The Miami Hurricanes and Florida State Seminoles will collide this weekend in Tallahassee, with much on the line. One of the greatest college football rivalries of the 1980’s and 1990’s, Miami owned the first half of the past decade, while Florida State has been the better program the last few seasons.
With both squads undefeated for the first time since 2003, this Sunshine State match-up is precisely what the ACC was aiming for when inviting UM to join the conference back in 2004. With the Hurricanes atop the Coastal and the Seminoles leading the Atlantic, Saturday’s game could be a precursor to things to come as both squads are on track for a rematch in the ACC Championship game on December 7.
Miami (7-0) recently earned a third-straight comeback win, having defeated Wake Forest, 24-21 this past weekend. Down 14-3 in the first quarter, the Hurricanes made some adjustments and took over late. Running back Duke Johnson carried the load and punched in two fourth quarter touchdowns—including the game-winner with :53 remaining.
Florida State (7-0) is coming off a dominating performance of North Carolina State. The Seminoles led 35-0 after one quarter and cruised to a 49-17 victory one week after throttling then-No. 3 Clemson, 51-14 at Memorial Stadium.
Miami has its work cut out against Florida State. A recent pattern of slow starts and late comebacks was manageable against lesser ACC opponents, but will make for a long night against the Seminoles. The Hurricanes also have to protect the football, as Miami had eight turnovers in a two-game span (Georgia Tech, North Carolina).
UM leads the all-time series 31-26 over FSU. The Seminoles have taken three straight, but the Hurricanes have won the last four meetings when both squads were ranked in the Top 10. Saturday’s game looks to be another epic chapter in this storied rivalry.
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Place: Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
TV: ABC/WatchESPN
Radio: WQAM 560 (Miami) – WBOB 1320 (Florida State)
Spread: Florida State -21.5 (Golden Nugget, Caesars, Mirage)
Click here for team breakdowns, players to watch, a UM/FSU history and game prediction.