Louisville Victory Over UVA Clinches Miami Hurricanes 1st ACC Coastal Title
While awaiting the biggest game for the program in about 15 years, the Miami Hurricanes clinched their first ACC Coastal Division title. The Louisville Cardinals 38-21 victory over Virginia Saturday afternoon clinched the title for Miami.
Virginia’s loss makes their game against the Miami Hurricanes next week meaningless in the Coastal Division Championship race. Clemson clinched the ACC Atlantic on Saturday with a 31-14 victory over Florida State.
The Tigers and Hurricanes last played in 2015. That was the infamous 58-0 Clemson victory at Hard Rock Stadium. It was also Al Golden’s last game as Miami Head Coach.
The Tigers will be attempting to win their third straight ACC Championship. Miami is attempting to win its first ACC Championship in its first title game. The ACC Title game was inaugurated after the 2005 season. Miami and Virginia Tech joined the ACC for the 2004 season.
The Hurricanes won nine Big East titles before they left for the ACC. When Miami joined the Big East they were coming off four straight Big East titles. The first three of those were undefeated titles.
Miami took control of the Coastal Division last week when they defeated Virginia Tech 28-10. That win eliminated the Hokies from the race for the Coastal Division title. Virginia Tech won five of the first seven Coastal Division crowns. They then added one last season.
The Hurricanes appear to be on the verge of the domination everyone expected. Miami should return most of its skill position players on offense and the back seven defensively minus cornerback Dee Delaney.
Miami is also attempting to become the third Coastal Division team to finish the regular season undefeated in the conference. They can become the first Coastal team to reach the title game unblemished at all in the regular season.
When Miami and Clemson play in Charlotte on December 2 it will be the 11th meeting between the Hurricanes and the Tigers. Miami won three of the first four meetings between the schools and six of ten overall. The schools have alternated the last six meetings.
The ACC Coastal Division title brings the Miami Hurricanes program full circle. The 58-0 loss was the end of Al Golden’s era coaching Miami. Richt was hired about five weeks later. Richt set the tone early this season about the Hurricanes goal.
"“For us to be thinking about winning the Coastal, in some ways, I guess some people might think it’s a dream because it’s never happened in 10 years. But we don’t think it’s a dream,” Richt said this past summer. “We think it’s a very real possibility and we control that.”"
Richt wasn’t the only one setting the goal for Miami to get to the ACC Championship game. Senior Braxton Berrios discussed the player’s goals at the beginning of the season.
"“It’s the first goal we set…It’s something that no Miami team has done in the ACC. So obviously, that’s significant in itself right there. And to look at our other goals and see they’re way more significant than just the Coastal, it’s even bigger.Nobody’s been able to come to Miami and say, ‘We went to the ACC championship.’ We will be the first team to do that. That’s just huge.”"
Now Miami has to finish off the season with wins against Virginia and Pittsburgh if they want a chance at reaching their goal Richt has to keep his team’s focus before they reach Clemson in the ACC Championship game. Get there and win Miami will surely reach the College Football Playoff. Even with a loss to Clemson Miami will still have an outside chance at the playoffs.
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The Hurricanes should move into a spot in the College Football Playoffs this week. Three of the top six teams are going down this week. Miami will likely move ahead of Notre Dame, TCU and number one Georgia. All three suffered blowout losses.