It's been since 2010 since the last time Miami beat the Clemson Tigers. The last time the Hurricanes beat the Tigers in Miami - 1956. To say that Clemson has Miami's number might be the year's biggest understatement. Miami will try to avoid a fifth straight loss to Clemson.

The two teams haven't played annually since Miami joined the ACC in 2004, but each matchup with Clemson in recent years hasn't been close. In the last four matchups, the Tigers have defeated the Hurricanes by a combined score of 178-30.

Despite the wide margins of victory for Clemson in the last few games against Miami, the two teams are the closest they've been on paper in a decade. Both teams will enter Saturday night's matchup at 4-2 with two losses in the conference. The loser in this game will ultimately have no chance of reaching the ACC championship game this season.

Miami has lost the turnover battle in back-to-back games, ultimately resulting in back-to-back losses. Miami had five turnovers against Georgia Tech (three interceptions, two fumbles) but caused two of its own.

Against North Carolina, Miami lost the football four times (two fumbles, two interceptions), and the Hurricane defense failed to get any turnovers on the Tar Heels.

The Hurricanes won the turnover battle 7-3 in Miami's four wins.

"When I say that it's an area of emphasis, it might be the understatement of the year," Head Coach Mario Cristobal said about ball security. "We gotten the results early in the year that we wanted, we haven't in the last few, and all focus on working on it and getting it better.”

Clemson is +1 in turnover margin (49th), while Miami is -3 (100th). Clemson gets most of its turnovers via fumble recovery (6-of-11). Miami has turned the ball over of its opponents primarily via interception (6-of-9).

Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke has locked-in on his favorite receiver Xavier Restrepo this season. Restrepo leads the team in receptions (47), yards (574), and yards per game (95.7).

The roommates are definitely clicking, but if Miami wants to improve its third-down percentage of 46, "TVD" has to find other players to target on the money down.

Jacolby George (15.9), Colbie Young (13.8), Brashard Smith (20.2), Isaiah Horton (18.2), Cam McCormick (14), and Riley Williams (20) are all averaging more than Restrepo (12.2) per reception. It's time that other players get the football more consistently.

"I think the ball finds you when you're open, and the ball finds you when you're making plays, and the ball finds you when the quarterback's comfortable with you," Offensive Coordinator Shannon Dawson said. "I'm not sitting here calling a play, thinking, okay, I'm calling this play because I want Tyle Van Dyke to throw it to Xavier Restrepo. That never happens. Now is the first read on some plays, yes. Now, it has a lot to do with what the defense does, so if I have a play called, and he's the first read, and he's open, he gets it. If he's not open, then number two gets it, right? Then, number three, and so forth. But there are people that we want to put in position to get balls, obviously, but ultimately, the ball finds you when you're doing stuff right. That's really true."

Also, Tight End Elijah Arroyo, is healthy, according to Head Coach Mario Cristobal, and should see his first touches in this game. Arroyo recovered from a season-ending knee injury last season.

"He's 100% healthy, and excited, and fired up. And so, you'll be seeing a lot more Elijah Arroyo, and he looks as good as what he looked like before his injury.”

Clemson comes to Miami with the 30th-ranked rushing offense, at 188.2 yards per game. The Tiger attack is led by Will Shipley 450 and Phil Mafah 341, who combine for 791 rushing yards this season. The combo would be good for fourth in the nation.

Miami is ranked 9th in the country in rushing yards allowed per game at 87.7 but had its worst showing last week against UNC. Carolina rushed for 273 yards on the ground, including 197 from Omarion Hampton alone.

"We got tired. If you looked at it, we busted a couple of gaps, and we just missed tackles. " Defensive Coordinator Lance Guidry said. "Once they started tempoing us, and we didn't get off the field like we needed to, they kind of took over. And they kind of took over because now arm tackles don't get big backs down. You got to make sure you fit the gaps. So this week will be the same thing. They'll try to do what North Carolina did. They've had two weeks to prepare for us, so we got to do a good job of changing up some things so that for two weeks, what they've been working on, they may not see."

Miami allowed 11 rushing plays of ten yards or more against Carolina, which cannot happen against Clemson if Miami wants to get its first conference win of the season.

Of the 11 big runs given up by the Hurricanes last week, three were big first-down runs by quarterback Drake Maye. Those plays can be back-breakers for a defense, and Miami will have its hands full with another mobile quarterback in Cade Klubnik.

Klubnik has shown the ability to escape the pocket and run for first downs. Miami must balance getting pressure on the Clemson QB and keeping him from breaking away for big runs. Klubnik is the third leading rusher on the team and has a long of 17 yards this season.

"He's fast, he may be the fastest quarterback we've played," Guidry said. "That catches your attention."

The Tiger QB has been sacked nine times this season, and in Clemson's two losses, he's been sacked five times. In four wins, Klubnik was sacked four times.

Miami has 17 sacks on the year and had its best outing of the season against UNC with five. The Hurricanes rank 9th in the country for creating pressure with an 82 grade.

What's plagues Miami is mistakes this season. Besides the abovementioned turnover problem, it's penalties and undisciplined plays in the secondary that have hurt the Hurricanes.

Miami is averaging 7.17 penalties per contest, ranking 109th in the nation. Against North Carolina, Miami had three unsportsmanlike penalties, including one by defensive coordinator Lance Guidry that led to a score.

Risky plays in the secondary, including Jaden Davis's attempt to bat the ball away in last week's loss to UNC and Kamren Kinchens' aggressiveness on the final offensive play from Tech, put games to bed. Miami can't afford to take those types of risks, or they may be on the losing side for the third straight week.

"We have to focus on being really good at our routine plays," Cristobal said. "Because our issues and our foul-ups on routine plays have hurt us."

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