No. 4 Miami rolls into Death Valley this Saturday night, rocking a perfect 2-0 record in ACC play, ready to battle Clemson for solo first place in the conference standings. This is exactly where the Hurricanes, as a top-five team with national title dreams, expected to be. But for a team that joined the ACC in 2004, actually winning an ACC Championship has been an elusive goal for 22 years. They even made the national championship game last season, but still no ACC title. This weekend is a huge test.
Darian Mensah Is on a Heisman Rampage
Seriously, has anyone seen a quarterback play like Miami’s Darian Mensah this season? Through just four games, the dude has been the undisputed best quarterback in the country, and he’s building a monster Heisman Trophy case right now. He’s completing an insane 88.7% of his passes at 11.4 yards per attempt! We’re talking 14 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Zero!
While the oddsmakers might not see a huge difference between Miami facing Clemson or another ACC opponent like Pittsburgh or Virginia Tech, let’s be real: everyone knows Clemson is the biggest foe for Miami in this conference. This Saturday night, prime time stage is Mensah’s chance to cement his candidacy against top-tier competition. Clemson’s offense might be struggling, but their defense, especially against the pass, has been playing tough lately. This is the perfect stage for Mensah to prove he’s the most outstanding player in college football, and you know the whole national audience will be tuned in to see it.
Miami’s Dominance Meets a Familiar Foe
The Hurricanes aren’t just 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the ACC, they’ve been absolutely dominant, beating teams by historic margins. They’re hinting at the potential to be one of the most historically great teams we’ve seen. But they’re facing a tough environment in Death Valley. Clemson, under Dabo Swinney, has a 16-8 record against AP-ranked opponents at home. Still, the Tigers find themselves as heavy underdogs, looking to use this game to remind everyone they’re still an ACC contender.
This isn’t just another game, either. Miami and Clemson are the only two teams with a 2-0 record in ACC play. The winner takes solo first place. The all-time series between these two national title-winning programs? It’s split dead even at 7-7. Each team has won half of their home games, and they’ve each won one of the two neutral-site meetings. We’ve seen this matchup before in a title game too: Miami’s only ACC Championship Game appearance was against Dabo Swinney and Clemson in 2017. The Hurricanes were the third of six consecutive teams to lose to the Tigers in Charlotte that day. Oof.
So yeah, it’s Saturday night in Death Valley. Solo first place in the ACC is up for grabs, and Darian Mensah gets his shot on the national stage to really solidify that Heisman buzz. You know Miami wants this one bad. Let’s see if they can prove they’re truly the king of the ACC.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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