The Canyonero Keys to Victory for each Miami Hurricanes sport in 2025

The 2024 Canyonero Keys to Victory turned out to be almost as prophetic as if I had Biff Tannen’s Grey’s Sports activities Almanac in my palms whereas writing the publish.

Within the publish I predicted a 10-2 common season document, referred to as the Cal journey a lure sport, mentioned Miami must out bully ball Georgia Tech, out gun Syracuse, and had an excessive amount of expertise for FSU and Louisville.

The Canyonero Keys have gone from being a lark to being a soothsayer and that’s why they deserve their very own publish for the second straight season. It’s additionally an ideal ‘one cease store’ receipt zone if I’m an entire buffoon and get issues mistaken, however I must be mistaken first- now wouldn’t I?

The 2025 Season

Miami’s purpose as soon as once more could be a minimum of an ACC Championship Sport look and an invitation to the Faculty Soccer Playoff. If the ‘Canes can’t handle to get into the CFBPO, it’s a misplaced season as soon as once more. Save the ethical victories for groups that aren’t recruiting within the ~60% vary for Blue Chip Ratio.

Miami as soon as once more discovered their beginning QB within the switch portal. This time it’s UGA’s Carson Beck. The knock on Beck is his elbow harm and the truth that he performed on UGA groups with tons of NFL Draft expertise. The knock on Cam Ward a 12 months in the past was his lack of expertise enjoying on a excessive stage winner. That’s definitely not a Beck-related-issue.

As soon as once more we’re left drooling over the recruiting class and switch portal additions introduced in by Mario Cristobal and employees. Will Miami Hurricanes followers be left outdoors of the playoff trying by way of the window at the true school soccer applications?

In ‘24, the unexplained fires occurred towards Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and QB Haynes King, and towards Kyle McCord and Syracuse. In opposition to GT, Brent Key’s squad needed to rotate QB’s due to King’s shoulder points. In opposition to ‘Cuse, Miami fumbled away a 21-0 early lead.

The prognostication for ‘25 seems to be like a 9-3 common season. Miami performs 4 preseason ranked squads in ‘25 versus solely two in ‘24. Whereas the Hurricanes have swapped out defensive coordinators (Lance Guidry for Corey Hetherman) is that actually sufficient to enhance the protection in a single season’s time?

Miami has to win Bully Ball versus…

The entire thing kicks off with a Week One showdown with the Notre Dame Combating Irish on Labor Day weekend. Notre Dame has a brand new quarterback in CJ Carr and can look to their NFL prepared offensive line and stud operating again Jeremiyah Love to set the tone.

ND returns a ton of expertise from their CFBPO runner-up squad and used the switch portal so as to add a couple of items, however not an overhaul. This will likely be a battle of who has the extra cohesive unit to start out the season as each groups will look to ground-and-pound their option to a win.

The matchup with the Irish is the sport we’ve been offered by Cristobal he’s constructed this program for. Heading into 12 months 4 we’ll discover out if that’s true. This will likely be one other true check of his program philosophy and culture- could the very best coach win relating to Cristobal and Marcus Freeman.

Bully Ball ought to work simply positive

Bethune-Cookman, South Florida, and Stanford are these groups the place caveman soccer needs to be no match for them. A brutal run sport of Mark Fletcher and CharMar Brown needs to be an excessive amount of for this trio to deal with. After softening them up, Jordan Lyle can are available in and take one to the home towards a drained protection.

I had the USF Bulls as extra of a gunner in ‘24, however after 1 / 4 or so QB Byrum Brown and HC Alex Golesh ran out of steam. Brown is again after a bizarre/injured season a 12 months in the past and I believe the Bulls will return to their 7-6 methods.

Stanford is actually dangerous and simply changed their head coach throughout spring observe. The period of Jim Harbaugh and David Shaw producing unbelievable expertise and GPA’s is lengthy over. Stanford nonetheless has the latter, however not the previous within the NIL and switch portal period.

The Gunners

Beck is a distinct QB than Cam Ward. I believe Beck is extra of a sport supervisor, ball management sort and Miami will depend on the operating sport in 2025 greater than in ‘24. Syracuse goes to return out and attempt to out gun Miami as soon as once more.

As an alternative of with McCord this time it’s Steve Angeli behind middle. The Notre Dame switch gained’t have Trebor Pena or Oronde Gadsden II- however Fran Browns looks like the type of man who can pull magic tips when want be.

The Florida Gators are one other group that I believe goes to the air as a substitute of attempting to match Miami on the bottom. Florida has QB DJ Lagway again and relied closely on a ‘run it again’ roster reasonably than the switch portal. Billy Napier wished to construct slowly by way of tradition and it’s been a gradual construct in Gainesville. The Gators gained 3-4 extra video games than I anticipated in ‘24.

Keep away from self-implosion

The Florida State Seminoles are reeling coming off of a 2-10 season. Mike Norvell pulled a Larry Coker and cleaned home on a few of his lengthy operating assistants and coordinators. The ‘Noles aren’t going to be superb, I’d predict one thing round 6-6, however this can be a lure sport very like Cal a 12 months in the past.

Miami has to play FSU in Tallahassee, sandwiched between two off weeks. Mario Cristobal is 2-2 coming off of the off week in three years at Miami. Whereas Miami managed a pleasant win over Louisville on the highway Cristobal misplaced the bowl sport dipping Miami to 0-2 in bowls.

It’s definitely a sport that Miami ought to (and should) win on paper however that’s why it’s on the self-implosion radar.

Head down and drive

Groups like NC State, Virginia Tech and Pitt are all the time going to be a wrench within the Hurricanes plans. Miami faces the Hokies and Panthers on the highway in late November. The ‘Canes host the Wolfpack and a determined Dave Doeren previous to the back-to-back highway journey to finish the season.

NCSU has a extra comfy CJ Bailey at QB with Noah Rogers to throw to. In fact Doeren modified OC’s once more and misplaced his DC to a head teaching function at Marshall. Miami ought to simply put its head down and drive over the Pack.

VT and Pitt are a distinct story. The Hokies are QB Kyron Drones and a switch portal melee of recent names. Blacksburg on the highway within the chilly is all the time a troublesome place to play.

Pitt is a run it again squad with QB Eli Holstein returning together with most of his talent guys. Pitt tanked the tip of their season having began 7-0 and ending 7-6. This might be the final run for HC Pat Narduzzi if one other implosion at Pitt takes place.

The Cadillac of video games goes to…

Which video games are barreling straight forward on the ‘Canes on the 2025 schedule? That’s Louisville and SMU. Jeff Brohm won’t ever get out schemed by Cristobal. Brohm has one other veteran QB reclamation mission, this time in USC switch Miller Moss. This will likely be three switch QB’s in a row that Brohm tries to show into one 12 months wonders.

Whereas Miami hosts the Cardinals, the ‘Canes will hit the highway to Fort Price, TX to face the SMU Mustangs. I wasn’t positive if I ought to put SMU within the gunners class or not, however this can be a sport of the 12 months candidate if each groups dwell as much as their preseason billing.

SMU returns QB Kevin Jennings who’s turnover inclined however dynamic. If Miami doesn’t determine tackling, monitoring and run suits SMU will gash the ‘Canes on the bottom. Rhett Lashlee is aware of the best way to dial up a gameplan to beat sloppy defenses.

The Wrap

That is the alternative of the schedule from 2024. The ‘24 slate performed proper into Miami’s palms together with dealing with FSU and Va. Tech at house, getting an off week after Cal and earlier than Louisville, and dealing with Florida in Week One adopted by three cupcakes.

Properly that’s not occurring for Cristobal’s ‘Canes in ‘25. Miami hosts Notre Dame in primetime in entrance of the world in Week One earlier than two cupcakes. Then the ‘Canes need to host an improved Gators group earlier than their first off week. A rival at house and an off week looming generally is a difficult mixture for a coach to juggle.

As beforehand acknowledged, Miami then has FSU in the course of these off weeks, each coming shut collectively and early within the season. FSU can also be on the highway in Tallahassee towards a determined Norvell. Cristobal must shake the ‘harm bug’ label with no late season off week to get gamers wholesome.

The ‘Canes then play seven straight video games, two towards ranked groups, three of the seven on the highway. Whereas Miami has the pleasure of internet hosting ND, UF and Louisville this 12 months, the Hurricanes do journey to FSU, SMU, VT and Pitt.

This schedule is not any simple slate and with out first general NFL Draft choose Cam Ward at QB I can see this group take a slide again all the way down to actuality. My means too early 2025 prediction is 9-3 for the Hurricanes and one other December with out a journey to Charlotte for the ACC Championship Sport.