Multiple Reasons Miami football is favored over Florida State
A Florida State blog site recently posed the question”Why do early betting lines favor Miami over Noles?” Did they miss the FSU’s 7-6 season last year, Miami football’s 10-3 record, ACC Coastal Division title, championship game appearance and Orange Bowl berth?
Imagine if the subject of this was flipped. Miami football fans have been hearing for the better of ten seasons how much better nearly every opponent is then they are. For the most part rightfully so. The Hurricanes earned their mediocre reputation on the field with no better than an 8-5 record from 2006 through 2015.
The Miami football program should not have been the favorite during the majority of those ten seasons. Now many Florida State fans and particularly the blog mentioned specifically refuse to give the Hurricanes any credit for what was an exceptional 2017 season.
The Florida State bloggers have routinely pointed out that the Seminoles were playing with a backup, true Freshman quarterback in 2017. That observation is true, accurate and fair.
The same FSU bloggers never mention that the Miami football team was without it’s three best offensive players heading into the 2017 season in a combined 17 games last season.
Running back Mark Walton was lost for the season after re-injuring his ankle in the game against the Seminoles. Walton required season-ending ankle surgery.
Wide receiver Ahmmon Richards was in and out of the Miami football lineup throughout 2017. He missed the first two games of the season with a hamstring injury. He then suffered a torn MCL in his knee during the week of practice between the regular season loss to Pittsburgh and the ACC Championship game against Clemson.
The Hurricanes also lost second-leading receiver, tight end Christopher Herndon IV with an MCL tear against Pittsburgh. Miami had to play the final two games of 2017 without all three of their top players entering the season.
If you had asked Mark Richt at the beginning of the season if his team could go 10-3, win the ACC Coastal, play in the ACC Championship Game and the Orange Bowl with the above-mentioned injuries the answer would have almost definitely have been a resounding no.