Four Miami Players to Know Ahead of the Cheez-It Bowl

Mike Gundy and the Cowboys will have their hands full in the Cheez-It Bowl facing a star-studded Miami team that went 8-2 and finished third in the ACC behind only Clemson and Notre Dame.

The Hurricanes are loaded at virtually every position on both sides of the ball, with some familiar names for fans. Fortunately for Oklahoma State, their best defensive player, Jaelen Phillips, has opted out and is instead training for the NFL Draft. But there are impactful talents elsewhere on the field that could make the bowl game a special challenge.

Here are four must-know names ahead of the bowl for OSU fans to have on their radar. Consider this your cheat sheet for who to actively root against because if these players do well, OSU may have a long day at the office.

1. D’Eriq King | Quarterback

Folks around these parts might remember King as the former Houston star. He transferred to Miami for his final season of eligibility and had one of his best seasons yet. King is a dual-threat quarterback whose mobility and athleticism cause real problems for defenses, and that combination has posed a threat for OSU in the past. He rushed for 520 yards and four scores and threw for 2,570 yards and 22 scores this season.

2. Bubba Bolden | Safety

It’s been many moons ago, but at one time, Bolden, a Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) native, was on Oklahoma State’s recruiting radar — he even visited Stillwater and was said to be considering OSU before committing to USC. Bolden, however, transferred to Miami after his freshman season with the Trojans. Now he’s the star of Miami’s secondary and coming off a career season in which he logged 65 tackles, one INT, one sack and four forced fumbles. He moves all over Miami’s secondary a la Tre Sterling and has the speed and skills to get after the quarterback and also to act as the final line of defense on the back end.

3. Mike Harley | Receiver

A diminutive pass-catcher with a big game, Harley, a senior, is Miami’s leading receiver this season in receptions, yards and scores. He’s an explosive threat whose average depth of reception is 14.9 yards — not quite in the realm of Tylan Wallace or James Washington but enough to be considered a home run threat. Against Duke earlier this month, he caught just two passes but turned it into 105 yards receiving and a touchdown thanks to an 89-yard TD reception. He’s coming off a six-reception, 77-yard and one-score game against UNC.

4. Brevin Jordan | Tight end

Don’t be surprised if Miami’s leading receiver in this game ends up not being a receiver, but rather, a tight end. Brevin Jordan is an all-around weapon for the Hurricanes, and he’s surging of late, with 215 yards receiving and two scores in his last two games to close the season. He’s coming off a career-high 140-yard outing against North Carolina in a game where he scored from 76 yards out.