The 'Underdog' Narrative Doesn't Faze the Miami Hurricanes
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ARLINGTON, Tx. — It's the No. 2 team in the country, of course, everyone will view No. 10 Miami as the underdogs.
It did not help when hurricane-like winds funneled inside Kyle Field, limiting the offensive attack of the Miami Hurricanes' first-round 10-3 victory over Texas A&M. Nevertheless, they won the game, and it could have been worse had a few kicks gone through the uprights.
However, this is a different upward battle for the Mario Cristobal-led group. The Canes have built a program that will be able to compete for years to come, but first, they have to shut down the "underdog" narrative that has been placed on them.
"Well, we don't place any value or strategic changes as it relates to a term like "underdog" or "favorite," Cristobal said. "It's never been a part of the process. Our messaging has been consistent the entire year on how we approach our opponents, how we approach our processes. We're very process-oriented. We're very intense and very intentional in how we approach every single opponent, and this one is one that we approach in the same manner. It's what we know. It's what has granted us success throughout the course of the year, and certainly we're going to stick to that."
Shannon Dawson responds to the narrative surrounding Miami’s Offense after only scoring 10 points against Texas A&M. pic.twitter.com/Fwwr9JdYTp
— Grant Speaks (@GrantSpeaks1) December 29, 2025
However, others on the staff don't take kindly to the talk about the team. Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson took offense because the butt of the joke, comparing the two teams, has been the offensive performance against the Aggies.
Moreover, Dawson pointed out that the Buckeyes lost their last game, only scoring 10 points against another great defense.
"They didn't win their last game," Dawson said. "How many points did they score? I mean, Indiana won 13-10, and nobody is saying anything about that. That's just a great win by them, you know? It's an unbelievable win by them. We win 10-3, and it's like, the win sucks. We really lost. I don't buy into that. I don't pay attention to idiots, so it doesn't matter."
The fiery response from Dawson is just an inkling of how the Canes feel about this game. They are fired up and ready to make a statement, but they are also remaining calm about it ahead of the game. They are underdogs, and they know it, but it only gives them an edge to play with.
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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.