The Miami football team shared the fifth spot in the ESPN “College football Bottom 10.” The Hurricanes are part of the group labeled “Ark of We Lost to Raiders.” Miami’s 45-31 loss to Middle Tennessee State was one of the worst in program history. Miami has a two game losing streak heading into its bye week.
The Miami football program has been mocked following the loss to Middle Tennessee State. Miami can has a chance to turn around its season and the national perception with a win over North Carolina on October 8. Miami begins ACC play versus North Carolina. The Hurricanes were picked to win the ACC Coastal.
Texas who is often discussed with Miami as being underachieving programs lost to the Texas Tech Red Raiders on Saturday and was one of the other programs sharing the fifth ranking in the ESPN bottom 10. Miami and Texas have identical 2-2 records. Texas is in its second second under head coach Steve Sarkisian.
The Miami loss to Middle Tennessee State was the third by the Hurricanes to a Conference USA team in the last four seasons. Miami lost to FIU and Louisiana Tech in 2019. The Hurricanes will continue to be mocked with “Is the U back” until they can continually produce on the field. ESPN summarized the Miami loss.
"5. Ark of We Lost to RaidersIf you played a team with a chromatic version of the Raiders as their mascot, you were doomed, even if you were ranked in the Top 25, amid broken-record cries of “They’re back!” The Miami Hurricanes were stunned by the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders 45-31."
Miami played well in a 17-9 loss at Texas A&M the week preceding the defeat to Middle Tennessee State. The game at Texas A&M was projected as one of two marquee games on the 2022 Miami schedule. Miami at Clemson on November 19 is the other. The Hurricanes need to win the games they are expected to.
Miami is projected to win every game for the remainder of 2022 except Florida State and Clemson according to the ESPN Football Power Index. Florida State moved ahead of Miami after a 44-14 win over Boston College on Saturday. The loss to Middle Tennessee State was a blow to the high expectations under Mario Cristobal.
The Miami football team has a chance to put the loss to Middle Tennessee State by contending for the ACC Coastal title. Cristobal will emphasize that Miami stays focused on the future and not dwell on the losses the last two weeks. Miami has a lot to work on during the bye week and focus on North Carolina on September 8.