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Miami football 41st in USA Today Coaches Poll, named top 5 snub

By Alan Rubenstein

Oct 22, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal runs on the sideline during the second quarter against the Duke Blue Devils at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 22, 2022; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal runs on the sideline during the second quarter against the Duke Blue Devils at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Miami football team is ranked 41st in the first USA Today Coaches Poll ahead of the 2023 season. Miami received 41 points in the poll. Matt Zenitz of On3 named Miami as one of the five biggest snubs. Miami projects to have a top 15 roster in the 247 Sports 2023 talent composite that will be released later this month.

Eighth-ranked Clemson, number nine Florida State, 20th ranked North Carolina and Texas A&M who is 25th are the only 2023 Miami football opponents ranked in the top 25 of the Coaches’ Poll. North Carolina State who is 36th in the rankings is the only other 2023 Miami opponent that received votes in the Coaches’ poll.

The Miami football team will have an early opportunity to move in or close to the top 25. Texas A&M plays at Miami on September 9, week two of the 2023 college football season. Miami has remade nearly half its roster and has seven assistants new to the coaching staff in 2023. Getting off to a good start is critical.

Miami has a back-loaded schedule. Texas A&M will likely be the only game Miami is not favorited in their first five contests this season. Miami plays Miami (Ohio), Bethune-Cookman and at Temple in its other three games. After a bye week, Miami begins ACC play versus Georgia Tech. Zenitz wrote about Miami’s snub.

"Miami“In terms of potential 2024 NFL draft picks, Miami is right up there with expected ACC top contenders Clemson and Florida State…That includes early-round possibilities like defensive lineman Leonard Taylor, safeties Kamren Kinchens and James Williams, offensive linemen Javion Cohen, Matt Lee and Zion Nelson as well as defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor.If QB Tyler Van Dyke can bounce back from a rough 2022, which seems possible under new offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson, Miami could be a team that improves by at least a few wins from last year’s 5-7 record. Van Dyke was 13 of 19 for 184 yards with a touchdown in the Hurricanes’ spring game.Should Miami find a way to beat Texas A&M in Week 2, it could easily end up being 5-0 heading into an Oct. 14 matchup against star QB Drake Maye and North Carolina.”"

Miami needs its top players to live up to the projections from Zenitz. Taylor and Williams need to take another step forward in development after being five-star signees in 2021. Cohen and Lee will anchor the Miami OL after transferring during the offseason. Nelson returns from injury. Mesidor adds versatility on the DL.

Next. Kamren Kinchens in PFF top 50 college football players. dark

The skill set for Van Dyke fits with Dawson better than the offense last season. If Van Dyke stays healthy expect him to have a productive season similiar to 2021. As Zenitz said, the game versus Texas A&M is critical to a good start. With an extremely difficult schedule to finish the season, a win over Texas A&M sets a solid foundation.

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