Miami Hurricanes 2023 season preview: Game 3 Bethune-Cookman
For the seventh time since 2011, the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats will match up against the Miami Hurricanes in what has been a series dominated by UM in each contest.
In the two sides’ previous six matchups, the Hurricanes’ average margin of victory is 42 points (including a 70-13 Bethune loss to Miami in 2022), and we expect a similar result against a Wildcats team that had a hectic offseason after firing multiple head coaches.
Previously led by Terry Sims and then former Miami safety Ed Reed, whose head coaching tenure at Bethune-Cookman lasted just 25 days after differences between both sides, current Wildcat head coach Raymond Woodie Jr. is looking to revitalize a program that went 2-9 in 2022.
Former East Carolina quarterback Walter Simmons III will look to take over under center for the Wildcats but expect competition from redshirt freshman Ethan Dattilio and freshman Dominiq Ponder.
After losing almost all of their offensive production from 2022, the Wildcats do not return much as they lost their top passer, rusher, and receivers to either graduation or the transfer portal, including former starting quarterback Jalon Jones (Charlotte) RB Que’shaun Byrd (803 yards), and top receivers Marcus Riley (503 yards and 7 TDS) and TE Kemari Averett (450 yards and 7 TDs).
On the defensive side of the ball, Woodie Jr’s squad does return a handful of starters, including Rosendo Louis (LB), Darnell Deas (DB), and Omari Hill-Robinson (CB), but they’ll be looking to turn the page after allowing 39.4 points per game in 2022, which ranked them 117th out of 123 FCS teams.
This is a contest Miami should easily handle against a program that is trying to find its footing after losing two head coaches and multiple starters in the offseason.
It will be a breather off what promises to be a physical game vs. Texas A&M the week prior, and will be followed by games at Temple and Georgia Tech before the anticipated tough portion of the ACC schedule picks up.
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