Miami Football: Ranking Hurricanes’ 2020 opponents by toughness

I’m considering this a trap game for the Hurricanes until proven otherwise. Over the years, Miami football has grown accustomed to playing well coached underdog teams and coming up short. Last year’s bowl game against Louisiana Tech is a perfect example. This game will be a test against a team that won nine games last year and brings back the majority of its starters.

The reason that UAB is ranked higher than ACC opponents Georgia Tech and Virginia is the fact that this will be an experienced team that will be very well coached by one of the most underrated coaches in the entire country in Bill Clark, the Blazers play a physical style of football that could render an offense that will still be trying to find its footing, and Miami will be playing on only five days rest.

Granted, the week before UAB comes to town, Miami will be playing Wagner, but playing on a short week can always bring challenges. Keep an eye on this game and see if Miami can win like they are supposed to.

The season finale will be one of several games throughout the year that the Hurricanes will have marked as a “revenge” game. The Blue Devils were able to get the best of a bad Hurricanes offense and pull off the win in last years season finale and Duke will be an interesting team to watch as far as the ACC Coastal race goes.

One interesting thing to watch in Durham this season will be Clemson transfer quarterback Chase Brice will be assuming the reigns and will be coached by one of the best quarterback coaches in all of the country in head coach David Cutcliffe. Brice has been the backup at Clemson for the last few seasons and most notably came off the bench to save the Tigers in a game against Syracuse in 2018 when Trevor Lawrence was injured.

This could be a sneaky good game with division championship implications by season’s end.