Podcast: It’s FSU time! How Miami became ‘Transfer U’ and regained control of rivalry
It’s stranger than ever, but it’s here: The Miami Hurricanes are hosting the Florida Seminoles on Saturday in a mostly empty Hard Rock Stadium.
One of the best rivalries in college football is back in the COVID-19 era, which means sparse crowds, no students in the stands and coach Mike Norvell absent from Florida State’s sideline after he tested positive for the coronavirus last week. David Wilson and Susan Miller Degnan, the Miami Herald’s Hurricanes beat writer, are here to break down the unusual meeting on the latest episode of the Eye on the U podcast.
Miami (2-0, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) is trying to make it four wins in a row against the Seminoles (0-1, 0-1) and this rivalry, so often defined by winning streaks, has clearly tilted back in the Hurricanes’ favor. No. 12 Miami heads into the weekend as a massive favorite against its in-state rival and Florida State will be without its coach. Both programs have endured so much turmoil in recent years, and the Hurricanes have a chance to make another statement against the Seminoles in Miami Gardens.
The Seminoles are still trying to find their footing following the departure of former coach Jimbo Fisher in 2017, and the Hurricanes, after back-to-back mediocre seasons, have seemingly found theirs in 2020 behind star quarterback D’Eriq King and a slew of high-profile transfers.
King is making an early season Heisman Trophy case. Defensive linemen Quincy Roche and Jaelan Phillips look like potential early round picks in the 2021 NFL Draft. Offensive lineman Jarrid Williams has stabilized a previously shaky unit. Safety Bubba Bolden leads the team in tackles. Miami has even finally found a kicker by reaching through the transfer portal: Jose Borregales has arguably been the best in the nation so far this year.
King’s the most important player in the group, but who’s No. 2 and how does the rest of the list shake out?
We also now have a two-game sample size to look at offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee’s new spread system. What did we learn from the Hurricanes’ 47-34 win against the then-No. 18 Louisville Cardinals on Saturday that we didn’t see against the UAB Blazers in on Sept. 10? How about a dynamic, efficient passing attack?
The first two weeks of the 2020 season have felt different for Miami. Florida State week is always another milestone, though.
This story was originally published September 25, 2020 at 8:00 AM.
