Three Miami football games have been ranked in the top 11 contests involving FBS teams from Florida for 2018 by the Tampa Bay Times. Miami’s games against Florida State, LSU and Virginia Tech were not surprisingly the games selected.
The Miami football games against the Tigers and Hokies arguably should have been higher on the list. The papers in the Central and Northern part of Florida often have a bias towards Florida and Florida State. The Miami Hurricanes can often be a forgotten program.
The Miami football game against Florida State ranks as the second best game of 2018 amongst all the FBS teams in Florida, the LSU game is ninth and the Virginia Tech 11th.
The Times Matt Baker ranked and wrote the article. Baker’s self-proclaimed criteria for the list is “How important do I think this game will be, and how exciting is the matchup?” When Baker says how important HE thinks the game will be what exactly does that mean? Important to him? His readers?
Is this is truly a list of all the teams and fans throughout the state? If so, Miami’s games against the Hokies and Tigers should be higher ranked.
The is the first time that the Miami football team is opening the season against a ranked team since losing 31-13 to number 25 Louisville in 2014. That was the Cardinals inaugural ACC Football game.
Miami and LSU are playing on Sunday, September 2. That’s the Sunday night of Labor Day weekend and the only game being played that entire day. Miami will enter the game ranked in the top ten nationally. LSU is currently ranked 18th by the Sporting News in their preseason top 25.