‘Canes Face Doubters In ACC Championship Hopes

By Danny Hobrock  |   Friday, August 21, 2009  |  Comments( 0 )

Miami Hurricanes
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Jorge Milian of the Palm Beach Post is reporting that in a conversation he had with Jesse Palmer and Andre Ware, the former college quarterbacks and current ESPN analysts see the Hurricanes as being at least another year away from competing for an ACC title.

After citing the team's tough schedule to begin the season, Palmer acknowledged Miami's clear accumulation of talent, but wondered how long it would take before the 'Canes were able to mature into a team ready to compete. He said, "Nobody is going to deny the talent that Randy Shannon has been bringing to Miami. The question is, how fast can these guys grow up when they’re playing tough competition."

Ware was more specific in his views. He stated, "I think they’re still a year away. I see them maybe getting eight wins this year, one more than they did last season. It’s going to be tough." He went on to also cite Miami's first four games at Florida State, vs. Georgia Tech, at Virginia Tech and vs. Oklahoma, all top 25 teams.

While 'Canes fans are eager to see their team storm back onto the national spectrum, Palmer and Ware have valid points. The ACC is stacked. Often overlooked as being among the powerful conferences in the nation, many analysts place the ACC ahead of only the Big East in terms of quality teams and competition. Of the 12 teams in the ACC, however, 10 played in bowl games last season, an NCAA record. Only Virginia and Duke missed the postseason. Of course, Virginia Tech's win over Kansas in the Orange Bowl last season was the first time an ACC team won a BCS bowl game in several years.

Perhaps the reason the ACC is so often overlooked is because it's been years since an ACC team has competed for the National Championship. Miami head coach Randy Shannon agrees. ESPN's Mark Schlabach reports Shannon as saying, "I think the league is getting beat up a lot because we haven't had a team go to the BCS Championship Game." Until the ACC produces a legitimate threat to the current major powerhouses of Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, USC and others, the ACC will continue to be seen as a lesser conference in the eyes of the national media.

That being said, when Miami fails to compete for the conference championship of a conference given very little respect by the media, it's no wonder the Hurricanes face so many doubters going into this season. It's been years since the 'Canes have been able to mount a major win against a top 10 team (the last coming in 2005 when the fifth ranked Hurricanes defeated third ranked Virginia Tech in Blacksburg 27-7) and the relative youth of the Hurricanes turns off many analysts.

For the Hurricanes to make a splash this season and have a chance at competing for an ACC title, the first four games are crucial. If Miami goes into their fifth game against Florida A&M with a 2-2 record, their chances in the ACC will be tremendous. Anything less and it will be difficult to make up ground. Three of those first four games are against ACC opponents, adding to the pressure to begin the season strong.

Miami's 2009 ACC schedule looks like this:

9/7: @ Florida State
9/17: vs. Georgia Tech
9/26: @ Virginia Tech
10/24: vs. Clemson
10/31: @ Wake Forest
11/07: vs. Virginia
11/14: @ North Carolina (pegged by many as the team to watch in the ACC this season)
11/21: vs. Duke

Getting out of those first three conference games with anything more than two losses and the 'Canes' chances at a conference championship are severely compromised, but do not vanish. Last season, Boston College and Florida State in the Atlantic Division, and Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech in the Coastal Division (Miami's division) finished with 5-3 conference records. I suspect that this year's conference champions will not lose more than two conference games, although the tough competition in the ACC waters down those records quite a bit, allowing Miami to sneak into the ACC Championship Game in Tampa, Florida if they can outplay Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech and North Carolina for the Coastal lead at the end of the regular season.

Expect to see a more experienced and a matured Miami team this season. Their hopes at competing for an ACC title this season are tied to those first three games against the toughest teams in the conference. Win one or two and the 'Canes are right on track.
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