Miami (Ohio) at Miami, Friday at 7 p.m. ET (ACC Network)
Line: Miami by 17 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Series record: Miami leads 3-0.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
There should be some sort of Miami trophy or something, but all that’s at stake is just a 1-0 record. It’s imperative that the Hurricanes get off to a good start, both to help move past last season’s 5-7 debacle and tune up for a Week 2 showdown with Texas A&M.Miami’s quarterback Tyler Van Dyke answers questions during NCAA college football media day, Monday, July 31, 2023, in Coral Gables, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)© Provided by The Associated Press
Miami (Ohio) is facing a Power 5 opponent to open a season for the 14th time in the last 22 seasons. The RedHawks have lost each of their last 12 such games; the last win over a Power 5 in Week 1 was at North Carolina in the 2002 campaign.
Miami QB Tyler Van Dyke against an experienced defense. The RedHawks bring back nine starters from a defense that was very good for much of last season despite the team’s 6-7 record. Van Dyke struggled with shoulder issues in 2022 and banged up a thumb in training camp this year, but has said he’s already clicking in the Hurricanes’ new offense.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Miami (Ohio): QB Brett Gabbert. The name should sound familiar; he is Blaine Gabbert’s brother. He’s thrown for 6,259 yards and 45 touchdowns so far in college.
Miami: S Kam Kinchens. A returning All-American, Kinchens emerged as both the best player and best leader on Miami’s defense last season. There is a slew of talent around him on that side of the ball; the question is how quickly the Hurricanes can make the pieces fit.
FACTS & FIGURES
Miami defensive coordinator Lance Guidry was a defensive assistant at Miami (Ohio) in 2009 and 2010. … The last meeting between the teams was a 54-3 win for the Hurricanes in 1987 on their way to the school’s second national championship and a 12-0 record. … In an effort to clear up some confusion, the RedHawks (established 1809) are Miami University, and the Hurricanes (established 1925) are the University of Miami. … Neither school plays home games in “Miami.” The Hurricanes’ home field is in Miami Gardens; the RedHawks’ home field is in Oxford, Ohio. … Former University of Miami President Donna Shalala got one of her college degrees in 1962 from the Western College for Women — which is now part of, yes, Miami University.