Sean Spence and the Hurricanes will open their 2010 season at home against FAMU.

The University of Miami football team opens its 2010 season tonight against in-state foe Florida A&M at Sun Life Stadium. The Hurricanes enter the season ranked No. 13 in both the Associated Press and the USA Today Coaches polls.

Head Coach Randy Shannon has improved the ’Canes by two wins in each of his first three seasons, improving a 5-7 team in 2007 to 7-6 in 2008 and 9-4 a season ago.

Junior quarterback Jacory Harris is back for his second season as Miami’s full-time starting quarterback. Last year as a sophomore, Harris threw for 3,352 yards, the fourth-highest yardage total in school history. Harris threw for more than 200 yards in ten games last season, reaching the 300-yard mark against Florida State, Wake Forest, North Carolina, and Duke.

The offense as a whole is coming off one of its more impressive seasons in UM history, tallying 5,199 total yards. The 2009 Miami Hurricanes also recorded the most first downs by passing in school history (169), the second-most first downs overall in school history (275), and the fourth-most total plays (879).

Defensively, UM returns a number of key players from a unit that ranked 29th nationally in total defense a season ago. Junior All-America cornerback Brandon Harris is the top player in the secondary. Senior linebacker Colin McCarthy is the team’s leading returning tackler, while senior defensive end Allen Bailey anchors the defensive line.

Miami’s special teams are again expected to be one of the strengths of the team, with All-Atlantic Coast Conference punter/kicker Matt Bosher back for his senior season. He connected on 14 of 16 field goals in 2009 and ended the season making 12 in a row, which is the second-best streak in school history. He also has made 90 consecutive extra-point attempts, third best in Miami history. He enters the 2010 season as the most accurate kicker in the nation, having connected on 32 of 36 field goals attempts.

The majority of Miami’s offensive skill players return, including wide receivers Leonard Hankerson and Travis Benjamin, as well as running backs Graig Cooper and Damien Berry. Hankerson is back after a breakout year in 2009 when, as a junior, he recorded 801 receiving yards.

A number of newcomers are expected to contribute this year for Miami, with junior tight end Chase Ford, freshman linebacker Kelvin Cain, and freshman defensive back Kacy Rodgers among those who could see action early on.

Game 1 Information:
Date: Thursday, September 2
Location: Sun Life Stadium (natural grass, stadium capacity 74,916) in Miami Gardens, Florida
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. (ET)
Webcast: ESPN3.COM
Tape Delay Telecast: CSS
Local Radio: 560 WQAM, 1450 ESPN Deportes. Fans can also listen online at www.wqam.com.