Happy gameday! Your Miami Hurricanes are set to battle against the Clemson Tigers tonight at approximately 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time at Memorial Stadium. The two teams will get everything started in about two hours; until then, check out what the national media is saying about tonight's game.
ESPN Matchup Predictor
According to the ESPN Matchup Predictor, the Miami Hurricanes have a 87.4% chance to beat the Tigers tonight.
CBS Sports
Hummer (Miami -16.5): This should be an interesting game. Clemson is by far the most talented team the Hurricanes have faced this year. Miami, meanwhile, represents a big game do-over for the Tigers after getting blasted in Week 1 by LSU. I think the Tigers are solid enough on defense -- both with their pass rush and secondary -- to slow Miami's explosive passing attack. I just don't know how Clemson will consistently score with Tait Reynolds under center. Clemson wants to run the ball to take the pressure off Reynolds, and did so effectively last week against Cal. It's just a different challenge against Miami, which is allowing less than two yards per carry this season. It's close for a bit, but the Hurricanes pull away late. …
Miami 38, Clemson 20.
Crawford (Miami -16.5): Even as a heavy favorite on the road in the ACC's version of Death Valley, Miami can take a big swing in national perception if the Hurricanes go to Clemson and lay a crooked number on the Tigers. That's the mindset for this offense, according to Shannon Dawson's rant this week on the various polls and rankings that are disrespecting this team. Y'all know I've had Miami as my personal No. 1 since the spring, and nothing thus far has changed my mind on that opinion. Yes, Clemson's 2-0 in the ACC, but the Tigers can't score. ...
Miami 34, Clemson 10.
ESPN Bill Connelly
Since Clemson's Week 1 humiliation against LSU, the Tigers' defense has allowed just 0.8 points per drive (seventh nationally) and 4.2 yards per dropback (sixth). That has allowed the team to win three straight despite a moribund offense.
Miami is obliterating opposing run games, and Clemson QB Tait Reynolds will likely see far too many passing downs. But this could still be a solid test for a Hurricanes offense that hasn't faced a top-60 defense (per SP+). Miami ranks first in yards per play (8.5), second in points per drive (4.3) and third in success rate (58.0%), and Darian Mensah has completed a preposterous 89% of his passes. But Clemson should defend soundly enough -- especially with rainy conditions -- to give the Canes a dose of adversity.
Current line: Miami -16.5 | SP+ projection: Miami by 18.3 | FPI projection: Miami by 16.5
CBS Sports Staff
Straight Up
Against The Spread
The Sporting News
Is this Clemson's last stand? The Hurricanes bring a high-scoring offense into Death Valley led by Darian Mensah – who leads the ACC with an 88.7% completion percentage. The Tigers had a 13-point home loss to Syracuse last season. The Tigers lack the explosive passing game to get into a track meet, so they will have to slow the game down with running back Gideon Davidson – who has 346 rushing yards on 5.9 yards per carry. Will Heldt – who leads the ACC with four sacks – also needs to have a game.
Pick: Miami wins 34-21 but FAILS TO COVER the spread.
Andy Staples, On3
The spread still feels enormous even though these teams have switched places in the ACC hierarchy. Clemson has won three in a row since getting blasted 51-10 by LSU in the season opener. Miami already has two ACC road wins (Stanford and Wake Forest) and hasn’t had to sweat yet. Will the Tigers stress the Hurricanes at all Dabo Swinney had better hope so, or this game will become yet another referendum.
My position: Miami -16.5 at 52 percent
Fox Sports
Young: The Hurricanes look like the program Clemson used to be in the 2010s and Clemson looks unrecognizable next to those teams.
Litman: Clemson may be Miami's first Power Four opponent of the season, but the Hurricanes shouldn't have any problems — they look like one of the most complete teams in the country right now.
Cohen: Far too much talent on a Miami team that has embraced modern roster building in ways Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney couldn't even imagine.
Portnoy: I'll be in Clemson for this one, but I'm heading to the Upstate more for Darian Mensah than anything the Tigers are putting on the field right now. The Hurricanes look unstoppable offensively and Mensah should be atop just about every Heisman straw poll after this one.
ESPN Matchup Predictor
According to the ESPN Matchup Predictor, the Miami Hurricanes have a 87.4% chance to beat the Tigers tonight.
CBS Sports
Hummer (Miami -16.5): This should be an interesting game. Clemson is by far the most talented team the Hurricanes have faced this year. Miami, meanwhile, represents a big game do-over for the Tigers after getting blasted in Week 1 by LSU. I think the Tigers are solid enough on defense -- both with their pass rush and secondary -- to slow Miami's explosive passing attack. I just don't know how Clemson will consistently score with Tait Reynolds under center. Clemson wants to run the ball to take the pressure off Reynolds, and did so effectively last week against Cal. It's just a different challenge against Miami, which is allowing less than two yards per carry this season. It's close for a bit, but the Hurricanes pull away late. …
Miami 38, Clemson 20.
Crawford (Miami -16.5): Even as a heavy favorite on the road in the ACC's version of Death Valley, Miami can take a big swing in national perception if the Hurricanes go to Clemson and lay a crooked number on the Tigers. That's the mindset for this offense, according to Shannon Dawson's rant this week on the various polls and rankings that are disrespecting this team. Y'all know I've had Miami as my personal No. 1 since the spring, and nothing thus far has changed my mind on that opinion. Yes, Clemson's 2-0 in the ACC, but the Tigers can't score. ...
Miami 34, Clemson 10.
ESPN Bill Connelly
Since Clemson's Week 1 humiliation against LSU, the Tigers' defense has allowed just 0.8 points per drive (seventh nationally) and 4.2 yards per dropback (sixth). That has allowed the team to win three straight despite a moribund offense.
Miami is obliterating opposing run games, and Clemson QB Tait Reynolds will likely see far too many passing downs. But this could still be a solid test for a Hurricanes offense that hasn't faced a top-60 defense (per SP+). Miami ranks first in yards per play (8.5), second in points per drive (4.3) and third in success rate (58.0%), and Darian Mensah has completed a preposterous 89% of his passes. But Clemson should defend soundly enough -- especially with rainy conditions -- to give the Canes a dose of adversity.
Current line: Miami -16.5 | SP+ projection: Miami by 18.3 | FPI projection: Miami by 16.5
CBS Sports Staff
Straight Up
Against The Spread
The Sporting News
Is this Clemson's last stand? The Hurricanes bring a high-scoring offense into Death Valley led by Darian Mensah – who leads the ACC with an 88.7% completion percentage. The Tigers had a 13-point home loss to Syracuse last season. The Tigers lack the explosive passing game to get into a track meet, so they will have to slow the game down with running back Gideon Davidson – who has 346 rushing yards on 5.9 yards per carry. Will Heldt – who leads the ACC with four sacks – also needs to have a game.
Pick: Miami wins 34-21 but FAILS TO COVER the spread.
Andy Staples, On3
The spread still feels enormous even though these teams have switched places in the ACC hierarchy. Clemson has won three in a row since getting blasted 51-10 by LSU in the season opener. Miami already has two ACC road wins (Stanford and Wake Forest) and hasn’t had to sweat yet. Will the Tigers stress the Hurricanes at all Dabo Swinney had better hope so, or this game will become yet another referendum.
My position: Miami -16.5 at 52 percent
Fox Sports
Young: The Hurricanes look like the program Clemson used to be in the 2010s and Clemson looks unrecognizable next to those teams.
Litman: Clemson may be Miami's first Power Four opponent of the season, but the Hurricanes shouldn't have any problems — they look like one of the most complete teams in the country right now.
Cohen: Far too much talent on a Miami team that has embraced modern roster building in ways Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney couldn't even imagine.
Portnoy: I'll be in Clemson for this one, but I'm heading to the Upstate more for Darian Mensah than anything the Tigers are putting on the field right now. The Hurricanes look unstoppable offensively and Mensah should be atop just about every Heisman straw poll after this one.
