Two storied programs meet in the latest edition of one of college football's fiercest rivalries when No. 4 Florida State plays host to Miami. The undefeated Seminoles are in the pole position for a berth in the ACC Championship Game and have a good shot at the College Football Playoff as long as they can avoid any slip-ups over the last few weeks of the regular season.
Miami would love nothing more than to demolish those hopes. The Hurricanes have had a rollercoaster of a season in coach Mario Cristobal's second year. They're sitting at 6-3 with bowl eligibility already in the bag, but it's been a battle to get there. Miami blew what should have been an easy win against Georgia Tech with a well-covered coaching blunder and is fresh off a hapless 20-6 loss to NC State.
As its record suggests, FSU has kept things humming along nicely this year. The Seminoles have won each of their last five games by at least two possessions after a couple of close calls against Boston College and Clemson, and they've battled through injuries the entire time.
Miami holds a 35-32 all-time series lead against Florida State, making this one of the most tightly contested rivalries in college football. The Seminoles have done a lot to make things more interesting in recent years, winning the last two in a row against Miami and nine out of the last 13 since 2010.
How to watch Florida State vs. Miami live
Date: Saturday, Nov. 11 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Doak S. Campbell Stadium -- Tallahassee, Florida
TV: ABC | Live stream: fubo (Try for free)
Florida State vs. Miami: Need to know
FSU working back to full health: Florida State could have reinforcements on the way for the Miami game. The Seminoles were without their top two pass catchers -- Johnny Wilson and Keon Coleman -- against Pitt due to nagging injuries. Consequently, the Seminoles put up a season-low 24 points. Coleman hasn't played since Oct. 28's win against Wake Forest and Wilson has been sidelined since Week 6 against Duke. FSU coach Mike Norvell seemed optimistic during his weekly media availability that the receiver room should be healthier Saturday, though he didn't confirm if either Coleman or Wilson would return.
Miami looking to shake things up? Cristobal didn't commit to a quarterback change when speaking with the media on Monday, but he certainly didn't shut the idea out.
"What I would always say is that we're always competing at every position, we're always assessing, and we always make the decisions that give us the best chance to win." Cristobal said.
The calls for a switch at quarterback are louder than ever after longtime starter Tyler Van Dyke's latest performance. He completed just 21 of his 38 pass attempts for 173 yards with three interceptions in last week's loss to NC State. It could be true freshman Emory Williams that gets the nod against the Noles if Miami makes the switch. Williams got a start in Week 7 against Clemson with Van Dyke injured and led the Hurricanes to a 28-20 win.
'Canes could lean on ground game: Whoever starts at quarterback against Miami can at least lean on a strong rushing attack. Miami ranks sixth in the ACC with a solid 176.6 yards rushing per game. The Hurricanes have a strong stable featuring three running backs that have at least 250 yards on the year -- and that doesn't include freshman Mark Fletcher Jr., who is fresh off leading Miami with 118 yards rushing against NC State. Now, The U gets a rather favorable matchup; the Noles have given up at least 100 yards on the ground in all but one game this year. Florida State's rushing defense ranks seventh in the ACC.
Florida State vs. Miami prediction, picks
Odds via SportsLine consensus
It wouldn't be all that surprising to see this game come down to the wire. Florida State has struggled to put games away at points this year. Miami is trying to get to its first nine-win season since 2017 and rivalry games are never a guarantee in this sport. That said, Florida State should be able to take care of business here, especially if Wilson and Coleman are healthy. Add in the fact that Miami is starting either a quarterback fresh off throwing three interceptions or a true freshman getting just his second career start in one of college football's toughest venues, and this one seems like it could get out of hand near the end. Pick: Florida State -14.5
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