Remember when the clash between Florida State and Miami would annually have national championship implications? Well, that's hasn't been the case recently and is certainly not going to happen Saturday, but the result could hold potential program-changing implications for the way each team views their season at the end of the year. This year's FSU-Miami game, set for Saturday afternoon in Tallahassee, will put the winner one game closer to bowl eligibility and the loser in a tricky spot, needing a 2-1 finish to avoid spending the holiday season at home.
So how does this in-state rivalry matchup play out? Let's take a closer look at what to expect from both teams and make some expert picks.
Storylines
Florida State: It seemed like the kind of move when a coaching staff's collective backs are against the wall, but the Wildcat packages with running back Cam Akers receiving the snap served as a successful spark plug for the Seminoles' offense in a 35-17 win against Syracuse last week. Willie Taggart hinted that we'll see more of those wrinkles in the offense moving forward, allowing Akers, a former high school quarterback and arguably the best individual player on offense, to touch the ball as much as possible and have a maximum impact on the game.
Miami (FL): The Hurricanes are a much better team than their record and profile suggests, and Manny Diaz is hoping to prove that point over the final weeks of the season. Miami has been in every single game this season, no matter if the opponent is a Florida team now ranked in the top 10 or 2-5 Georgia Tech. All four of the Miami's losses have been by eight points or less, and there's a hint that fortunes might turn here in the home stretch of the season. The onus for offensive change is going to need to come from Jarren Williams, benched earlier in the year but now back in the starting job after leading the Hurricanes to a win at Pitt.
Viewing information
Date: Saturday, Nov. 2 | Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Doak Campbell Stadium -- Tallahassee, Florida
TV: ABC | Live stream: WatchESPN.com
Game prediction, picks
There's one spot on the field where I think Florida State might lose this game, and it's at the line of scrimmage against a very tough Miami defensive front. The All-Cam-Akers-Everything offense has its limits if the Hurricanes are able to dominate up front and Florida State's offensive line -- though coming off its best game against Syracuse -- hasn't been reliable as a dominant force this season. But in a rivalry game that feels a little more "must win" for the Taggart and the Noles, I'm taking the home team. Pick: Florida State (-3)
So what CFB picks can you make with confidence in Week 10, and which line is Vegas way off on? Visit SportsLine to see which teams win and cover the spread, all from a proven computer model that has returned over $4,200 in profit over the past four seasons.
