Welcome back! In case you missed it, Saturday’s rivalry game between the Miami Hurricanes and Florida State Seminoles is on deck, and we’re here to share our predictions for the game.
Call your shot. How does Canes vs Noles play out, who wins, and what’s the score?
Cam Underwood: Miami is clearly the superior team and superior program, and that’s going to play out on the field. Miami is bigger, faster (save Danzy), stronger, and just flat out better than FSU. The spread opened with Miami as 3 touchdown favorites, and that’s probably conservative to be honest. Miami wasn’t even favored by this much when they beat FSU by 6 touchdowns in 2020. This should reasonably be a repeat of that kind of score line. This one won’t be close, and I’m not going to let the colors of the jerseys sway me from that thought. This will be an epic asskicking and I’m going to enjoy every moment of it. Miami 55 Florida State 10
Justin Dottavio: THROW OUT THE RECORD BOOKS!!! As the Solid Verbal says. If I’m FSU and Mike Norvell I’m going to pull out every last stop. He likes trick plays, be aware of the onside kicks, fake punts, fake FG’s, double reverse passes etc. Do I think that works? No. I think Miami should dominate the FSU I saw on tape from the Louisville game. But it is a rivalry game and it could have tricky aspects. Miami has been banged up but a bye week prior to the FSU game was a perfect placement. I think Miami wins this by 17+ and it could get ugly if the ‘Noles quit. If I have to pick a final score it’s Miami 45 FSU 20.
Craig T. Smith: It’s Miami and Florida State, and that always gives me pause about a blowout. Even the last two years, where Miami was light years better than FSU, there were moments where this game was closer than it should have been.
And then, I went and checked the yardage that Florida State’s defense has allowed this year. SMU, Alabama, and Louisville all went for well over 500 years each. Uh oh. Miami is the best offense and team that the Seminoles will face this year. Darian Mensah is on one right now, and Miami’s offensive line has found its groove lately in run blocking. The Canes’ defense also will have two starters back in Marquise Lightfoot and Xavier Lucas. This one is going to get ugly after all, folks. Miami 52, Florida State 23
Mike Schiffman: I am always fearful of a jinx. But not this year. I do think the ‘Noles will come out swinging and have some success on a few scripted plays. Beyond that, I don’t see them doing much on offense, especially with Xavier Lucas returning to cover FSU wide receiver Duce Robinson. On the other side of the ball, Miami is too creative with too much talent. Mensah and Co. will get their points. If the weather is bad, that could slow down the scoring some, but not enough. Miami 38, Florida state 10
Jake Marcus: The injury bug has hovered over Miami all season, but the bye week came at exactly the right time (although this season will likely be themed “next man up”). Xavier Lucas, Damari Brown, Marquise Lightfoot, and Ezekiel Marcelin are expected back, and the Canes enter rivalry night as the nation’s top scoring offense (49.6 PPG) and top scoring defense (9.8 PPG allowed) – that’s pretty damn good. Florida State comes in 3-3 after a 44-20 loss at Louisville, where it gave up 397 rushing yards even after a promising start out of the gates. Duce Robinson is the one player on the Noles’ side who can flip a game. The 6-foot-6 senior caught 1,081 yards last year and led the ACC in contested-catch rate, but he’s been relatively quiet this fall (17 catches, 294 yards through six games). He’s still the lone matchup problem, but he’ll face a secondary that’s finally closer to full strength.
Rain and thunderstorms are very likely at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday night, which could mean a sloppy, turnover-prone game and might nudge FSU toward leaning on Ashton Daniels and its run game. While sometimes weather and rivalry aspects can play ‘equalizer’, the wet conditions only shrink the margin for the team with the thinner roster and that’s not close here. I like Miami’s front to win early, and Darian Mensah doesn’t need perfect weather to build a first-half cushion. By the fourth quarter the Canes will be sending in the backups, and the calls for Mike Norvell’s job will only get louder heading into FSU’s bye. Miami 41, Florida State 6.
Rob Weaver: This Saturday night the Florida State Seminoles will quite literally subject themselves to a storm. Only once this season – a dimly lit affair to open the season – have the Seminoles not scored at least 34 points. FSU running back Ousmane Kromah is one of only two ACC backs to have rushed 100 times this season, and he’s maintaining a very respectable 5.7 yds per carry. WR Duce Robinson is a preseason all-conference selection. The weapons are there for FSU. And yet, the Hurricanes’ unequivocally best defense in the conference (just 249 yds and 9.8 pts allowed per game) are returning multiple contributors from injury. Darrian Mensah and crew will get theirs, but the hallmark of this game will be the Hurricanes defense outclassing FSU unlike Alabama, Louisville, or any other of FSU’s opponents. Miami 38, Florida State 13
There you have it. Our predictions for Canes vs Seminoles. How do YOU see the game playing out? Hop in the comments and share your thoughts.
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