Why the stakes 'couldn't be bigger' for Miami in Week 1 vs. Florida
Going into Week 1, Miami might have its biggest game of the 2024 campaign when it hits the road to take on Florida.
CaneSport’s Gary Ferman knows how big this one is for head coach Mario Cristobal and the entire Miami program. From in-state recruiting battles, to what’s on the line for Florida and for future projection, you better go out and win Week 1.
No pressure though!
“If you ask Mario Cristobal, for example, this is a coach’s nightmare,” Ferman said on the On3 Roundtable. “Quite honestly, when you talk about a game like this that everybody has circled, that means the world to any Hurricane fan. People who are in college football, the Florida Gators, Billy Napier, who’s trying to hold on to his job, there’s going to be so much that goes into this game. And it’s the first game of the year.”
The biggest obstacle will be winning the game and avoiding a spiral. A loss Week 1 could turn the tables against Miami in all of the wrong ways.
“And I’m sure as a head coach, the biggest thing that you fear is if you don’t win that game you gotta keep your program from going into the tank,” Ferman said. “You got to keep the fans from going in the tank. You got to keep the players from going to the tank. But obviously going into the game, you’re only worried about winning but this couldn’t be bigger from Miami, quite frankly, when you look at what’s been going on down here in the 305 for years.
“For the hopes that were created when Mario Cristobal took the head coaching job, the financial investment that has been made in the program by the university, the boosters close to the program, the NFL world. You put all of that together and I mean, listen, this is a statement situation for Miami.”
Miami playing Florida for all the marbles in Week 1?
It’s hard to overstate how massive this game is for Miami and Florida. From the Hurricanes’ perspective, it might be bigger.
“I’m not going to try to minimize it, you know I don’t have to deal with the fallout of the wins or losses,” Ferman said. “This is a massive, massive football game. A place for Miami to go up there and show college football that they are on the rise. That all the recruiting that they’ve been doing for two-plus years has not just been a bunch of hype, it’s a better roster. It’s a better coached football team now than it’s been. That’s (a roster) ready to win big in college football this year and be relevant once again.”
Miami hasn’t been “relevant” for a quite bit now. Sure, there have been some competitive seasons, but Cristobal was brought in to restore the Hurricanes as a national player.
“Miami has not been relevant very much in college football other than maybe 2017 when they started out 10-0 and then nose dived at the end of the year. So you could put any barometer you want out of pain and this is a massive, massive, massive moment for Miami. And it’s interesting to see the different opinions on whether they’re going to be up to the occasion or not.
“I personally think they will, but it’s not going to be easy at all. I think going into the Swamp is a lot to ask for a team with 41 new players on opening day. But I do think that there will be enough talent that is very motivated to carry Miami through that. And I think the element of surprise with Florida unable really to get a good scout on Miami because of all these new additions could be a big, big factor in that game as well.”