In the “2022 College Football Preview: Conference winners, Playoff picks, award winners” Brandon Marcello of 247 Sports predicts the Miami football team to win the ACC Coastal Division while praising the staff of Mario Cristobal as being the best in the ACC. The 2022 expectations are high in Coral Gables.
Miami will be huge favorites in its first two games at Hard Rock Stadium versus Bethune-Cookman and Southern Mississippi before traveling to Texas A&M in week three. The Hurricanes have North Carolina, Florida State and Pittsburgh at home in 2022 in what are projected to be its three most challenging games.
The game versus Pittsburgh has the potential to be the de facto ACC Coastal Division Championship. This is the last year the ACC will have divisions. Beginning in 2023 the top two teams in the ACC will earn berths in the conference title game. The only ACC title game Miami played in was in 2017.
The Miami football team has to consistently win close games more often in 2022. The Hurricanes finished 4-3 in one-score games in 2021. Miami gave Pittsburgh its only ACC loss in 2021 but finished two games behind the Panthers. All three of the one-score Miami losses came versus ACC opponents.
"ACCChampionship: Clemson vs. MiamiChampion: Clemson“Miami has quickly supplemented an already-talented roster with the best coaching staff in the conference and also the best additions from the transfer portal. Mario Cristobal will not need long to lead Miami back to championship contention with a roster that should have contended in the division last season under Manny Diaz.Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke should rise up NFL Draft boards with some great weapons at receiver, and that defensive line could be extra salty with the additions of four transfers in the offseason, particularly West Virginia’s Akheem Mesidor, the nation’s third-best defensive lineman from the portal.Cristobal filled needs in the portal with about one dozen additions and he also hired the best staff in the conference with Josh Gattis leading the offense and veteran playcaller Kevin Steele on defense. Steele’s defense should be strong, particularly in the middle with former five-star Leonard Taylor.Former five-star safety James Williams is also special. NC State is the greatest threat in the Atlantic (and might be better than Miami overall) but the Tigers, who lost in overtime to the Wolfpack last season, get the Wolfpack at home on Oct. 1.Clemson wins the ACC title, its seventh in eight years, with a victory against Coastal champion Miami. NC State finishes second in the Atlantic but should contend for another 10-win season.”"
Miami has added 11 transfers to the 2022 roster. Seven transfers were added on defense with five on the defensive line. UCLA transfer Mitchell Agude and Mesidor are projected to be the starting edge rushers for Miami in 2022. Van Dyke will anchor the offense that added four transfers to the 2022 roster.
Miami will have a challenge winning 10 games with road games at Texas A&M and Clemson. The Hurricanes would have to run the table in its other 10 games if they lose at the Aggies and Tigers. A Clemson versus Miami ACC Championship game would match the Tigers and Hurricanes for the second time in three weeks.