Week 1 of the 2023 college football season will feature a matchup between the Miami Hurricanes and the Miami University (Ohio) RedHawks. While the Hurricanes are more well-known nationally, fifth-year RedHawks quarterback Brett Gabbert is not shying away from the challenge. When asked about the location of the “real Miami,” Gabbert confidently responded, “Oxford, Ohio. I think we’ll prove it during our season opener on Sept. 1.”
Miami (Ohio) has earned a reputation as the “Cradle of Coaches,” but Miami (Florida) has achieved greater success on the football field. The Hurricanes have won five national championships, with the most recent one in 2001, and have a perfect 3-0 record against the RedHawks in their previous meetings.
However, the Hurricanes have experienced some difficult times in recent years. Once considered one of the elite teams in college football, Miami has only reached double-digit wins once since 2003. In Mario Cristobal’s first season as coach, the Hurricanes finished with a 5-7 record, including a surprising 45-31 home loss to Middle Tennessee as a 26-point favorite.
Despite being 16.5-point underdogs, Gabbert and the RedHawks are determined to secure their first win in the series. Gabbert, who has started 30 games for Miami (Ohio), missed part of last season due to a non-throwing shoulder injury.
