Saturday Spotlight
(13) Miami Hurricanes at (24) Texas A&M Aggies
Miami: They have cruised through their first two games this season. That includes a 57-point victory over Bethune Cookman and a 23-point victory over Southern Miss. I still remember when they made the ACC Conference Title game in 2017 and how the sport was buzzing. I’ve always said when the legendary teams are doing well, it’s great for the sport and, there’s no denying that the Miami Hurricanes aren’t one of the iconic teams in college football. The catalyst of this offense is the quarterback. His name is Tyler Van Dyke. He’s a pure passer that hits his intended receivers in stride. If something isn’t there that he wants in his first read, he will check the ball down and let his running back do the rest. In other words, Tyler allows the game to come to him. His deep pass is a flick of the wrist. This offense is dynamic together. They’ve run the ball well, so everything isn’t just on the quarterback. All might be going well so far, but I’ll know a bit more about them when they begin conference play. Before that starts up, they will travel to Aggieland tonight for a rare interconference showdown.
Texas A&M: When I was on “College Football Showdown” last Friday, my radio associate, Israel Rivera made a bold prediction that Appalachian State would get a win in College Station. It turns out he was right! This was one of the many upsets that occurred in week two of college football. For those of you who’ve followed me over the years, what’s the one thing I’ve always said? You must NOT look ahead to who’s next on your schedule and focus on what’s in front of you because no matter what happens, that big named opponent will still be there at the end of the day. Texas A&M failed and that’s why they’ve fallen significantly in the rankings. The one issue for the Aggies has been the inconsistent offense and struggles at Quarterback. Haynes King has thrown five touchdown passes and five interceptions. Watching their last game, his timing appears to be off. Many considered them to be a playoff team or be that one threat to the Alabama Crimson Tide in the SEC West. This is why Jimbo Fisher is getting paid the big bucks, to take this team to the next level. Nothing less. Tonight, they’ll look to bounce back with “The U” in town.
Miami X-Factor: Henry Parrish Jr– Henry transferred to play for the Hurricanes from Ole Miss. It’s safe to say he knows a thing or two about playing teams in the SEC. He’s such a shifty running back and knows how to maneuver his way through lanes when they open. Henry can also catch the ball and make life difficult for the defense.
Texas A&M X-Factor: Devon Achane– If the Aggies want to get this offense going, feed Devon the football. He’s a veteran on this offense and can make life easier for King and the passing game. Devon has amazing speed when he hits the gas and accelerates himself into the open field. He’s one of the fastest players in the country.
Final Thoughts: The matchup lost some luster after A&M lost last week, but here we still are. Two of the highest paid coaches in college football are featured in this game, Miami’s Mario Cristobal and Texas A&M’s Jimbo Fisher. Speaking of coaches, this would Mario’s signature win with the Hurricanes. Miami’s offensive line must hold up better than they did against Southern Miss. This Aggies defense will be the best the Hurricanes have seen all year. Xavier Restrepo, Tyler Van Dyke’s top receiving target will miss this game tonight with an injury. It’s also key for the Hurricanes to start quickly. This is a season-defining game for Texas A&M, tough to say that early on. What offense shows up? Will it be the one that totaled 497 yards in week one or the one that struggled to get much of anything going in week two? It’ll be strength facing strength when Van Dyke attempts to throw the ball down the field on this Aggies secondary.
Prediction: Texas A&M 24, Miami 21
