For football fans the long six-month wait is finally over. The professional teams have already begun their preseason and given the football-starved fans a taste of the grid iron love. But for those true football fans who watch college as well as the NFL, the Aug. 28 start of the college season can’t arrive soon enough. Diverse Sports has taken the schedules of some of the few college programs that have Black head coaches and analyzed what will be their most important games of the season.
Head Coach
Randy Shannon - University of Miami – ACC
*Sept. 6 at University of Florida
Two words put it best, “The Swamp” is what Florida fans call their home stadium, and it’s one of the hardest places to win in college football. Not only will this game get national attention, given the fact that Florida is currently ranked 5th, according to a USA Today preseason poll, it will also have a huge impact on recruiting since UM and UF recruit the same high school players.
*Oct. 4 vs. Florida State University
This game is a “must win” for UM. If the Hurricanes are going to have a chance to win the ACC Championship they have to get a win against FSU. They will be looking for the same success they had last year in Tallahassee, Fla. Plus FSU is UM’s biggest recruiting rival.
*Nov. 13 vs. Virginia Tech
If Miami is fortunate enough to be in the National Championship picture at this point in the season, then this will be their biggest game of the season. Virginia Tech is ranked 15th in the USA Today preseason poll and might present UM with their toughest game of the season.
Head Coach
Slyvester Croom – Mississippi State University – SEC
*Sept. 13 at Auburn University
When you play in the Southeastern Conference, every game is a big game. Auburn is ranked 11th in the USA Today preseason poll and fully expects to make a run at the national championship and get some payback for MSU’s win last year in Auburn. If MSU can get the win at home in Starkville, it will probably get them ranked in the Top 25.
