Hurricanes are huge underdogs vs. Indiana. Is that right where UM wants to be?
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The oddsmakers in Las Vegas do not think highly of the Hurricanes’ chances against the Hoosiers in Monday’s national championship.
Miami is an 8.5-point underdog against Indiana, according to Hard Rock Bet. But the Hurricanes have been underdogs before — including in two out of three College Football Playoff games. But UM has thrived in that role. Over the past two seasons, the Hurricanes are undefeated when they are underdogs.
“We don’t place any value or strategic changes as it relates to a term like ‘underdog’ or ‘favorite,'” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said before the Hurricanes faced Ohio State. “It’s never been a part of the process. Our messaging has been consistent the entire year on how we approach our opponents, how we approach our processes. We’re very process-oriented. We’re very intense and very intentional in how we approach every single opponent, and this one is one that we approach in the same manner. It’s what we know. It’s what has granted us success throughout the course of the year, and certainly we’re going to stick to that.”
According to On3’s Brett McMurphy, the Hurricanes would be the third-largest underdog in the last 27 years to win a BCS title game or the College Football Playoff title game. Favorites have won and covered in the previous six championship games.
Miami was the underdog three times this year: against Notre Dame in the season opener, against Texas A&M in the first round of the playoffs and against Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. The Hurricanes won all three games.
The Hurricanes were favorites in every game in 2024. UM has not lost a game as an underdog since the 2023 Pinstripe Bowl when it lost to Rutgers. Prior to that bowl game, the Hurricanes’ previous loss as an underdog was against Louisville on Nov. 18, 2023.
Over the last two seasons, the Hurricanes are 20-4 as favorites.
But whether UM is favored or not does not matter to the team. As defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor said before UM took down Ohio State, they “don’t really care what anybody has to say.”
“We’re all ballers in our minds,” Mesidor said. “We all believe in each other and believe in ourselves. All the exterior noise and stuff, I don’t really care for it. I’m just here to play football.”
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