Athlon Sports released Miami football 2024 bowl projection
The Miami football team will play LSU in the 2025 Gator Bowl on January 2 in the Athlon Sports "College Football Bowl Projections for 2024-25" posted on Thursday. LSU holds a 10-3 lead in the series with Miami. The Tigers beat the Hurricanes 33-17 during their last meeting in the 2018 season opener at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
LSU finished 10-3 overall and 6-2 in the Southeastern Conference in 2023 in their second season under Brian Kelly. Kelly is 20-7 in two years at LSU. LSU beat South Carolina 30-13 in 1987 during their only Gator Bowl appearance. South Carolina was an independent in 1987 before joining the SEC.
In their two Gator Bowl appearances, Miami beat Clemson 14-0 in 1952 and Georgia Tech 28-13 on January 1, 2000. LSU beat Miami 40-3 in the 2005 Peach Bowl in the only postseason game between the Tigers and Hurricanes. Miami last beat LSU 44-3 in 1998 at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge.
The other two wins by Miami over LSU were 17-15 in 1967 in Baton Rouge and 30-0 at home in 1968. Miami and LSU played annually from 1965 through 1969. The Hurricanes and Tigers played nine times from 1958 through 1969. LSU won 10 out of those 12 meetings.
LSU and Miami will be aiming higher than the Gator Bowl in 2024. With the College Football Playoff expanding to 12 teams in 2024, LSU and Miami are each projected to be contenders. LSU last made the playoff in 2019 when they won the National Championship. Miami has never made the College Football Playoff.
Miami is the 20th-ranked team and LSU is 11th in the Athlon Sports rankings of all 134 Football Bowl Subdivision teams in 2024. Clemson and Florida State are the ACC programs ranked ahead of Miami on the Athlon Sports list. Miami does not play Clemson in 2024 and hosts Florida State.
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LSU has a much more difficult path to the playoffs than Miami. Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas and Missouri are SEC Programs ranked ahead of LSU in the Athlon Sports national rankings. LSU and Miami will be teams to watch as potential College Football Playoff sleepers in 2024.