The season hasn’t started the way the Miami Hurricanes had hoped. Miami opened the year ranked No. 14 in the AP poll and with a chance to post a season-defining win in the opener, against perennial national championship contender Alabama.
Instead, the Canes were thoroughly dominated by the Crimson Tide, losing a 44-13 blowout. Now Miami will try to bounce back in its home opener against Appalachian State. Let’s go over the college football odds for this game.
Saturday, September 11, 2021 – 07:00 PM EDT at Hard Rock Stadium
The opponent doesn’t have the same name recognition as Alabama, but the Mountaineers are a dangerous foe that has a long resume of Power Five upsets, including Michigan, North Carolina and South Carolina.
The Hurricanes would be a nice addition to that trophy wall. Appalachian State is coming off of a blowout win over East Carolina last week.
The Mountaineers are far from a cupcake foe, handpicked for the home opener. This is a dangerous team with a long history of success. App has averaged 10 wins a year for the past six seasons and has the fifth-best winning percentage in FBS over that span at 63-15 (.808). The Mountaineers trail only behind Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Oklahoma.
Appalachian State’s new starting quarterback is no stranger to Miami, and he won’t be intimidated by a night game on the South Florida stage. Chase Brice spent two years as Clemson’s backup quarterback. Last year, he transferred to Duke and started for the Blue Devils all season, including a 20-of-25 outing against the Hurricanes.
Brice led an App offense that was dominating in the opener. He completed 20 of 27 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns. He spread the wealth, hitting 10 different receivers, led by Thomas Hennigan’s 114 yards. Brice offers the offense a change of pace, as App’s success on that side of the ball in recent years has been primarily on the ground.
Not that the running game will take a step back. App also had a pair of running backs go for 100 yards on the ground in Nate Noel and Camerun Peoples.
The Mountaineers’ defense was equally strong. App had four sacks, five tackles for loss, an interception and a fumble recovery.
“Not as good as Alabama,” isn’t the worst thing in the world. There are plenty of teams in college football that would have the same said about them. Still, the Hurricanes will need to get back their confidence after a poor performance on the big stage.
Miami is also dealing with a host of personnel issues—some from before the opener and some resulting from the physical loss to the Crimson Tide.
The best early news seems to be on wide receiver Mike Harley. The team leader in catches (57), yards (799) and touchdown receptions (7) last year went down during the third quarter of the opener against Alabama.
He was hit by three defenders while making a catch, knocking his helmet off and putting him out of the game with what was called “an upper extremity” injury. Coach Manny Diaz said Harley was “trending in the right direction,” after getting treatment early in the week.
“It sounds like it’s better than maybe we initially thought,” he added.
The team will still be without linebacker Sam Brooks Jr., who is recovering from foot surgery and didn’t play against Alabama. The team lost end Thomas Davis, safety Brian Balom and offensive lineman John Campbell for the season prior to the opener. Tight end Dominic Mammarelli missed the Alabama game, and no update was given on his status early in the week.
The Canes will also be without three players suspended for the opener, whose suspensions continue at least through week two—tight end Larry Hodges, safety Avantae Williams and running back Jaylan Knighton.
Miami got punched in the mouth in its opener and will be looking to get back its swagger. The result was probably the worst possible outcome for an App State team that was looking to sneak up on a big-name foe.
Look for the Hurricanes to take out some frustrations on a good but less talented team for the college football pick of the week.
NCAAF Pick: Hurricanes -8 (-110) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.