Hurricanes prepare to face Bethune-Cookman

Wide reciever Tommy Streeter, junior, evades a player from Bethune Cookman while running towards the inzone for his second touchdown of the night. Zach Beeker//The Miami Hurricane

When a traditional college football powerhouse goes up against a minnow from the FCS, fans and the team alike have just one thing on their mind: domination.

The Hurricanes will open its 2015 campaign against one of those minnows from the FCS, Bethune-Cookman. While there could always be an upset, like when Appalachian State shockingly beat Michigan in 2007, it’s safe to say the Canes should take this opener quite comfortably.

If the 83-24 aggregate score of the two previous games in this series is any indication, there is no doubt the Canes will put up points. The margin of victory or number of points scored isn’t what Miami fans should be looking for, though.

Executing in all three phases of the game, eliminating sloppy penalties and turnovers and staying healthy are what the Canes really want out of this season opener.

“We just got to do our thing,” Head Coach Al Golden said when asked about what he told his team this week. “We want to be consistent, worry about us and play at a high level.”

Sure, with just pure athleticism and raw talent the Canes could win this game easily, but what good will that do for them going forward?

We want to see progression from sophomore quarterback Brad Kaaya and a front-runner to emerge from the running back battle that now exists.

We want to see senior linebacker Raphael Kirby continue to develop as the leader of the defense with the departure of Denzel Perryman, who’s now playing in the NFL.

The score line will most likely be heavily lopsided toward the Canes come late Saturday night, and while many fans may get caught up in the score, don’t be fooled – the progress and the execution are what really matter.

The Hurricanes face Bethune-Cookman in the season opener 6 p.m. Saturday at Sun Life Stadium.