When the 2022 season started for the Miami Dolphins and Miami Hurricanes, the general thought was that the Fins were close to being a title contender but not quite there. The ‘Canes, meanwhile, were picked to win the ACC’s Coastal Division and thought by some to be a College Football Playoff contender.
Fast forward to the end of September and the roles have been reversed in a big way.
The Dolphins are currently sitting as the only unbeaten team in the AFC after a thrilling win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. The win, Miami’s second in the AFC East this season, came after a convincing victory the opener over New England and Tua Tagovailoa’s six touchdown effort in a comeback win the next week at Baltimore.
There was plenty of concern that the first four games of the season would be the toughest for a Miami team breaking in a first-year head coach in Mike McDaniel. Now, he’s taking the Dolphins into a spot where they have entered the conversation as an early contender to play in Super Bowl LVII.
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The ‘Canes? Well, they go into a bye week off what some may call the worst loss in program history. First year head coach Mario Cristobal watched what was once ‘The U’ give up the most points to a non-Power Five program since 1944 in a 45-31 loss to…Middle Tennessee State.
That’s right - Miami became the first ranked team the Blue Raiders have beaten in the history of its program, which dates back to the 1911 season. This loss was worse than a 1979 setback to Division 1-AA member FAMU and even the loss in 2019 to crosstown rival FIU - heck, at least the Rattlers were the defending champs at that level and the Panthers ended up going to a bowl game that season.
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If you had said that the tenant who resides at Hard Rock Stadium and was unbeaten would be the ones in aqua and orange, there aren’t many people who would’ve believed you. Alas, the Dolphins look like the real deal even with plenty of the season left to play.
As for the Hurricanes, they aren’t out of the conversation for the ACC Coastal since they haven’t played a single conference game yet. Still, after a loss to a team from Conference USA, one has to wonder if teams like North Carolina, Virginia and rival Florida State are really afraid of the ‘Canes at this point.
Can it all fall apart? Of course it can. The Dolphins lost games last season against both Jacksonville and Atlanta so they can disappoint their fans just as much as any team. UM defeated two teams who were ranked last season, so they have a chance to do that again with three ranked teams left on their slate at this point.
But for the moment, it’s a wild and strange world for those teams who call at 347 Don Shula Drive home.
