No national implications, but emotions galore bound to pour out in historic UM-FSU rivalry
Streaks have vanished, playoff dreams are gone and two unranked teams with a combined eight national championships are battling for bowl eligibility. But when Miami and Florida State meet, fireworks usually follow.
In a game with no national implications that nonetheless will be nationally televised (ABC) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday from Hard Rock Stadium, the Miami-Florida State showdown still means plenty to the Hurricanes and Seminoles.
The winners of this intense, trash-talking battle between historically gifted programs with players that grew up together, will have more than just a precious year of bragging. A victory for Florida State (5-3, 3-3 Atlantic Coast Conference), which finished 5-7 last season, would clinch bowl eligibility.
A Miami victory would give the Hurricanes (4-4, 2-2) a much better shot at attaining the six wins necessary to qualify for the postseason, with three regular-season games remaining after Saturday — one of them on the road against undefeated and fourth-ranked Clemson.
As of Thursday, the Seminoles were 7 1/2-point favorites. UM leads the series, which began in 1951, 35-31.
The sheer joy of annual supremacy in this rivalry, which for Miami will be during homecoming weekend and should finally produce a packed crowd, is one not soon forgotten. UM cornerback Tyrique Stephenson is a fourth-year junior who grew up in Miami, graduated from Southridge High and played his first two seasons at Georgia. Now, he finally gets to play at home in the rivalry his family always relished.
“I never was able to catch a game in person but I always tuned in on TV,’’ Stephenson said. “My family are big Miami fans, and once those games come on, everybody comes over as if it is a holiday and celebrates. It means a lot to be a part of this tradition, to have the opportunity to show the world what I got in a game like this.”
Date circled
Miami coach Mario Cristobal, who reveled in the Canes-Seminoles rivalry when he played for UM and won national titles in 1989 and 1991, said that’s all he “ever thought about in the offseason.’’
“It was always a date that was circled on the calendar by everybody — the state of Florida, nationally,’’ Cristobal said. “Because it just so happened the national title for many years went through Tallahassee or Coral Gables. So the memories of that,’’ he added, pausing. “But that’s then, this is now. Obviously we’re in a building stage, so I don’t want to get stuck in nostalgia theater with the players, and make sure everything is focused on the 2022 team.’’
FSU coach Mike Norvell, who missed his first UM-FSU game as head coach when he was diagnosed with COVID-19, spoke of “the greatest level of passion and the energy [surrounding] it.”
“Emotions are a wonderful thing,’’ Norvell said. “And when you pour everything you have into an opportunity... the expectation is to be your best. You know that people are going to talk about this game for 365 days a year once it ends. You want to make sure you put your best foot forward, and that usually can make crazy things happen.
“Every [game] is so very important, but that’s also why I emphasize this week, because I know it is different. And anybody that says it’s not, they’ve never been a part of it.”
Streaky fun
This is a rivalry made for streaks, as Florida State had won seven consecutive UM-FSU games before Miami made it four in a row from 2017 through 2020. But last year, the Seminoles scored 11 points late in the fourth quarter to win 31-28 and eliminate UM from ACC title-game contention.
Trailing 28-23, FSU took over at its own 20 with 2:19 left, and quarterback Jordan Travis fired a 59-yard completion, and ultimately a mind-boggling 24-yard completion on fourth-and-14 from the UM 25, beating out the UM secondary. Travis eventually scored the 1-yard winning touchdown and sealed the victory with a two-point conversion run.
“We don’t worry about that too much,’’ safety Kamren Kinchens, who was on the field for those critical plays, said Wednesday. “Florida State-Miami kind of holds its own weight. There’s no reason to look back on other games. Each year is to be 1-0 — and that’s what we plan to be.’’
Travis, a 6-1, 212-pound redshirt junior from West Palm Beach, was told by a reporter this week how he’ll be remembered for those heroics at the end of the 2021 UM game.
“It’s awesome, a blessing,’’ he said. “This fan base is amazing, blessed to have them. ...There is a lot of history that goes between these two teams. So happy to be a part of it.”
Quarterback questions
This season, Travis — 146 of 236 for 2,057 yards and 14 touchdowns, with three interceptions — is 31st nationally and second in the ACC in passing yards. He also can motor, rushing 43 times for 215 yards and two touchdowns. He has been sacked seven times.
Florida State is 31st nationally in passing offense (277.5 yards per game), with UM 65th in passing yards allowed (229.5).
The Hurricanes, however, have not announced their starting quarterback for Saturday, as 6-4, 224-pound third-year sophomore starter Tyler Van Dyke was held out of last week’s quadruple-overtime victory at Virginia after sustaining a shoulder injury the previous week against Duke. But UM coach Mario Cristobal said Van Dyke practiced this week and that he was “optimistic” about the situation.
If Van Dyke can’t go, then redshirt freshman Jake Garcia would make his second consecutive start, a daunting challenge.
“Whoever is out there on Saturday we got nothing but full confidence in them and we’re going to roll with it,’’ said UM senior tight end Will Mallory. “But it’s good having Tyler out there to see him back feeling good.’’
While UM tries to get its rushing game bolstered to give whichever quarterback starts for Miami a better chance at staying upright, Florida State should be buoyed by the return of running back Treshaun Ward after missing the past two games with an upper-body injury.
Ward leads FSU with 488 yards and three touchdowns.
Recruiting
Finally, and certainly not to be underestimated, a victory in this game always helps recruiting, which for Miami already was significantly boosted when five-star cornerback Cormani McClain surprised the college football world last week by committing to the Hurricanes instead of the Gators. On Thursday, per 247Sports, UM led the ACC with the eighth-ranked recruiting class for 2023. The Seminoles were No. 19.
Cristobal was asked how important games like this are for recruiting, or if that concept is overblown by fans and the media.
“Everybody has their own opinion and I don’t think anyone should judge anybody for their opinion on how to value each and every game,’’ Cristobal said. “We value every game as the most important thing in the world.”
This story was originally published November 3, 2022 at 3:57 PM.
