Hurricane Warning: Miami Looks to Stay Strong

Hurricanes stay strong — © Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

The 12th-ranked Miami Hurricanes (1-0) look to stay hot against the Florida A&M Rattlers (2-0) in the home opener for head coach Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes. On Sept. 7, the two teams will clash at 6 p.m. EST in Miami. While the underdog, the Rattlers, under head coach James Colzie III, will not be pushovers.

Last season, the Rattlers finished 12-1 on the season with their only loss coming at the hands of the University of South Florida in Week 2. This season, the team has been built with a balanced attack on offense and strong defense.

What's at Stake?

For the Hurricanes, this game is set to be a tune-up to make sure the team has the personnel and the scheme in place to succeed. After a stellar performance by quarterback Cam Ward and the offense for the Hurricanes last week this game should be just that. The bond that Ward and wide receiver Xavier Restrepo have formed in a short time has been impressive.

For the Rattlers, after a 12-1 first year with Colzie, the question is can they build off the success and duplicate the results? So far the answer has been yes. The Rattlers have picked up right where the 2023 season ended. Quarterback Daniel Richardson has thrown for 568 yards and 6 touchdowns so far and completing 66 percent of his passes. Wide receiver Koby Gross has been the go-to for the offense averaging 17.4 yards per reception.

Who to Keep an Eye on for the Hurricanes

On offense, what will Ward do for a sequel to his Week 1 performance? Ward made a variety of throws to every area of the field last week against the Florida Gators (0-1). Can the Rattlers' defense create an advantage in coverage against a dual-threat quarterback? While the offense leans on the pass, will the Hurricanes be able to get running back Damien Martinez more involved than his 65-yard performance in Week 1? On defense, how will the defense cause chaos for the Rattlers offense? Linebacker Francisco Mauigoa and defensive end Tyler Baron will look to build on their performance last week when they combined for 9 tackles and 2 sacks.

Which Rattlers are Poised to Strike?

On offense for the Rattlers, it all starts with Richardson and Gross. The team is fairly balanced as they average 4 yards per carry rushing the ball. Will the offense be able to strike often and sustain drives to minimize the time the Hurricanes' offense is on the field? On defense, the Rattlers average 137 yards allowed in the air and 190 yards rushing. Linebacker Aric Horne, Andre Powell and Deco Wilson in the secondary will be focused on staying sound in their approach.

Will the Hurricanes Stay Strong?

A potent offense against a sound defense, who blinks first? In the biggest game for the Rattlers, will they stay focused and keep the game within reach? Richardson will have to play one of his best games as the Hurricanes' defense has only allowed 17 points.

At the end of the game, despite keeping the game closer than a lot expected, the Hurricanes stay strong and move to 2-0 on the season. Cristobal and the offense have too many weapons to contend with.