Kirk Herbstreit Expects Cream To Rise To Top When Clemson Faces Miami
The Clemson Football program is no stranger to playing on the game's biggest stages.
When No. 7 Miami visits Death Valley this weekend for a primetime matchup between two top-10 teams, it will be the Hurricanes that are in what could be described as unfamiliar territory.
The Tigers' success on the big stage has been well documented. Since the start of the 2016 season, Clemson is 7-2 in games in which both teams entered ranked in the top-ten and 21-3 against Top-25 teams.
On a recent edition of the ESPN College Football podcast, analyst Kirk Herbstreit talked about the premier matchup in college football this weekend. He thinks now that the season is a few weeks old, many teams should start hitting their stride.
"I’d expect the cream to start to rise to the top starting this weekend, now that we have gotten a few games in," Herbstreit said. "I think we will see teams start to play to their ability."
After such a hot start to the season, the ESPN analyst said this game will be a good measuring stick for how far the Miami program has progressed under second-year head coach Manny Diaz.
“Manny Diaz will have to answer questions all week talking about how Clemson is the bar, not only in the ACC, but also the country," Herbstreit said. "Now you get a chance to go on the road and take on Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne and Brent Venables. You have watched these guys play in big games and now you are going to get thrown into the ring with them and you are going to find out how good you are. We will see."
Through the season's first three games, Miami has yet to really be tested. Currently, the Hurricanes are 3-0, but with their best win coming over an average at best Louisville team.
"We saw them take care of Louisville and it was like ok that was a good win," Herbstreit said. "And then they blew out Florida State, who is struggling right now. The next thing is Clemson and it was like ok now we are going to find out. Now we are going to see how much this D’Eriq King and Rhett Lashlee and this offense—now we see where they really are.”
The Tigers are coming off a 41-23 win over Virginia, but for the first time since 2016 Brent Venables defense gave up more than 400 yards of offense to an ACC foe. It was no doubt an uncharacteristic showing against the Cavaliers, and while Herbstreit thinks the Hurricanes are good enough on the line of scrimmage to compete, he's not sure they have the depth to pull off the upset.
“I don’t know if Brent Venables went to bed Saturday night with the way his defense played," Herbstreit said. "Their front line guys are capable athletically. I don’t think they have the depth. I think they are trying to build that. We will find out where Miami is."
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