The Beast : Prediction Time

The biggest home game of the year is finally here and this is one Hurricane fans have been waiting a full year for. Saturday night in prime time at Sun Life Stadium, Miami and Ohio State will play in yet another high-drama affair. We’ve spent so much time talking about these teams and their off-the-field incidents that the actual football game has flown under the radar. Not any more. This one is finally here.

When I used to host sports talk radio, my favorite thing was taking calls from listeners. The modern day sports radio call is made in the form of a Tweet. Plenty of you weighed in with your game prediction and your reason why you made that pick. Before I get to my prediction for the game, here are some of yours:

@Vec18 – 31-14 Canes. Spence an Co back on D limits OSU offense. Lamar breaks a couple big runs late to pad the score.

@ELLedo1307 – Canes win bcuz of efficient passing gm and big run gm from 6. 31 & 7 shut down Stoneburner and our DL is bk. Canes ST adv.

@BShady – 27-24 Miami. A steady J12, dangerous rushing attack, and the guys on D coming back will be just enough to win a tight one.

@McStudly – UM:30 OSU:23. UM will bring pressure and I don’t think OSU can compete when Miami doesn’t beat themselves.

@jslifeandtimes – Canes win 24-21 behind 2 Millertime TD’s a 4th quarter FG by Wieclaw.

@akosnitzky – MIA 26 OSU 24. MIA’s prior ineligibles will outplay OSU’s prior ineligibles.

@JR2themax – 27-20 Canes. J12 runs a smooth Offense, limits TO and mistakes. Big day for Miller. Spence + Boom both show out. #GOCANES.

@_BLONDEthreat – 24-21 #CANES Jacory limits turnovers & a solid ground game from Miller Time.

@BigDaddyJamesUM – 24-13 #MIAMI, I think Ohio St.’s Qb is going to make mistakes that #MIAMI is going to capitalize on!

@jayharmon21– 24-14 #MIAMI with 2 big scores from @millertime_6 and a huge day from @3Spence1 on D.

@court_STAR – #CANES win 24-17 its Jacorys 1st game n he’ll come out strong! Defense will b hype n THE CROWD WILL B CRAZY! #IStandWithTheU.

@CraigSnel – CanesD keeps the bend but don’t break mentality forcing 2 TO’s and 3 FG’s. CanesO limits penalties and TO’s and RUNS to 24-16.

@jplisko5 – Miami 30 OSU 22. Last year OSU was better at only 1 position,QB. Not this year! #GoCanes!

As I said earlier in the week and again Thursday night on allCanes Radio, I think the biggest factor in this game is the return of the leadership on both side of the football to the team – especially Jacory Harris on offense and both Marcus Forston and Sean Spence on defense. Their return to the starting line up will be beneficial to the team, on the field and on the sideline.

I think Harris has improved as a quarterback and the new offensive system Jedd Fisch is implementing will be tailor-made for him.

Ohio State wasn’t all that impressive against Toledo and in all honesty, this is almost the same team Miami faced in Columbus last September, minus last year’s star, Terrelle Pryor, as well as a few others.

I’m almost never confident about a game but I’m feeling good about this one and I’m going, Miami 27 – Ohio State 17. I think this will be the anti-Florida State 2010 game.

I’ll be tailgating at the stadium starting at 2pm on the west side so drop by and say ‘hello’. Also, don’t forget for all the latest news and notes during game follow my CBS Sports Rapid Reports (the feed is hosted on the right-hand side of the blog). I’ll do my best to Tweet as well, but that can get a bit hectic during the game.

I’ll be hunkered down with my good bud and long-time Canes insider I.M. Bitterman, who will be there to pull me through and to help me get you gut the best in-game info.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts about the game. Get out there and enjoy yourselves tomorrow and Go Canes. –

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