No. 7 Miami begins its pursuit of another College Football Playoff run Friday night with a cross-country trip to Stanford Stadium.
Kickoff is scheduled for 9 PM ET on ESPN, and the Hurricanes enter as more than three-touchdown favorites against a Stanford team that already has one game under its belt.
The Cardinal opened with a 37-27 win over Hawaii, but Stanford trailed late before scoring twice in the final two minutes, including a defensive touchdown, to turn a chaotic finish into a 10-point victory.
Miami presents an entirely different challenge.
Mario Cristobal returns one of the nation's most talented rosters, adds proven quarterback Darian Mensah and should have substantial advantages on both lines of scrimmage.
Miami vs. Stanford betting picks and predictions
Miami -24.5 (-105)
Stanford deserves credit for starting 1-0, but nothing about its Week 0 performance makes me eager to back the Cardinal against a legitimate national championship contender.
Hawaii moved the football effectively through the air and finished with nearly 270 passing yards. Stanford also needed a remarkable late sequence to create separation after surrendering 20 unanswered fourth-quarter points.
Mensah arrives after throwing for 3,973 yards and 34 touchdowns against only six interceptions at Duke last season. He also reunites with former Duke receiver Cooper Barkate and joins a unit that already features Malachi Toney and a powerful rushing attack.
The Hurricanes don't need to completely open the playbook to dominate this matchup.
That matters because Miami has little incentive to reveal much strategically with Florida A&M up next. Cristobal can keep things relatively straightforward, control the trenches and still build a substantial lead through superior personnel.
Defensively, Miami should create an enormous step up in difficulty for Stanford quarterback Davis Warren.
Warren threw for 310 yards against Hawaii, but the Hurricanes allowed only 14.8 points per game last season and again project as one of the country's better defensive units despite losing several NFL-caliber pieces.
Miami beat the Cardinal 42-7 last season, and while personnel has changed on both sides, the overall talent gap remains significant.
The line has already moved upward from its opener, but I am still willing to lay 24.5. Miami should have the opportunity to take control early and turn Friday into a comfortable road win.
Under 48.5 (-115)
This total may look low considering Miami's offensive talent, but the game script points toward the Under.
Against the Hurricanes last season, Stanford managed only seven points.
Miami's defense lost star pass rusher Reuben Bain Jr. and several other contributors, but there is still considerable talent across the unit. This is not a rebuilding group.
The Hurricanes can also dictate tempo with their rushing attack.
Once Miami gets ahead, Cristobal has little reason to ask Mensah to spend four quarters throwing the ball all over the field. Stanford already has live-game film available, while Miami will want to keep as much as possible off tape for future ACC opponents.
Stanford did defend the run well against Hawaii, limiting the Rainbow Warriors to 46 rushing yards on 22 carries.
Miami's offensive line is bigger and more talented, and Mark Fletcher Jr. is one of the most proven backs in the country.
If the Hurricanes can repeatedly stay ahead of the chains, the clock should keep moving while Stanford's offensive possessions become increasingly limited.
Miami can cover this spread without threatening 50 points itself.
Mark Fletcher Jr. 80+ Rushing Yards (-110)
Fletcher is my favorite prop because Miami should be able to build its offense around him without exposing much of its passing-game plan.
The senior rushed for 1,192 yards and 12 touchdowns on 216 carries last season,and he also consistently cleared this type of number.
Fletcher rushed for at least 80 yards nine times last season and produced some of his best performances when the games mattered most. He topped 90 rushing yards in each of Miami's final four games, including all three College Football Playoff contests.
Fletcher ran 23 times for 106 yards against Stanford in last year's 42-7 victory.
Fletcher gives Cristobal exactly what he needs Friday: a reliable veteran who can punish Stanford between the tackles, keep the offense on schedule and help Miami win without asking Mensah to show everything in his first start with the Hurricanes.
At his 2025 average of 5.5 yards per carry, 15 productive attempts would put him right around this number.
Read more college football picks and predictions on site.
Read the latest College Sports news on site.
This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.
