ESPN predicts Miami football winning ACC Coastal Division

Miami is forecasted as the ACC Coastal Division Champion by ESPN in their article posted on Friday morning “Predicting every college football Power 5 conference for the 2022 season.”  The mothership projects the Miami football team to win the ACC Coastal with a Miami 9-3 overall record and 6-2 in the conference.

ESPN also projected “Coordinator who will be a head coach: Josh Gattis, offensive coordinator, Miami.” Miami is also projected as one of “Three bold predictions for the ACC.” The Hurricanes have been the subject of increased scrutiny during the 2022 offseason with the hiring of head coach Mario Cristobal.

Miami is expected to be more disciplined, focused and organized under Cristobal. The nine wins predicted for Miami by ESPN are in line with the 8.5 over/under for the 2022 Hurricanes. Cristobal has Miami focused on the present with the mantra “how you do anything is how you do everything.”

Miami has made a jump in recruiting with the ninth ranked 2023 class. Cristobal is building on the 16th ranked 2022 class and the addition of 11 transfers during the offseason to the roster for an upgrade in talent. ESPN senior writer Mark Schlabach summarized the outlook for the 2022 Miami football season.

“2. The U. is back! Well, sort of …: The college football team that dominated the sport from the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s has won 10 games in a season only once in the past 18 years, under Mark Richt in 2017. Former Oregon coach Mario Cristobal is trying to instill substance over hype, and his wise decision to do away with the Turnover Chain is proof.

With quarterback Tyler Van Dyke returning, the Hurricanes will have a good chance to win the Coastal Division, which they’ve done only once since joining the ACC in 2004. Miami will stumble at Texas A&M and Clemson, but it will defeat Pittsburgh at home in the regular-season finale to win the division.”

The perputual question about if the U is back will ultimately be determined on the field. The games at Texas A&M and Clemson should be the most challenging of the 2022 season. As Schlachbach said the game versus Pittsburgh could determine the outcome of the 2022 ACC Coastal Division Champion.

The games versus the Texas A&M and Clemson could ultimately determine how successful the 2022 season will be the for the Miami football program. If Miami can gain a split in those two games the Hurricanes will be a serious contender for at least a berth in a New Year’s Six Bowl game.