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UM at Pitt: Matchups to Watch

UM at Pitt: Matchups to Watch

By David Villavicencio
HurricaneSports.com
 
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Miami Hurricanes are headed to the 2017 ACC Championship Game, but the Canes have their focus on closing the 2017 regular season strong this Friday against Pittsburgh.
 
The No. 2 Hurricanes (10-0, 7-0 ACC) will face off against the Pitt Panthers (4-7, 2-5 ACC) at Heinz Field on Friday at noon. A victory over Pitt would give Miami its seventh undefeated regular season since 1979 and first since 2002. The Hurricanes are one of four remaining unbeaten teams at the FBS level.
 
Miami leads the all-time series with Pitt, 25-10-1, and has won 11 of the last 12 head-to-head matchups dating back to 1998. The Canes are 3-1 against the Panthers since Pitt joined the ACC prior to the 2013 season. Miami has won four consecutive games against the Panthers in Pittsburgh.
 
Here are three matchups to watch in Friday’s game.
 
Miami running back Travis Homer vs. Pitt linebacker Oluwaseun Idowu
 
Travis Homer continues to impress since taking over as Miami’s feature back following an injury to All-ACC back Mark Walton. The sophomore has amassed 849 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns while adding 217 receiving yards and a score through the air. In his six games as Miami’s top running back, Homer has five performances of 95+ rushing yards, including a career-high 170-yard game against Georgia Tech, and has five total touchdowns. Homer is second in the ACC with 6.53 yards per carry and is third among running backs in the ACC in rushing yards and ranks seventh in the ACC in all-purpose yards per game (106.60).
 
Oluwaseun Idowu is a player to watch Friday, as the redshirt junior is Pitt’s leading tackler and a prime candidate to try and slow Homer and the Hurricanes’ rushing attack. Idowu’s 86 total tackles rank 12th in the ACC, but his biggest impact comes behind the line of scrimmage. The veteran linebacker leads the team with 11.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks, while also forcing a fumble and recovering a fumble in 2017. Idowu is coming off a 12-tackle performance against Virginia Tech and will look to have another big game against the Hurricanes.
 
Miami’s kickoff and punt coverage teams vs. Pitt returner Quadree Henderson
 
The Hurricanes will face one of the most dangerous returners in the country Friday, as Pitt’s Quadree Henderson is an explosive athlete that can make big plays in a variety of ways. While Henderson can make explosive plays as a wide receiver or on speed sweeps, his ability to be a weapon in the return game is the main focus of this matchup.
 
Henderson ranks 12th in the ACC in all-purpose yards (100.36) and is fifth in the conference with 726 kickoff return yards. The junior has returned two punts for touchdowns this season, ranking second nationally and first in the ACC, while he is averaging 12.9 yards per punt return in 2017. Henderson has done damage in the return game against the Canes before, returning a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown in last season’s 51-28 Miami victory.
 
Miami kicker Michael Badgley is going to play an important role in neutralizing Henderson on kickoffs. The senior kicker has 30 touchbacks on the season in 63 attempts. Look for Badgley to kick it deep to limit Henderson’s return attempts, while the Canes’ coverage unit will look to bring the explosive returner down before he can get loose.
 
Miami’s wide receivers vs. Pitt cornerback Avonte Maddox
 
The Hurricanes have a deep and talented wide receiving corps, led by senior Braxton Berrios and sophomore Ahmmon Richards. Berrios has been outstanding for the Canes, scoring a team-best eight receiving touchdowns that rank second in the ACC. Richards, who was a Freshman All-American a year ago, uses his combination of size and speed to be a home run threat any time the ball is thrown his way. He ranks fifth in the ACC in yards per catch (18.7), right behind teammate Darrell Langham (19.0). Six different Miami receivers have caught a touchdown in 2017, giving quarterback Malik Rosier plenty of options through the air.
 
Avonte Maddox is Pitt’s top corner and he will look to limit whatever receiver he lines up across on Friday. Maddox has nine pass breakups and two interceptions on the season, while totaling 23 tackles on the year. The 5-foot-9 corner has picked off five balls and broken up 29 passes in his career.
 
Kickoff against the Panthers is set for noon from Heinz Field. The game will be broadcast on ABC.