Miami football has eyes on bigger prize then worrying about FSU revenge
In just two seasons Mark Richt has elevated the thought process of the Miami football players. Senior Safety Jaquan Johnson said that he returned to win an ACC Championship, get in the College Football Playoff and win a National Championship.
A National Championship was the standard for the Hurricanes during their glory years of the 1980s, early 1990s and early 2000s. The 1989 Miami Football team lost to Florida State but won the National Championship.
In 2000, Miami defeated Florida State but barely lost out to the Seminoles by percentage points in the BCS computer for a spot opposite Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl for the National Championship.
In a recently published post, Bleacher Report wrote about the“10 Most Anticipated Rematches of the 2018 College Football Season.” Johnson’s comments early this year show that Richt is instilling what the U is about. Winning National Championships should always be the goal at Miami.
The Hurricanes ended a seven-game losing streak to Florida State last season. It was good for the fan base, the players and probably Richt to finally get a win against the Seminoles. In reality, it was a win against a 7-6 football team that barely qualified for a bowl game. It turned out to one win during a milestone season.
Miami captured it’s first ACC Divisional Crown last season. Teams focused on big goals concentrate on what they can control.
Worrying about what a rival is doing or making any game other than the one in front of you bigger than any other can cause missteps. That is very possibly what happened when Miami lost at Pittsburgh last season.
Richt felt that was the only game that Rosier was truly off last season. The Hurricanes are going to need more consistency from their Senior signal caller if they are going to reach the goals that Johnson wants to obtain in their final collegiate season.
The Bleacher Report article focuses on key players lost from both teams, both schools potential quarterback battles and Willie Taggart’s hiring at Florida State. Also discussed was the dramatic fashion that Miami won in Tallahassee last season.
Bleacher Report’s final summation of the battle that will take place in October is the expectation of another close game. Rivalries can often be mercurial. Its tough to know what’s truly going to happen.
"“Miami should have a terrific defense and the benefit of playing at home. But if FSU’s young yet potential-filled unit performs well, Oct. 6 should feature another nail-biting finish.”"
The Hurricanes enter 2018 with a nine-game home winning streak. The Orange Bowl game against Wisconsin was considered a neutral site game for both teams. If Florida State gets through a tough early-season schedule, the game could be an ABC Primetime game.
If that happens its another huge advantage for the Hurricanes playing at home. After the victories over Notre Dame and Virginia Tech last season, ABC College Football analyst Kirk Herbsteit said that Hard Rock Stadium was the loudest stadium he’s ever been in. He also said he’s never seen an atmosphere like those two nights were.
Richt has put an emphasis on winning at home. The two nights against the Hokies and Fighting Irish last season brought the Miami Hurricanes the closest to the games at the Orange Bowl as they have been since moving to Hard Rock Stadium.
Next: Miami football games vs LSU, FSU will be big for NFL Scouts
Miami needs to focus on each game being important and not an opponent’s revenge. If they do that they should be in the running late in the season for the College Football Playoff again.