The Miami Hurricanes had one of the better defenses in college football a year ago, but some poor offense and bad luck in close games resulted in just a 7-6 season. Mark Richt retired after the season and the reins have been handed to defensive coordinator Manny Diaz. That side of the ball should be strong once again but the Hurricanes’ fortunes may come down to how well they do on offense. The current college football odds project an uptick in success in 2019.
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Miami regular season win total
o9 +107
u9 -130
Miami Win Total Odds Analysis
The Hurricanes play 12 games in the regular season and will need to hit double-digit victories in order to hit the “over” on this bet. It is a tall task, and it is no surprise to see that the “under” is the more popular play thus far as the season approaches.
Miami opens up the season with a matchup against Florida and could be the underdog in that one. The Hurricanes follow that up with games at North Carolina, vs. Bethune-Cookman and Central Michigan. Miami then plays Virginia Tech, Virginia, Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, Florida State, Louisville, FIU and Duke. The schedule has some decent foes but there aren’t a lot of games that Miami will be expected to lose.
If the Hurricanes can live up to the expectations, they could put together a very successful regular season.
Miami Odds
Miami only gave up 19.5 points per game a season ago, and returns several players that were key to that success. The Hurricanes will be led in 2019 by the linebacker duo of Shaquille Quarterman and Michael Pinckney. The defensive line was dominant a year ago but does lose some talent. The top returning player there will be Jonathan Garvin. The secondary is the biggest question mark, where three of the team’s four starting defensive backs have departed. The good news is that Trajan Bandy is back and he could be among the best cornerbacks in the conference.
The offense could make or break this season. Miami had issues at quarterback a year ago and there was a three-way competition for the job this fall. Redshirt freshman Jarrenn Williams won the job, outdueling N’Kosi Perry and Tate Martell. If he can take some positive steps and get the passing game rolling, Miami could be ranked as one of the top teams in the country. If not, the “under” will be the more likely spot on the projected win total. Williams’ receivers are talented, as K.J. Osborn and Jeff Thomas are expected to lead the way.
Key Stats or Trends
Miami has a new coach and a new quarterback, so there are reasons to wonder if there will be some hiccups in 2019. There isn’t much room for issues because the projected win total is high. The Hurricanes only won seven games a year ago but have averaged nine victories in the past three before that. Miami has a lot of talented players but it is hard to win consistently in college football if the passing game is not on point.
Williams and Diaz will have a lot on their shoulders this season, and the way they answer the call will ultimately decide Miami’s fortunes. The Hurricanes defense should lead the way but it needs more help than it got from the offense a year ago.
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