This Season’s Opening Game Is Miami’s Biggest Since 2001

The Miami Hurricanes have an opportunity to start the 2024 season with a road win against an in-state rival SEC team. Coach Cristobal couldn’t ask for a better early-season test for what should be his best and most talented team since he arrived in Coral Gables three years ago.

I think this is Miami’s biggest season-opening game since they went to Happy Valley to take on Penn State in 2001. The Canes were coming off an 11-win season in 2000 where the BCS robbed them of playing for a national championship in front of their home crowd against the undefeated Oklahoma Sooners.

The 2001 Miami Hurricanes had a lot to prove. Could Johnathan Vilma and DJ Williams replace Dan Morgan’s production at linebacker? Could Andre Johnson step up at receiver after losing Reggie Wayne and Santana Moss? We all know the answers to these questions. At the time though, there was a touch of uncertainty to go along with the lofty expectations set by the performance of the 2000 team. I remember being very interested in seeing how they would handle that pressure while playing in front of crowd of over 100,000 rabid Penn State fans.

With the transfer portal additions on both sides of the ball, along with Coach Cristobal’s stellar recruiting, plus the talent drain from programs like Alabama, Michigan, and Washington, I’ll be the millionth person to say the Canes have real expectations this coming into this year. I could write several hundred words dissecting it, but the implications are simple: a season-opening road win against the Gators could be the start to a special season for Miami or a season-opening road loss to the Gators would be a disaster for the program and a gut punch to the fans. It is a must-win for Coach Cristobal and Miami Hurricanes football.

Just for fun, and because it’s summer and there’s nothing else to do, let’s go back and look at Miami’s season-openers starting from last year, all the way back to 2001. One sentence only to summarize the games!

2023: vs Miami (OH). Win 38-3. Knockoff Ohio Miami couldn’t hang with the real thing.

2022: vs Bethune Cookman. Win 70-13. BC got crushed, but won halftime as usual.

2021: vs #1 Alabama (Atlanta). Loss 44-13. The Canes, Manny Diaz, and the fans received a rude awakening of just how far behind the big-time college football powers they were.

2020: vs UAB. Win 31-14. New Miami QB D’Eriq King looked great in Rhett Lashlee’s spread offense.

2019: vs #8 Florida (Orlando). Loss 24-20. Jeff Thomas blew the game with his muffed punt return, (sigh).

2018: vs #25 LSU (Dallas). Loss 33-17. The night Malik Rosier came crashing back down to earth.

2017: vs Bethune Cookman. Win 41-13. The introduction of the Turnover Chain!

Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images

2016: vs FAMU. Win 70-3. Remember the hype for RB Lorenzo Lingard after this game?

2015: vs Bethune Cookman. Win 45-0. Shutout win for defensive wizard and soon-to-be-fired Al Golden.

2014: at Louisville. Loss 31-13. The box score is much uglier than the final score.

2013: vs FAU. Win 34-6. Duke Johnson puts on another one of his many shows during his time at Miami.

2012: at Boston College. Win 41-32. Duke Johnson makes his name known in his first collegiate game.

Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

2011: at Maryland. Loss 32-24. Even after looking at the box score, I have no memory of this game.

2010: vs FAMU. Win 45-0. The beginning of the end for Randy Shannon.

2009: at #18 FSU. Win 38-34. MIAMI IS BACK!

2008: vs Charleston Southern. Win 52-7. Charleston Southern has/had a football team?

2007: vs Marshall. Win 31-3. QB Kirby Freeman’s stat line: 9-21, 81 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, (deep sigh).

2006: vs #11 FSU. Loss 13-10. Miami somehow loses the sequel as well.

2005: at #14 FSU. Loss 10-7. Great defense partnered with inept offense, part one.

2004: vs #4 FSU. Win 16-10 (OT). Sinorice Moss’ catch-and-run and Chris Rix fumbling the snap in overtime were the most memorable plays from a largely forgettable game that preceded them.

Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images

2003: vs Louisiana Tech. Win 48-9. I remember Antrel Rolle running by everyone for a punt return TD, loved watching him.

2002: vs FAMU. Win 63-17. 199 rushing yards and 2 TDs for Miami’s stud running back Willis McGahee, I mean Jason Geathers.

2001: at Penn State. Win 33-7. I love watching the highlights on YouTube, game is over after the first quarter.

There you have it. The Canes are 16-7 in their last 23 season-openers, including 2-5 against ranked teams. Not great. That said, I can’t think of a better way to start the 2024 season than with a win in the swamp.

GO CANES!