The Miami Hurricanes hear the hype, but insist that they’re not listening

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — They’re 5-0, ranked No. 2 in the country, are the odds-on favorite to win the Atlantic Coast Conference, have been installed as a two-touchdown favorite to win this weekend and are a popular pick to win the national championship.

The Miami Hurricanes are hearing all that praise.

They also heard different things not too long ago. And they remember, too.

Ignoring the hype — the “rat poison,” as former Alabama coach Nick Saban famously used to call lavish compliments from the outside — is easier than one might think, many Miami players said this week. The reason: many of those lofting the praise now are the same ones who didn’t expect much from Miami coming into the season.

“I’ve been on championship teams, and I’ve been on teams that have been top-five, No. 1 in the country, and it means literally nothing,” said Miami quarterback Carson Beck, who was part of two national title-winning teams at Georgia.

“What I try to communicate and get across to these guys is ‘these same people that are telling you you’re the best and good were telling you that we were going to go 8-4 and we were going to suck before the season. So, you’re going to listen to them now that they’re saying that you’re good?'” Beck said. “That’s the thing that doesn’t really faze me. Bro, just keep playing ball.”

This is the second straight season that Miami has started 5-0, and the eighth time the Hurricanes have gotten off to such a start in the last 25 seasons. The 2001 team — the first one on that list — won the national championship. None of the other teams on the list got that job done.

Translation: a good September and October guarantees nothing.

“We’re not here just to be good in September,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “We’ve got to get better in every way, get better every day, every phase. This team is driven, this coaching staff is driven, and it’s about the work. The outside noise … it stays outside.”

Miami (5-0, 1-0 ACC) plays host to Louisville (4-1, 1-1) on Friday. The Hurricanes are big favorites, even though the Cardinals are allowing a mere 262 yards per game — the stingiest total so far this season among ACC teams.

Hurricanes defensive standout Rueben Bain Jr. is getting a double dose of the outside noise. Not only is he one of Miami’s best players, but he’s even being mentioned as a Heisman Trophy candidate by many onlookers.

“Honestly, I really don’t care about it. I’m just here to play football,” Bain said. “At the end of the day, I feel like everything’s a fluke. … I’m just trying to play football and help my team win. I mean, sometimes it can get to you, but I just look back on it and I just kind of say eff it to all of it. I just play football. The big picture is for us to really win.”

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