Miami Hurricanes face statement game against Georgia Tech

When the Miami Hurricanes (4-0) kick off ACC play against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Saturday night, it has a chance to officially leave last season's debacle in the rearview mirror. It's also an opportunity for Miami to hit five wins, which would equal last season's total. 

In 2022, head coach Mario Cristobal's first season, the Hurricanes endured turmoil. The team fought injuries, play-calling never meshed with personnel and it lacked a cohesiveness that top programs regularly display. The result was a 5-7 campaign filled with forgettable performances.

That season is now proving to be a stepping stone that laid the groundwork for success Miami has had so far this year.

"Whenever you start up at a program again, and it has a rebuilding aspect, you have to sometimes go through a season like that and not make any excuse or sugar-coat it," Cristobal said during the summer, per CBSSports.com's Chip Patterson. 

Cristobal's no-nonsense and steadfast approach paid off in the offseason despite the disappointing first year. The Hurricanes finished seventh in recruiting for the 2023 cycle and seventh in the transfer portal rankings.

“I think our focus just has to be on the ‘right here, right now,'” Cristobal said. “Recruiting never stops. It goes throughout the course of the season and offseason. There really is no such thing as a vacation. I think your portal additions — as well as your subtractions — have to be very strategic. There has to be a good reason for taking someone that’s in the portal, and there also has to be a good reason for facilitating a guy that you might have on your roster to get in the portal as well."

This season has already seen a marked improvement over last year's. Miami is 4-0 with a big statement win over then-oNo. 23 Texas A&M last month and has watched its ranking rise with each passing week. Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke has consistently been one of the highest graded signal-callers in the nation this season and has seen his Heisman odds rise by week as well. 

Miami has also proven to be well-rounded thus far, as its offense is ranked as the seventh best in the nation and the defense sits at 12th.

Miami opens up as a massive favorite (-19.5) in a game it should win against Georgia Tech. The contest will see the return of All-American safety Kam Kinchens after a scary injury in the win against Texas A&M. In addition to that, the Hurricanes are unveiling their "Miami Nights" uniforms on Saturday, so this game has no shortage of storylines following the Hurricanes bye.

Miami will undoubtedly have bigger contests this season – trips to North Carolina, Florida State and a home game against Clemson. This weekend's game is a big step for this squad, though. Not only does Miami want to get conference play started with a victory, but five wins in five games would show that a turnaround is underway and that Cristobal's approach is working. A year after the worst-case scenario played out in South Florida, he quietly has his team on the right track. A track he hopes leads the Hurricanes back to championship glory.