Florida State will have a chance to make a statement on Saturday as the Seminoles travel south looking to win for an 11th time in 14 tries against rival Miami and an eighth straight time on the road.
The Hurricanes were able to snap a 7-game losing streak to FSU last season with a late touchdown pass from Malik Rosier to Darrell Langham with just seconds on the clock. Miami hasn’t won consecutive games over Florida State since winning six straight from 2000-04.
The Match-Up
Who: Florida State Seminoles (3-2, 1-2 ACC) at No. 17 Miami Hurricanes (4-1, 1-0 ACC)
Where: Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida
When: 3:30 p.m. EST
Network: ABC
Spread: Miami -14*
Last Week: Florida State defeated Louisville, 28-24; Miami handled North Carolina, 47-10.
Key Players
For Florida State
Deondre Francois, QB (R-Jr.): 62.9% completions, 1,377 yards passing, 9 TD, 5 INT, 2 rush TD
Brian Burns, DE (Jr.): 19 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 5 sacks
Kyle Meyers, CB (Jr.): 20 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 sacks, 2 INT, FF
For Miami
Jeff Thomas, WR (So.): 13 catches, 320 yards receiving, 24.6 yards per catch, 2 TD catches
Shaquille Quarterman, LB (Jr.): 27 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 3 sacks, FF
Gerald Willis, DT (R-Sr.): 23 tackles, 10.5 TFL, 2 sacks
Series History
All-Time Series: Miami leads 32-30
Last Meeting: Miami won in Tallahassee, 24-20 (Oct. 7, 2017)
Last Meeting in Miami: Florida State won 20-19 (Oct. 8, 2016)
First Meeting: Miami won at home, 35-13 (Oct. 5, 1951)
Notable Contests
The contest that arguably put the Florida State-Miami rivalry on the national stage was the 1987 contest in Tallahassee in which Miami prevailed, 26-25. FSU raced to a 19-3, but the Hurricanes answered with 23 unanswered points. With less than a minute to play, FSU quarterback Danny McManus found Ronald Lewis for an 18-yard touchdown, but McManus’ pass for tight end Pat Carter on the 2-point attempt was knocked away. The teams went on to finish No. 1 and No. 2 with the Hurricanes claiming the national title.
Missed kicks have played a large role in the series over the last 30 years. FSU fell to the Hurricanes on last-second misses in 1991, 1992, 2000 and 2002. Recently, special teams miscues have gone the way of the Seminoles. FSU snapped a 6-game losing streak to Miami after the Hurricanes muffed a snap on a tying field goal attempt in 2005. Two years ago, Florida State preserved a 20-19 victory by blocking an extra point with 1:38 to play.
The 1993 match-up in Tallahassee featured No. 1 Florida State and third-ranked Miami. The Seminoles raced to a 21-7 halftime lead thanks to a Charlie Ward touchdown run and a long touchdown pass to Matt Frier. Sean Jackson, a senior running back, also galloped 69 yards for a tocudhdown. Safety Devin Bush iced the 28-10 victory with a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown. That win snapped a 3-game losing streak to the Hurricanes.
What’s at Stake
For Florida State: Florida State will look to get to .500 in ACC play and move to within two wins of becoming bowl-eligible. FSU is also looking to avoid losing consecutive games to Miami for the first time since dropping six straight from 2000-04.
For Miami: Miami looks to remain undefeated both in the ACC and at home. The Hurricanes will also aim to win their first home contest over rival FSU since the 2004 opener.
Fun Fact
Miami comes in as a 2-touchdown favorite, but the Hurricanes haven’t beat FSU by more than one score since winning in Tallahassee in 2001 by a 49-27 score.
*According to Bovada
Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson
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