Let's Go Bowling: 2020 Edition

Your Miami Hurricanes have one final piece of business in 2020 and that is a game against Oklahoma State in the Cheez-It Bowl today at 5:30 PM. The Canes know a victory at Camping World Stadium will put the finishing touches on a strong season and give the program momentum to build off of in 2021.

“I think it could certainly serve as that effect,” head coach Manny Diaz said. “I think the last time we came to Orlando [for a bowl], and I think our big win against West Virginia really set us up for a great offseason. Where we started 10-0 the following year, so I do think there is a kick-on year. But every year still exists in its own universe as we’ve seen. Obviously, we’re nothing like the team that played in Shreveport a year ago. We would like this to sort of be a bridge to next year, but we know there will be some key additions coming to our team next year.

“There’s a way we want to do things and a way we want to establish the program and we’re trying to sort of knock down these things that have sort of gotten us in the past and a bowl win is staring us right in the face,” Diaz added.

“It’s a big deal for us. [Orlando] was the site of our last bowl victory back in 2016,” Diaz said. “And that was the only bowl victory for a decade prior to that. We’ve been trying to build the program step by step and part of doing that is you kind of try to accomplish things that have been hard to accomplish here over the past few years. Winning a bowl game is right in that category and then to beat a team with the quality that Oklahoma State has will mean a lot as well.”

Miami received some great news a couple of days ago, as redshirt senior quarterback D’Eriq King announced his intentions to return for the 2021 season. The unquestioned leader of the offense and one of the Canes’ four team captains, King believes his team is eager to earn a victory on Tuesday to finish the season on a high note.

“Bowl games are kind of weird in that the team that wants to be there and wants to win will most likely win the game,” King said. “It is very important for us. We have a nasty taste in our mouth from the North Carolina game and I feel like the last two weeks of practice have been good. I hate losing more than anything, so we are trying to go out there and prove a point.”

Redshirt junior safety Bubba Bolden, who is Miami’s leading tackler with 65 stops on the season, believes the Hurricanes defense is looking forward to the opportunity to bounce back from the regular-season finale against North Carolina. While the Canes had a tough showing against the Tar Heels, they have turned that loss into motivation ahead of their game against the Cowboys.

WATCH: Cheez-It Bowl Trailer

“We take this very personally and [especially so] after the last game’s performance; that was not the Miami way,” Bolden said. “That was not how we play football, especially on the defensive side. So, we are coming into this game with a lot of fire, I’ll tell you that right now, and we’re going to come out and that’s what’s going to happen.”

For more information from hurricanesports.com, click here:  

https://miamihurricanes.com/news/2020/12/28/laying-a-foundation-for-the-future/

Comments

[nemo2020]

What time is it?

It's Crappy Bowl Game time!

Go Canes!

[58 Straight]

SOME PREDICTIONS FROM THE "EXPERTS":

Give me the Cowboys to win and cover the small spread. The combination of their dynamic offense and attacking defense will be too much for the Hurricanes, who will be a little hungover from the North Carolina game, to overcome. Sanders will top the 300-yard mark, one of the running backs will top the century mark, and the Canes will head to the offseason on a sour note.

Pick: Oklahoma State (-2.5) | Oklahoma State 42, Miami 27

Oklahoma State vs. Miami: Betting odds, spread and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 10:15 a.m. ET.

Money line: Miami -115 (bet $115 to win $100) | Oklahoma State -105 (bet $105 to win $100)
Against the spread/ATS: Miami -1 (-110) | Oklahoma State +1 (-110)
Over/Under: 61.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)

Oklahoma State vs. Miami: Three things to know:

After getting off a 4-0 start and somewhat flirting with early-season Big XII Championship contention, Oklahoma State lost 41-34 to Texas on Halloween then alternated between wins and losses for the rest of the regular season. The Cowboys ended their season on a high note, bulldozing the Baylor Bears 42-3 as 6-point road favorites Dec. 12.

When looking at Miami’s overall record, the 2020 campaign is nothing to be disappointed in. The Hurricanes getting rolled 42-17 by Clemson (Oct. 10) and 62-26 by North Carolina in the final game of the season were definitely disappointing for Miami.

Since Mike Gundy took over the OK State program in 2005, the Cowboys are 9-5 in bowl games and have covered the spread in their last four bowl games. This is Manny Diaz’s second season in charge of the Miami football program and the Hurricanes were shutout 14-0 in last year’s Independence Bowl by Louisiana Tech.

GIMME OKLAHOMA STATE (-105) for 1.5 units.

Over/Under (O/U):

I “LEAN” OVER 61.5 (-110) for only a half-unit because it’s a little high in my opinion; however, the market is hitting the Over and I’d rather follow the money than fade it. According to Pregame.com, over 85% of the money wagered has been on the Over, which has steamed it up from the 59.5-opener to the current price.

[Sarasota 'cane]

Merry belated Christmas and/or Happy Holidays Canespace!

Let's have a bowl game Tervis Tumbler drawing today.

Today's drawing will be during the game at 6:30pm. 1st post at 6:30pm wins it. Good Luck!

Go 'canes!!

Posted by: Sarasota 'cane | December 29, 2020 at 04:12 PM

[YooperCane]

Hopefully they don’t lay another big turd on the field tonight. I don’t want to hear the lip service, I want to see results tonight. I’m still bitter from the NC game and want to see some damn effort in this game. It pisses me off that NC is playing in our house in the Orange Bowl where we should have be playing, it’s a kick in the damn nuts while we play in some bull shit bowl game. I really hope that Manny and co have this team prepared and ready to play some football, Go Canes!

[AeroCane]

Wow
I wish we had DNo back! Baker is effing clueless as a coordinator and obviously rumph is a clueless loser as well (as a coach only)

[YooperCane]

Alright, hopefully that was an anomaly by the D, if not...

[YooperCane]

Aero, yep

[The Herb]

No pass rush and soft zone. Already making a mediocre qb looking like an all american. 75 yards passing right off the bat.

[YooperCane]

Baker better wake the F up in this series.

[THE MAN]

How hard is it as an athlete playing DB to stay "relatively" close to your WR? I just don't understand how guys are always wide open against Miami's D and no one fixes it between the players and coaches. Mind blowing!

[Killerbeez41]

Oh boy!!! Hopefully this isn't a here we go again situation. Very vanilla on D that drive. I'm thinking he was "feeling" out the offense (Shrug).

[58 Straight]

I really hope that Manny and co have this team prepared and ready to play some football, Go Canes!

Posted by: YooperCane | December 29, 2020 at 05:13 PM

AS IF!

OSU: Scores a TD on first drive.

UM: Punts on first drive.

#Prepared

[HerbieIbis]

Who is number 4 because the dude was lost and then a half azz tackle attempt.
If this is going to be like this, it's going to be a long night.

[58 Straight]

How hard is it as an athlete playing DB to stay "relatively" close to your WR? I just don't understand how guys are always wide open against Miami's D and no one fixes it between the players and coaches. Mind blowing!

Posted by: THE MAN | December 29, 2020 at 05:49 PM

Apparently it is pretty hard to stay close. Not sure who #4 was covering other than air? It certainly was not the opposing WR.

[AeroCane]

Herb - keontra smith - a striker covering their wr deep
Great planning by the effing loser baker!
Go OSU
Maybe manny will have to fire him!

[Fire Manny]

Is too early to call it?

[YooperCane]

Baker absolutely sucks!

[YooperCane]

If Manny doesn’t step in we are doomed.

[58 Straight]

OSU 14 - UM 0

#Prepared

[TJL]

Corey Gaynor got blown up 5 yards deep on the 1st series - make #55 a center

[TJL]

not 1 but 2 plays!

[YooperCane]

We are in a big hole right off the bat. What the phuck are these coaches gonna do? Any adjustments coming before the half? Same ol shit, Baker is trash.

[Killerbeez41]

According to Manny, he is on the defensive side of the practice field more than anywhere else. So Manny knows exactly the plan and is either alert of the issue or is allowing this to happen.

[THE MAN]

New Miami D Coordinator at first defensive meeting:

Ok, guys when we are covering a WR we stay on his hip so we make it difficult to catch the ball and also whoever has the ball on offense tackle him to the ground as quickly as possible.

Miami defensive players: That's it? Ok!

Miami top 10 defense!

[AeroCane]

I know manny is not going anywhere but what a bad coach he is
You watch, FSU with norvell will be beating us in 2 years with no problems if manny and Blake are still here
This year was the aberration - last year will be our norm with these really bad coaches
I feel bad for the recruits who fell fir their BS
PS feely is welcome to go back to temple anytime he wants as our weight training still has a lot to be desired

[AeroCane]

Can we all of a sudden claim COVID issues and just go home? Lol

[MLALUMNI1970]

Just don’t understand it. How can we be so bad, so often?

[YooperCane]

According to Manny, these guys were prepared and ready for the challenge at hand... bullshit! I absolutely love the bullshit talk and lip service! They must think we are some stupid fans. We can’t get shit going...

[YooperCane]

Manny deserves a Grammy for that tirade! 😂

[YooperCane]

Fire that mutha phucker Baker!!

[58 Straight]

OSU 21 - UM 0

#Prepared

[58 Straight]

Even the TV announcer just said" "Miami is not prepared for any of this." LMAO

[VfB_Cane]

If our new year's resolution is to not post negative stuff on this blog, then Canespace will not see a lot of traffic in the foreseeable future.

[58 Straight]

Just don’t understand it. How can we be so bad, so often?

Posted by: MLALUMNI1970 | December 29, 2020 at 06:05 PM

Shirley must be Trump's fault?

[The Herb]

Jennings is effing a waste at LB. This is like taking candy from a baby.
I mean these wr's are so open u would think they had covid.

[AeroCane]

Yooper
As I said- manny sucks but isn’t going anywhere cause Blake James is a horrible AD
As I said - this year is the aberration and 2019 is the norm with manny

[YooperCane]

Sorry spacers, I call it like i see it. Miami is absolutely trash due to your incompetent D coach. I will absolutely eat crow if otherwise. This team is totally unprepared. If they don’t claw back and show some grit to win then it’s all on the coaches. How can we play like basura and expect to win, Manny will have some bullshit speech as to how they were the better team. Tired of the phuckin same ol excuses. We deserve better and so do the players and fans.

[nemo2020]

Our defense must think that we're playing in the Swiss Cheeze-It Bowl.

[YooperCane]

I can’t believe with all the talent we have and coming on board that we play like an average high school football team. These coaches are either way above their heads or we are just an average team. Manny seems lost at every game and doesn’t have an answer and that bothers me. Great coaches find a way adjust and find a way to win. We seem to find a way to loose and have an excuse to why what lost.

[YooperCane]

Nemo, there is more holes in cheese than the D has! 😂

[The Herb]

We haven't got one LBer worth a dam, not one.
Now King is gone for the game.
Wouldn't have happened had Clarke not lassoed the LBer.

[YooperCane]

Phuck, we didn’t need that! N’ Koski got to get it done!

[YooperCane]

We got to rally around N’Kosi! Get it done boy!

[YooperCane]

Damn it

[YooperCane]

Can we have some serious adjustments in the second half?

[YooperCane]

Damn it Wiggins!

[YooperCane]

2 time outs? And you run the clock?

[HerbieIbis]

I'd give Pope and Wiggins both their walking papers. Space takers.

[YooperCane]

What a phuckin bunch of shit!

[YooperCane]

You have to put a fire underneath their asses. We absolutely stink so far. Do we some out in the second half and take this game over or do we lay down?