Howdy, y’all. Hope your weeks have gotten off to a great start. It’s another victory Monday. I will write those words for every victory Monday for as long as I continue my writing career. Never take them for granted.
Anywho, let’s see what’s rattling around in my noggin about the Canes today…
1) Miami is fighting a losing battle when it comes to the conference/schedule PR machine, and this year is no different. In fact, this year might be worse.
The Hurricanes’ schedule was chided by some on social
media over the weekend I saw, particularly SEC lovers. Want to find out how good the SEC is? Just ask them. Or apparently the voting public as well.
The SEC had a ridiculous 10 teams ranked. That includes Kentucky, who beat an apparently ass Texas A&M team 31-21 but who also lost at home 45-17 to Alabama. That same Tide team who fought FSU until the end in a 50-36 win.
And that Louisville team that took Ole Miss to a final field goal in Week 1? Yeah, they lost at home to Wake Forest, who now has two Power Four road victories this year. But “they’re just Wake Forest” according to the voters and most fans. Yeah, right.
Bottom line: Miami isn’t going to get the same credit for going 10-2 as an SEC team, so they’d damn well not have a Louisville or SMU moment this year and tempt fate. It’s obvious the SEC hype machine is going to help carry them into more playoff spots. And it seems that’s the case with the committee in 2026 as well based on this.
We already know that Notre Dame is a contractual lock if they finish at No. 12 or higher.
In other words, just take care of business and win the ACC this year as you should. No more excuses. And perhaps no other routes if there are two losses this year, as dumb as that is.
2) Did y’all see how damned dominant Greg Rousseau has been this year for the Buffalo Bills? Goodness.
The former Hurricane has been an absolute force for the first-place Bills. He had two sacks and four tackles for loss against the Chargers in a 24-16 Buffalo win. On the season, he has six sacks, which leads the NFL. If he can stay hot, he’ll shatter his career high in sacks by the midway point of the season.
What a great, great season so far for the former Cane.
3) It appears Miami will have reinforcements back against Clemson.
Huge. Mario Cristobal said on “The Joe Rose Show” this morning that he expects Mark Fletcher, Jr. and Ahmad Moten, Sr. to be available against Clemson. He added during his press conference that he believes Armondo Blount should be good to go and that Damari Brown should be a go against the Tigers. It sounds like the door might be, well, at least not closed on Xavier Lucas for Saturday either, depending on his evaluation this week.
The Hurricanes have a week off after Saturday to rest up, so would be nice to get those guys back for Saturday (and for everyone to stay healthy through Saturday).
4) Prediction: Miami 30, Clemson 13
This is different from how I would have predicted this game on September 5, when LSU blew Clemson’s doors off in Baton Rouge. But the Tigers appear to have rebounded to some degree, rallying to beat UNC and playing well at Cal last week in a 24-10 cross country win.
But there’s little to hide the Tigers’ passing game from Miami’s defense, and I see struggles on the horizon for Dabo Swinney’s offense. His defensive front stonewalls Miami’s run game for a while, but eventually, the Hurricanes hit a couple of big plays in the passing game, and the Tigers can’t keep up.
5) Oh, and did y’all catch this?
Announced by the school, so this feels pretty official. Man, basketball season is going. To. Be. LIT! I can’t wait.
Go Canes!
