Miami head coach Mario Cristobal does not care one bit that his team is supposed to win big this weekend.
The third ranked Hurricanes are favored by 21 and a half points against the Florida State Seminoles, but Cristobal's team works tirelessly to keep the hype out of their minds.
“If anyone is assuming that they should win or they’re entitled to winning, they're out of their minds and they're gonna get beat," Cristobal said on Monday.
On how to keep the sense of entitlement out, Cristobal added: "You challenge your guys, you make sure your coaches are on edge and your entire organization is on edge. We just keep it real. We don't deny that there’s noise out there, we just attack it."
Speaking as someone who covered Miami football during the lean years between Coker and Cristobal, Mario's words speak volumes to me. Certain Hurricanes teams under previous coaches often failed to show up in big games, appearing to play like they were entitled to win because of the logo on their helmet. Those days are over. The current Hurricanes practice hard every single day with a chip on their shoulder. They don't cut any corners.
Cristobal pointed out that several ranked teams suffered losses to unranked underdogs over the weekend, including number one Texas, who fell to rival Oklahoma.
Other unranked upsets against ranked teams included Kentucky beating number 10 LSU, South Carolina pummeling 16th ranked Florida, and North Carolina defeating 25th ranked Pittsburgh.
Cristobal will use these examples as a reminder to his team that they need to show up and show out on Saturday.
I spoke to former Hurricanes center and three time National Champion Kelvin Harris this week on my Locked On Canes podcast. Harris predicts a Miami win, but he warned Hurricanes fans that it could be a battle.
"This is a rivalry game with a coach whose back is against the wall and has nothing to lose," Harris said of Florida State skipper Mike Norvell. Norvell has struggled to build and maintain a strong culture, but perhaps the rivalry aspect of this game could provide an extra spark to his players.
Florida State built a 21-6 lead at Alabama and a 14-0 lead at Louisville before ultimately dropping both of those games. Those starts tell the tale of a team that can't hold a lead, but also of a squad talented enough to execute against good teams in tough environments.
Miami will look to start strong and finish stronger.
