CORAL GABLES, FL – In what was a less than impressive effort to show that “The U” is finally back, the Miami Hurricanes played more like a tropical depression than their namesake in a 17-9 road loss to SEC West contender, Texas A&M.
Miami, pegged by many to be the biggest threat to the defending conference champion Pitt Panthers thanks to Heisman Trophy contender quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, whom many draft experts rave about due to a combination of NFL-level arm talent and pocket awareness, Van Dyke looked dazed, confused and utterly clueless.
Trying to beat an SEC team for the first time since 2013, the visiting Hurricanes looked more like a bad storm in dropping passes, playing horribly on special teams and inadvertently tanking Van Dyke’s Heisman and NFL Draft stock.
With drops already being an issue in the already unbearable Texas heat and over 107,000 screaming members of the 12th Man at Kyle Field, The U looked anything remotely to be back, and looked more ready to be back in Coral Gables.
For a brash, loud and proud program that talks big and acts like they are still among the elite of their heyday, thanks to players such as their own new head coach in two-time national champion, Mario Cristobal, last night’s showing in College Station, showed why the Canes are not ready for primetime, let alone ready to be truly back.