TALLAHASSEE -- The Miami Hurricanes (5-4, 3-3 ACC) take on rival Florida State (6-3, 4-2) at 3:30 p.m. at Doak Campbell Stadium Saturday in what will be the 56th meeting in their storied series. The visiting team has won each of the last five games, but the Seminoles are considered a nine-point favorite coming in.
> ABOUT THE SEMINOLES: Jimbo Fisher's team has won four games in a row since dropping three in a row to Oklahoma, Clemson and Wake Forest. Quarterback EJ Manuel, the ACC Preseason Player of the Year, has played extremely well since coming back from a shoulder injury. He's completed 66 percent of his passes for 1,290 yards and eight touchdowns while throwing just two interceptions over his last five games. The Seminoles are averaging 292 yards passing per game and already have 21 TD passes including 40 pass plays of 13 yards or more. Freshman receiver Rashad Greene (St. Thomas Aquinas), who missed four weeks with an ankle injury, is expected to return this week only bolstering FSU's passing attack. Freshman tailback Devonta Freeman has helped spark the Seminoles running game over the last four games (710 yards). Freeman has run for 2888 yards and five TDs over FSU's four-game win streak. If there is a weakness for FSU, it's offensive line play. The Seminoles have given up 25 sacks this season as they've shuffled players around and dealt with injuries. Defensively, the Seminoles rank third in the country in run defense (78.89 yards per game), fourth in total defense (268.0 yards per game), fifth in sacks (3.33 per game) and 22nd in pass defense. FSU has also forced seven turnovers over their last two games. Punter Shawn Powell is averaging 45.8 yards per punt.
> WHAT TO WATCH FOR THE CANES: The suspension of Ray-Ray Armstrong hurts Miami in the sense it pulls the team's best cornerback -- JoJo Nicolas -- back to safety. Now, Brandon McGee and Mike Williams will be lined up against FSU's dangerous receivers. Not a good equation for UM's porous pass defense. The Hurricanes, shut out from any sacks the last two weeks, will need a big game from its best pass rusher this week in Olivier Vernon. If Vernon can apply pressure on Manuel -- he should be lined up opposite freshman tackle Bobby Hart -- UM may be able to find a way to mess up FSU's offensive rhythm. As good as UM has played on offense this season, this is only the third team they are facing with a consensus Top 40 defense. The return of Jonathan Feliciano should help provide extra support against FSU's pass rush. It will be interesting to see if Seantrel Henderson shifts over to left tackle if Brandon Washington struggles.
> MANNY'S PICK: FSU 34, UM 26. Would love to pick the Canes here and believe they've "turned the corner." But I've been burned too many times by this group. FSU is red-hot, has a dangerous quarterback who can kill you through the air and the ground -- Cane kryptonite. FSU's defense probably isn't as good as advertised. But that won't be enough for Miami. Defense has been the issue all season. In the end, too many explosive plays on pass defense will doom UM. But the Canes will play well and won't fold. If there's any way they've turned the corner in any way, that's what Golden has achieved. This team always fights and scraps.
Go canes. Beat fsu
Posted by: ltcdolphin | November 12, 2011 at 03:37 PM
Wow. Worst first six seconds ever.
Posted by: inimounts | November 12, 2011 at 03:45 PM
Defense stout to start. O has reversed field position.
Posted by: ltcdolphin | November 12, 2011 at 03:59 PM
Pounding pounding pounding
Posted by: ltcdolphin | November 12, 2011 at 04:00 PM
we need lots of points today go canes
Posted by: mike-s | November 12, 2011 at 04:02 PM
The real old Harris just showed up
Posted by: ltcdolphin | November 12, 2011 at 04:06 PM
no points hurts. we need na good start to this game. confidence. DEFENSE
Posted by: mike-s | November 12, 2011 at 04:08 PM
Why bring in Morris? Play Harris or Morris, not both.
Posted by: Canesjunkie | November 12, 2011 at 04:09 PM
It was a bad decision jacory would like to have back. But we moved the ball. Time for defense.
Posted by: inimounts | November 12, 2011 at 04:09 PM
Mike it's good to see Morris in the mix. Good drive but no points. Defense needs to stand up
Posted by: ltcdolphin | November 12, 2011 at 04:10 PM
Canes junkie your answer was the interception.
Inimounts. Harris panics under pressure. Period the end
Posted by: ltcdolphin | November 12, 2011 at 04:12 PM
These mistakes are ridiculous!
Posted by: inimounts | November 12, 2011 at 04:12 PM
amazing to se a whole year of coaching out the window this fast in one game.
Posted by: mike-s | November 12, 2011 at 04:13 PM
This is crazy.
Posted by: Jebediah Gonzalez-Cohen | November 12, 2011 at 04:14 PM
Ur wrong itc, every qb has problems
With pressure, jacory makes bad decisions sometimes, he completed two passes that looked great with pressure before
Posted by: inimounts | November 12, 2011 at 04:14 PM
ltcdolphin:
True, but we don't help Jacory by taking him in and out.
I like Morris...play him.
Posted by: Canesjunkie | November 12, 2011 at 04:14 PM
What a special teams mistake.
Posted by: Canesjunkie | November 12, 2011 at 04:14 PM
And I'm sorry, but we need Morris 'in' the mix. I am not sold on him
At all. He has the worst completion to int ratio 'in' the fbs, or did.
Posted by: inimounts | November 12, 2011 at 04:15 PM
1835 w call st, apt 319.. I used to walk to this game, wearing my Canes gear of course.
Posted by: Jebediah Gonzalez-Cohen | November 12, 2011 at 04:15 PM
Trust me, takin jacory 'in' and out doesn't hurt him. It gives him and Jed a chance to
Discuss the next play, slows the game down a bit
Posted by: inimounts | November 12, 2011 at 04:16 PM
good job by the D. go canes
Posted by: mike-s | November 12, 2011 at 04:18 PM
I think it depends on the QB. It also sends the wrong message to the team.
This first quarter has been painful to watch. Both teams look inept.
Posted by: Canesjunkie | November 12, 2011 at 04:19 PM
Sloppy thus far.
A great drive and I hate to get on Jacory because overall he's had a very good year but its inexcusable to throw a pick inside the 10.
Can't take pts off the board like that.
Posted by: rbleigh | November 12, 2011 at 04:19 PM
Play Morris, let's see what we've got. We're not going anywhere this year. We might as well figure out the QB situation for next year.
Posted by: Canesjunkie | November 12, 2011 at 04:24 PM
the turds lost again. thats always good to see.
Posted by: mike-s | November 12, 2011 at 04:27 PM
without the turnovers, we dominated the first qtr. but long way to go. keep 'em backed up. DEFENSE
Posted by: mike-s | November 12, 2011 at 04:31 PM
We are looking much worse than the score. Most games are settled by one stat: turnover ratio. It's the reason we are down, and it's the reason it's not looking good. We have to get turnovers and limit ours
Posted by: inimounts | November 12, 2011 at 04:31 PM
GREAT JOB DEFEMSE. lets gooo
Posted by: mike-s | November 12, 2011 at 04:34 PM
sorry DEFENSE i can spell, i can't type
Posted by: mike-s | November 12, 2011 at 04:35 PM
Ugh! Can we play some football
Posted by: NMBcane | November 12, 2011 at 04:41 PM
We have NOT looked inept. We have made turnovers. Big difference. We have great movement on o and no
First downs for them on d
Posted by: inimounts | November 12, 2011 at 04:47 PM
Domination. Can we keep it up
Posted by: ltcdolphin | November 12, 2011 at 04:49 PM
YEAH BABY. GO CANES DEFENSE DEFENSE
Posted by: mike-s | November 12, 2011 at 04:49 PM
If there is one thing Jacory is good at is throwing a really nice fade pass
Posted by: Bonez | November 12, 2011 at 04:50 PM
bonez, he can throw the best 30-40 yard fade i have ever seen.
Posted by: mike-s | November 12, 2011 at 04:52 PM
Yes bonez, jfloat can throw all kinds of float passes. that was a good one.
Posted by: ltcdolphin | November 12, 2011 at 04:52 PM
Chad Pennington had touch only 'in' college too. Just sayin
Posted by: inimounts | November 12, 2011 at 04:55 PM
And penny doesn't have jacorys arm.
Why are playing so far off their receivers
Posted by: inimounts | November 12, 2011 at 04:57 PM
WTF was Jo Jo Nicholas doing there?????? He had perfect position
Posted by: inimounts | November 12, 2011 at 04:57 PM
That pass should've been picked.
Posted by: Canesjunkie | November 12, 2011 at 04:58 PM
Yeah and he hung back. And the cb had good position too
Posted by: ltcdolphin | November 12, 2011 at 04:58 PM
Posted by: inimounts
I know!!! Get the ball!
Posted by: Canesjunkie | November 12, 2011 at 04:59 PM
Number 22 was so slow getting there on a lobbed pass that INT written all over it for a player who was in position.
Posted by: Joe52 | November 12, 2011 at 04:59 PM
C'mon Kacy Rogers, make a play on the ball! That thing was just floating up there
Posted by: NMBcane | November 12, 2011 at 05:00 PM
pathetic, that should have been a pick safty screwd the team there wait till he see's it on film and asks himself what idiot was that???? shameful
Posted by: Keith | November 12, 2011 at 05:01 PM
The corner yeah but 22 had it! He was perfectly strolling up there and could just jump 'in' front and grab it. Easy pick, but instead he goes for the tackle. Not the strip, the tackle. That's says so much about the talent of secondary and the secondary coaching
Posted by: inimounts | November 12, 2011 at 05:01 PM
This is what John McKay of SC and Tampa Bay NFL said a player with 4.4 speed and a 6 second mind when it comes to recognition of what he is suppsoed to be doing.
Golden just needs some time to get players that know football.
Posted by: Keith | November 12, 2011 at 05:01 PM
There isn't on player 'in' our secondary that I'm impressed with. And i am severely disappointed 'in' ray ray and telemaque
Posted by: inimounts | November 12, 2011 at 05:02 PM
Love the coach coming up to yell at Telemaque.
Posted by: Canesjunkie | November 12, 2011 at 05:03 PM
You the coach all over 7. Good
Posted by: ltcdolphin | November 12, 2011 at 05:04 PM