Breaking Down Miami / South Florida Match-Up

Once expected to be a budding Sunshine State rivalry, Miami and South Florida appear to be going in different directions. The Hurricanes enter the contest 3-0 under third-year head coach Al Golden, while the Bulls limp in 0-3 behind first-year leader Willie Taggart.

Miami had a scare last week when senior quarterback Stephen Morris was rolled up against Savannah State and appeared to have sprained an ankle. Per Susan Miller Degnan of the Miami Herald, X-rays proved negative and Morris’ injury was downgraded to a right ankle bone bruise, making him available for this weekend’s road trip to Raymond James Stadium, UM’s first away game of the season.

South Florida has been in disarray for years. There has been a coaching carousel that saw original coach Jim Leavitt fired after the 2009 season, disastrous three-year stint under Skip Holtz and now Taggart, who has taken the reigns after coaching at his alma mater, Western Kentucky, for three seasons.

The Hurricanes notched wins against Florida Atlantic, Florida and Savannah State while the Bulls have fallen to McNeese State, Michigan State and Florida Atlantic.

Miami and South Florida have met five times, with the Hurricanes holding a 4-1 series lead. Miami won last year’s contest 40-9 at Sun Life Stadium. The squads last met in Tampa in 2011, with the Hurricanes kicking a last-second field goal, taking the defensive battle, 6-3.

Time: 12:00 p.m. ET

Place: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

TV: ESPN U/WatchESPN

Radio: WQAM 560 (Miami)—WHFS 98.7 (South Florida)

Spread: Miami -20 (DSOpen)

Click here for the rest of the game preview, prediction and slideshow.

Comments

comments