No. 9 Miami will look to put its season back on course toward the College Football Playoff when it faces Stanford on Saturday night in Miami Gardens, Fla.
The Hurricanes (5-1, 1-1 in Atlantic Coast Conference) will meet the Cardinal (3-4, 2-2) for the first time ever.
Miami is coming off a disappointing 24-21 home loss to Louisville last week that dropped the Hurricanes from the No. 2 spot in the AP Top 25 and put their national and ACC title aspirations in jeopardy.
Meanwhile, Stanford is coming off one of its best wins in recent memory, a 20-13 upset of Florida State last weekend.
After their first loss of the season, the Hurricanes will need help to reach the conference title game and beyond.
“You know what we learned?” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “We learned the lesson of if you don’t perform, if you don’t coach at the highest level every single week, humility’s right around the corner.”
Miami quarterback Carson Beck had a humbling night with four interceptions. He completed 25 of 35 passes for 271 yards but did not throw a touchdown pass after tossing at least two in four of his first five starts as a Hurricane and throwing four in an Oct. 4 win over then-No. 18 Florida State.
“At the end of the day, we have to execute better, and that is on coaching and players,” Cristobal said. “Sometimes there are opportunities underneath, and sometimes you take a shot and it works. Sometimes they make a good play — and one of them made a very good play — and sometimes we need to execute better.”
Miami’s defense allowed Louisville’s Isaac Brown to run for 113 yards on 15 carries and will face another prolific back in Stanford’s Cole Tabb, who received ACC running back and rookie of the week honors. Tabb ran for 118 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries against the Seminoles.
Tabb has been a bright spot for an offense that is averaging only 19 points per game but appears to be finding some rhythm.
“Each week is an opportunity for us as a team to gain confidence in what we’re doing in all three phases and how we’re growing and maturing as a team,” Stanford coach Frank Reich said.
Stanford’s Ben Gulbranson has been sacked 21 times this season, however, and the Cardinal offensive line will face a tough challenge against Miami’s stout front, which is led by Rueben Bain Jr.
Reich, who has fond memories of playing the Hurricanes, as he famously rallied Maryland from a 31-0 deficit to a victory over Miami in 1984, has helped Stanford already equal its win total for each of the past four seasons. But all three Cardinal victories have come at home, as Reich hopes his team will take the next step and break through on the road.
“It’s a pro program in all three phases with a lot of pro talent, and that’s why they’re so highly ranked,” Reich said of Miami. “This is going to be a really good test for us on the road, and we know that if we want to get to where we want to go, we have to show we can go on the road against a well-coached team, a tough team, and play good football.”
