No. 2 Miami's Biggest Opponent Remaining Is the Mirror
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13 penalties for No. 2 Miami against No. 18 Florida State. It was good enough to win the game against the Hurricanes' rivals, but the Canes have bigger aspirations.
While ranked as the No. 2 team in the country, there is a growing consensus that this Canes team is different and is being viewed as the best team in the country. However, they are only fighting themselves the rest of the season, starting with cleaning issues that held back their full potential against the Seminoles.
This team has struggled with penalties early this season. They are averaging 7.6 penalties a game, tied for most in the ACC, and 113th nationally. This team has been uncharacteristically undisciplined, and it starts with both lines of scrimmage.
Mario Cristobal notes that this is something they are cleaning up during the bye-week.
"Three quarters of dominant football, one quarter that wasn't up to the standard...penalties derailed two of our last three drives...certainly something our players immediately recognized...there was a sense of 'we're better than that," Cristobal said.
He also knows that with the talent on this team, the only ones who can stop them are themselves, and they are focused on winning games and not having style points.
"We always want to keep our foot on the gas," Cristobal said on Pardon My Take. "Obviously, we didn't play a very good fourth quarter the other night and that's got to change and that will change. "But I think that your style points come in your style of play as well. And if your style of play is that of substance where it's about legitimate blocking, tackling, great pad level physicality and violence, that'll show."
The Hurricanes still have to face a scary Louisville Cardinals, Pitt Panthers, and a Duke Blue Devils team this season that could show some trouble for the Canes.
However, if they handle business, then they have nothing to worry about. They have an easy road to the ACC Championship, similar to last season. As long as they don't in their own way, they have an easy road to the National Championship, which would be a home game as well.
Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University and is the site lead for the Miami Hurricanes on SI. He can be reached at Twitter @Justice_News5.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.