It was sort of a throwaway moment with the media earlier this week, but it really serves as a solid parting shot going into Florida State weekend.
Second-year Miami head coach Al Golden, when discussing the fact the Hurricanes have lost five of the last seven to the Seminoles, pointed out that all involved with this program should be harboring some anger regarding the gap between the two programs.
“We should be mad that they’re up there right now,” Golden said.
“And if you look at the way this rivalry has gone, it’s up to the other school to respond. They’re ahead of us right now. I recognize that. I hope we all recognize that, but now it’s our job to respond, whatever that means for the entire organization starting with me. Obviously we have an opportunity to do that Saturday night.”
An ‘opportunity’ is all anyone hopes for and the Canes will get that shot on Saturday night.
Is Florida State the better team right now? Yes. Does that mean Miami should pack it in – simply because outsiders, media members and bookies see this one as a landslide loss? Hell no.
It’s UM and FSU going toe-to-toe. The game is in Miami, where the Canes haven’t won, since pulling out a 16-10 overtime thriller in 2004.
For a lot of UM players, their final shot to make things right. Miami hasn’t beaten Florida State since the 2009 season – when the highly-touted Northwestern bunch were sophomores. It’s 2012 and just about all of those kids have moved on, as has any stranglehold the Canes used to have on this rivalry. (Between 2000 and 2004, UM won six straight against FSU.)
Golden said it — it’s Miami’s job to respond. He wants his players to be angry about that and come Saturday night, to do something about it.