College GameDay analysts make picks for Miami-Alabama game - 247Sports

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The 14th-ranked Miami Hurricanes are 19 ½-point underdogs against No. 1 Alabama on Saturday (3:30 p.m., ABC).

So it is no surprise the analysts from ESPN’s College GameDay picked Alabama while in Charlotte, N.C. for the Clemson-Georgia game.

“I so bad want to pick Miami,” Desmond Howard said. “I do think their defense will rise to the occasion, but it is so hard to go against Alabama because they’ll find a way. Closer than the experts think, but I’m going Roll Tide.”

Kirk Herbstreit said: “Des, I think you’re right. A half competitive and second half, ‘Bama pulls away.”

While the experts picked Miami to win, celebrity guest picker Kane Brown, a country singer and Georgia fan, picked Miami.

“I feel you have to go with Alabama, but I need them to lose so I’m going with Miami,” Brown said.

“That takes a lot of nerve,” Lee Corso responded to Brown’s pick. “Alabama.”

The analysts discussed the game throughout the show with more in-depth opinions.

“I think D'Eriq King is a very capable quarterback and they’ve got skill,” Herbstreit said. “The issue is I’ve never seen an 8-1 team last year play another 8-1 team and give up 778 yards, 554 on the ground, and that’s not scheme. That’s heart. That’s competing. What does Miami have to do today? Compete on defense, don’t be intimated when you look on the other side of the 50 when Alabama is warming up. I want to see if Miami on defense can compete today. That was embarrassing.”

Howard also noted Miami’s defensive struggles a year ago.

“The last time we saw Miami was against UNC and that defense was horrendous,” Howard said. “And since then the head coach, Manny Diaz, said the heck with this. I’m going to coach the defense so now Manny’s the defensive coordinator once again and safety Bubba Bolden said that you can tell the change already—players are more serious, there’s no giggling and laughing going on and people know where they’re supposed to be. Manny is all about aggressive, attack, knowing your assignments and make sure you get to the ball. If they’re going to pull off an upset there’s a lot of talk about D'Eriq King coming back, but their defense is going to have to rise to the occasion against Alabama.”

Miami will be looking to make Bryce Young uncomfortable in his first start at quarterback.

“When they compete and go against a young quarterback in Bryce Young, Nick Saban has a really good idea of what Manny Diaz is going to show him,” host Rece Davis said. “‘They’re very aggressive in the way they play,” Saban said. ‘A lot of corner cats, they play a lot of clamp coverage.’ They will see it. Will it be effective? How well will Alabama attack it?”

Miami’s offense will also be key with King leading the way.

“If you’re going to beat Alabama you need a mobile, dual-threat quarterback, that’s what D'Eriq King is, but you also have to bring the ability to hit the deep plays,” Howard said. “I’m not sure if D’Eriq King is going to be able to do that today. If he can hit some deep balls, that’s going to help that offense tremendously. They also get Charleston Rambo, a transfer from Oklahoma who has played in a lot of big games and is a deep threat. Watch out for Rambo, he may make a difference in this game.”

Miami was picked to finish second in the ACC Coastal Division behind No. 10 North Carolina, which dropped its opener on Friday to Virginia Tech.

“Miami has a chance to be a factor in the ACC race because of their defense, if they play pressure defense,” Corso said. “Now the last four years their third in the nation in turnover margin. Not bad. They force turnovers. Now Manny Diaz is in charge of the defense, a great move.”

Meanwhile, FOX Sports analyst Bob Stoops predicted a 28-point win for Alabama as part of their show’s Super 6 picks.

Miami is looking for its first win over a No. 1-ranked team since 2002 and its first win over Alabama since 1990.

Christopher Stock has covered the Miami Hurricanes since 2003 and can be reached by e-mail at stock@insidetheu.com and on Twitter @InsideTheU.

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