Paul Feinbaum says Miami football could inch ahead of Clemson
SEC Network host Paul Feinbaum told ESPN college football analysts Greg McElroy and Cole Kubelic on their morning how he can see the Miami football program pulling ahead of Clemson. Alex Turi of Clemson Wire transcribed the interview. Miami ended a four-game losing streak to Clemson in 2023.
Clemson won six straight ACC Championships from 2015 through 2020 and captured the title again in 2022. Florida State and Clemson combined to win every ACC football championship in the 2010s. Florida State won the title in 2010 and from 2012 through 2014. Clemson won its first ACC Title under Dabo Swinney in 2011.
Clemson dominated Miami in four games from 2015 through 2022. The Tigers beat the Hurricanes by an average of 44.5 to 7.5 in their four meetings in 2015, 2017, 2020 and 2022. The four Clemson wins over Miami included a 38-3 victory in the 2017 ACC Championship game.
Miami finally ended the streak with a 28-20 overtime win over Clemson in 2023. Another reason Feinbaum considered Miami a potential challenger to Clemson is the Hurricanes' recruiting success and in the transfer portal. Swinney basically refuses to accept the transfer portal as an option to improve his roster.
"“We know Florida State has pulled ahead of them. There are other schools that could do that as well. Miami is one you just have to wonder. If they get it right under Mario Cristobal, then that’s another school that could inch ahead of them,” "
- ESPN analyst Paul Feinbaum
Clemson is the only school in the ACC and one of four nationally without a transfer added to its 2024 roster. The other three programs that did not add a transfer are the Air Force, Army and Naval Academies. The service academies do not accept transfers. Stanford was the lowest Power Conference team with four new transfers.
Miami has become the best program recruiting in the ACC under Mario Cristobal. The Hurricanes have signed a top 10 class nationally and the best in the ACC in the last two years. Miami signed the fourth-best 2024 class, Clemson 11th and Florida State 12th. In 2023, Miami signed the seventh-best class, Clemson 11th and FSU 19th in 2023.
Next. Where Mario Cristobal ranks among power conference coaches. Where Mario Cristobal ranks among power conference coaches. dark
Mario Cristobal has embraced the modern way of building a college football roster. The win over Clemson last came during a 9-4 season for the Tigers. Unless they play in the ACC Championship game in the next two seasons, Miami will not play Clemson until 2026.