Udynasty
Redshirt Freshman
- Joined
- Nov 29, 2012
- Messages
- 5,677
The Miami Hurricanes are coming off their biggest win in 24 years, dethroning the national champion Buckeyes and winning their first NY6 Bowl since the 2003 Orange Bowl. The Canes have now won 12 games, tying Miami’s all-time record and marking the first time the program has won 12 games since the 2002 season. It’s been that sort of turnaround for Miami, which now has the chance to win a second NY6 Bowl as No. 10 Miami faces off against No. 6 Ole Miss in the Vrbo
@Fiesta_Bowl
.The Canes are facing one of the hottest offenses in America and a team that has been this year’s Cinderella, defying all odds and advancing to the semifinals after knocking off perennial blue blood and SEC champion No. 3 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. With a win on Thursday, the Miami Hurricanes are assured a home game in Miami at Hard Rock Stadium for the National Championship. That’s right, Canes fans, this is what’s at stake. Mario Cristobal has this team on the verge of playing, and potentially winning, a National Championship at home. So what does Miami need to do to move on to the National Championship?
Miami’s Keys to Victory
I. Maintain Edge Discipline and Contain Trinidad Chambliss
For the Canes to win, they must not break contain and allow Trinidad Chambliss to escape the pocket. Chambliss can kill you with his legs, as he finished the season with 520 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns on four yards per carry. Miami has shut down every mobile quarterback it has faced so far this year, but Chambliss is the best one they will encounter.In the Sugar Bowl against Georgia, Chambliss broke contain multiple times, and the Bulldogs paid for it as he made several key plays that allowed Ole Miss to come back and win the game. Under DC Corey Hetherman, the Canes have shown they are vastly improved when it comes to containing mobile quarterbacks, but lapses in lane integrity will lead to explosive plays. Miami needs to be locked in and eliminate those breakdowns. The defensive line must set the edges firmly and stay disciplined in their rush lanes, preventing Chambliss from gashing them for 20–30 yards at a time.
II. Dominate the Run and Control the Clock
Ole Miss has a vulnerable run defense that ranks among the worst in the SEC. Miami has one of the best offensive lines in the nation, and Mark Fletcher Jr. is the workhorse they must lean on to impose their physical identity. The Canes should be able to rush for over 150 yards as a team against Ole Miss, and if they do, they can limit Ole Miss’ possessions and scoring opportunities.
III. Generate Pressure With the Front Four
Miami’s defensive line has been the talk of the playoffs, and they will need another herculean effort in this game to disrupt Ole Miss’ quick passing attack. As @LandonTengwall has noted, Chambliss gets the ball out quickly, nearly a half-second faster than Julian Sayin and Marcel Reed. Miami’s interior defensive line must collapse the pocket and generate consistent pressure up the middle, forcing Chambliss into Bain and Mesidor off the edges. Even if those pressures don’t result in sacks, the goal is to force Chambliss into negative plays, third-and-long situations, and uncomfortable throws that can lead to turnovers.
IV. Limit Kewan Lacy
Lacy has been a monster this season for the Rebels. The star running back has 1,464 yards on 295 attempts, averaging five yards per carry with 23 rushing touchdowns. Miami has been excellent at shutting down elite running backs this year, including Hollywood Smothers, Heisman contender Jeremiyah Love, Jaden Baugh, and Jaderian Price. Miami’s defensive line must be aggressive and physical with Lacy, who took a pounding in the last game against Georgia. Miami’s front is more physical than Georgia’s, and they need to erase Lacy from the equation, forcing Ole Miss into a one-dimensional offense.
V. Protect Carson Beck
Miami’s offensive line has done an excellent job protecting Carson Beck this year, especially against elite defensive linemen in both playoff contests. Ole Miss has two strong interior defensive linemen who can create pressure in Will Echoles (310 lbs) and the 6’7”, 320-pound monster Zxavian Harris. This will be another tough task for Miami center James Brockermeyer and the offensive line. If they hold up, expect Beck to thrive on hitches, screens, and RPOs, carving up the Rebels’ defense with pinpoint accuracy.
X-Factor
For the Canes, the X-factor will be the defensive ends. If Bain, Mesidor, and Lightfoot can get home to Chambliss and finish tackles, Miami will blow out the Rebels.
Ole Miss Player to Watch
Much has been said about Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy on offense, but defensively the Rebels have a real playmaker in safety Wydett Williams Jr. Williams has 66 tackles on the year, along with three interceptions and eight pass deflections. The Canes must always know where he is on the field, as he can flip the momentum of the game with a single big play.
Prediction
Ole Miss has a dangerous offense with two stars in Trinidad Chambliss and Kewan Lacy, along with strong wide receiver play led by Harrison Wallace III and De’Zhaun Stribling, both of whom have surpassed 700 receiving yards this season. Charlie Weis Jr. and Pete Golding have done an excellent job preparing Ole Miss and guiding them past Georgia.Miami will not overlook this team. The Canes learned their lesson earlier this season against SMU and Louisville. Expect a locked-in Miami squad that treats this opponent with the respect it deserves. When Miami is focused, they are the best team in the nation because their trench play on both sides of the ball is elite championship-level football. No other team combines that caliber of trench dominance with a sixth-year quarterback as experienced and composed as Carson Beck.On the other side, Ole Miss faces distractions, with coaches not fully committed and an offensive coordinator taking trips to LSU to visit portal prospects. In the playoffs, preparation and focus matter. Miami has the edge in the trenches, defensively, and at quarterback, along with the edge in preparation.I believe a locked-in Miami will go into Arizona and, for the first time in program history, win the Fiesta Bowl. And for the first time since 2002, your Miami Hurricanes will be playing for the National Championship—this time at home, at the Rock.
Canes 34
Rebels 17
