7: at North Carolina Tar Heels
Sept. 14: vs. Bethune-Cookman Wildcats
Sept. 21: vs. Central Michigan Chippewas
Sept. 28: Bye
Oct. 5: vs. Virginia Tech Hokies
Oct. 11: vs. Virginia Cavaliers
Oct. 19: vs. Georgia tech Yellow Jackets
Oct. 26: at Pitt Panthers
Nov. 2: at Florida State Seminoles
Nov. 9: vs. Louisville Cardinals
Nov. 16: Bye
Nov. 23: at FIU Golden Panthers (Marlins Park, Miami, FL.)
Nov. 30: at Duke Blue Devils