Miami football projected to 2021 Duke’s Mayo Bowl
The conclusion of spring practice throughout college football has early season projections commencing from media sources nationally. The Miami football team returns 19 starters. After an 8-3 season and the return of quarterback D’Eriq King expectations for the Hurricanes are high entering 2021.
Miami is 17th in the consensus preseason rankings. The Hurricanes lost 37-34 to Oklahoma State in the Cheez-it Bowl last season. King suffered a torn ACL in that game but is expected to be ready for the 2021 season opener against Alabama. With ACC Divisions returning in 2021, Miami hopes to win the Coastal.
An ACC Coastal Division title would likely result in Miami playing Clemson in the ACC Championship Game. Prior to the ACC Schedule, Miami has a challenging non-conference slate in 2021. The Hurricanes open with Alabama, then host Appalachian State, Michigan State and Central Connecticut State.
If the Miami football team finishes non-conference 3-1, they would probably have to go 6-2 in the ACC to have a chance to earn a New Year’s Six Bowl berth. Bowl projections from 247 Sports have Miami slated to match with Indiana in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte. The Hoosiers finished 6-2 in 2020.
"DUKE’S MAYO BOWLProjected matchup: Indiana vs. Miami“What do the Hoosiers have in store for their encore performance after being shafted out of a New Year’s Six opportunity last season? Tom Allen’s team may succumb to a challenging slate with matchups against Iowa, Cincinnati and Penn State prior to their open week in October.Miami opens the season against Alabama in Atlanta and travels to North Carolina in October — that’s really the only two worrisome games on the Hurricanes’ schedule in 2021. They’ll lose another along the way however that drops Manny Diaz’s team down a peg in the bowl pecking order.”"
Clemson is projected to capture its seventh straight ACC Championship. The Tigers are projected to be the top seed in the College Football Playoff and play Oklahoma in the Orange Bowl which is a National Semifinal. North Carolina is projected to earn the ACC’s other New Year’s Six spot against LSU in the Peach Bowl.
North Carolina State is projected to play in the Cheez-It Bowl. The Hurricanes and Wolfpack play for a second straight season. The Miami football team usually plays N.C. State once every seven years in ACC crossover play. Wisconsin defeated Wake Forest in the inaugural Duke’s Mayo Bowl in 2020.
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The Duke’s Mayo Bowl replaced the Belk Bowl in Charlotte. The Belk Bowl was played for 18 years and previously known as the Continental Tire Bowl from 2002-2004, the Meineke Car Care Bowl from 2005-2010 and the Belk Bowl 2011-2019. Miami last played in Charlotte against Clemson in the 2017 ACC Championship Game.