CFB Futures – 2024 Miami Hurricanes Win Total Odds

For a program that over the last two decades has won 10 games in an entire season just once, the bar is set high for the 2024 Miami Hurricanes. There is good reason for that with the Canes assembling what might be the strongest team in several years. They will never be the same program that won five national championships under four different coaches or that won at least 10 games 14 times in 21 seasons from 1983 to 2003. But the Canes should be better, they need to be better. There was some tough luck last season that led to a 7-6 record with four losses by a touchdown or less. With several key players back the expectation is more wins with the total set at 9.5 at BetMGM.

Regular Season Wins for the Miami Hurricanes

Over 9.5 ( +150 )

Under 9.5 ( -185 )

A South Florida native and former Canes player, Mario Crisobal was hired three years ago to turn the program around. Getting back to the glory years of the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s is a stretch. But distancing themselves from the likes of Wake Forest in the ACC is a must. The Canes haven’t won more than eight regular season games since going 10-3 in 2017, but the hype still remains. Cristobal has compiled a 12-13 record in his two seasons, but the table is set for bigger things this year. The only question is can the Canes do it?

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Roster

Turnovers play a major role in the outcome of football games. Teams that value the rock tend to have more success than those that don’t. And the miscues are like ageing, it’s going to happen and there’s nothing you can do about it. However, turning the ball over 22 times is a lot and those crippled the Canes in a number of games last season. For the most part Tyler Van Dyke was good throwing for 19 touchdowns and 2,703 yards, but he tossed 12 interceptions. Despite the giveaways the Canes were second in the ACC in total offense and third in scoring.

With Van Dyke leaving the program the Canes may have landed the best QB in the transfer portal signing … I mean luring Washington State’s Cam Ward. And Ward seems like a better fit for an offense that likes to run the football. Ward rushed for eight scores last year and threw for 3,732 yards with 25 TDs and only seven interceptions in nearly 500 pass attempts. And that was for a team that went 5-7.

With Cristobal being a former offensive lineman you’d expect that group to be good. And that was the case last year limiting sacks and opening holes for ball carriers to average more than five yards a pop. The Canes will be strong up front again giving Ward and running backs freedom to maneuver. Another portal acquisition is expected to help the ground game. Damien Martinez rushed for almost 1,200 yards with nine TDs last year averaging more than six yards a carry. Mark Fletcher Jr. was second on the team in rushing and is back for another season.

When you think of Miami football fierce defenders come to mind. Guys like Ray Lewis, Warren Sapp and Ed Reed, among others, always laid the wood on that side of the football. Francisco Mauigoa is probably the closest to a terror the Canes have after posting 7.5 sacks and 18 TFLs a season ago. Overall the numbers were good ranking 12th nationally against the run and 24th in total defense. Those stats were skewed against weaker non-conference foes allowing a total of 17 points in wins over Miami, Ohio, Bethune-Cookman and Temple. In the other games the Canes allowed 27 points or more five times. The D needs to be better against stronger teams.

Schedule

The Canes diverted away from their traditional body-bag non-conference games, and that could actually be a good thing since beating Bethune-Cookman only does so much. Instead the Canes open 2024 with an in-state matchup at Florida and face a difficult USF squad in Week 4. The ACC slate is manageable with Clemson, North Carolina and NC State off the board. There is a trip to Cal in Week 6, but that’s followed by a bye ahead of showdowns at Louisville and against Florida State. 

Prediction

The Canes have shown ways of messing things up over the years. The Georgia Tech game last year is evidence of that. And while it’s exciting to think the program is moving forward they just haven’t done enough for me to think they contend for an ACC title. And if they aren’t contending they’re losing games they probably shouldn’t and ones they are expected to, which leaves them below the 10-win threshold. They’ll be the best club in Cristobal’s tenure, but nine wins looks like the ceiling.

Bet Miami odds at BetMGM