From the way Miami wide receiver Xavier Restrepo spoke on Tuesday, it sounds like the sixth-ranked Hurricanes are preparing for a big matchup this weekend against another undefeated team.
He didn’t seem to think Miami (7-0, 3-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) was getting ready for a Florida State team that is struggling at 1-6 overall and 1-5 in the ACC, and is close to securing a losing season.
“You know, we have tons of respect for those guys, defending ACC champions, a really, really talented football team,” Restrepo said. “You watch their defense, all five DBs can line up in your face and play man, they run around, have great ball skills. The D-line gets pressure, their linebackers play really solid and defend the pass very well as well. … We have to be as prepared as we can be.”
In other words, Miami is not underestimating Florida State ahead of their Saturday night game in Miami Gardens. That would be a mistake in this rivalry.
Last season, Miami was a 14- to 17-point underdog when they faced the then-undefeated Seminoles in Tallahassee.
The Hurricanes had a chance to tie the game in the final minutes but lost 27-20 in a match that was closer than expected. This year, Miami is listed as a 21-point favorite by BetMGM Sportsbook.
“Obviously, this is a huge week for our football program,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell said. “I mean, this game is a game that we have an emphasis on 365 days a year because we’re fortunate to be at a place that you get two rivalry games every single year that mean a ton to our football program.”
Florida State will face its other in-state rival, Florida, on November 30 in its final regular-season game.
The last time there was a similar difference in records between Florida State and Miami before a game was in 1974. Back then, the Seminoles were 0-8, and the Hurricanes were 5-2. Florida State won that game 21-14, breaking a 20-game losing streak, and they did it on Miami’s homecoming weekend.
This shows why records don’t mean much in this rivalry.
“As a player, we never looked at the record of anyone we’re playing against,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “Whatever the record of any team is in this rivalry, you’re going to get the best version of them and they’re going to get the best version of you. And that’s what makes this game so incredibly intense.”
