Miami football 2019 season opener doesn’t look good after bowls

The combined margin of victory in the 2018 bowl games played by the Miami football team and Florida Gators was 58 points. The Hurricanes lost 35-3 to Wisconsin in the Pinstripe Bowl and Florida defeated Michigan 41-15 in Peach Bowl on Saturday.

Coming off a 7-6 season and the annihilation by Wisconsin in the Pinstripe Bowl a big loss to Florida in the 2019 season opener would be another strike against the Mark Richt regime with the Miami Football Program. After a 15 game winning streak that spanned the 2016 and ’17 seasons came to an end, the Hurricanes are 7-9 since.

Florida turned their program around this year after a 4-7, 2017 season. After their 10-3 season, first ACC Coastal Division Title and ACC Championship appearance, and Orange Bowl berth in 2017, the Miami football program appeared to be on the verge of becoming the preeminent football program in Florida.

Add in the train wreck that is currently Florida State and Miami appeared to be ready to take control of Florida. Florida State had to win an extra game to qualify for a bowl game in 2017 and missed out this season for the first time since a 6-5 season in 1981. The was the Seminoles first losing season since going 5-6 in 1976.

Both Florida and Florida State had new coaches for the 2018 season. The Seminoles took another step backward under Willie Taggart in 2018. Taggart replaced Jimbo Fisher who left for Texas A&M.

Florida replaced Jim McIlwain after a 3-4 start to the 2017 season amidst some questionable statements during a three-week span. Former Miami Head Coach Randy Shannon replaced him and the Gators finished the season 1-3. Shannon is now the Defensive Coordinator at Central Florida.