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.
Street Ball players who do not even stay in their lanes. he was not even touched!!!
Posted by: tom | November 12, 2011 at 05:42 PM
yea i know he hurt his back but im asking if he comes back who sould start the 2nd half because morris hasnt showed any thing so far nor has harris
Posted by: cane fan | November 12, 2011 at 05:43 PM
Take 12 out of here.
Brandon washington go home you sk
Jacorry you sk
If jacorry gets any pressure, he panics. The nfl is not for u, son, you cry bc you hurt your back, what will you do when ray lewis lands on you?
Miami didnt come to play. Another run back by the kick off team. Miami sks
I dont know how much golden impresses me. These kids look like they could care less. I know ray ray didnt give a dang
Posted by: 3 irrelevant overrated yrs and counting | November 12, 2011 at 05:44 PM
Ray Armstong is an ass hole for doing things like tweeting the agent thing considering what had happened in the recent past.
This shows the street type attitude as others have mentioned that has pervaded through this time.
Posted by: bill | November 12, 2011 at 05:45 PM
3 you must be a mole troll the first half was all canes
Posted by: ltcdolphin | November 12, 2011 at 05:46 PM
man they should just close this program down it is an injustice to the teams that used to call themselves miami hurricanes.....
Posted by: Keith | November 12, 2011 at 05:50 PM
I knew it jimbo fisher has adjusted and he will start his bubble screens. Just like he destroyed us with a few yrs ago. And donforio is so stupid he wont adjust.
How bad will this be?
Posted by: 3 irrelevant overrated yrs and counting | November 12, 2011 at 05:51 PM
FSU is better coached and the players execute what they are told to do. The Um has too many individualist that are in need of being eliminated. This will take a couple of years of good recruiting. The possible sanctions from the NCAA may have given some of these reject thinkers they can do what they want to as there will be a lack of depth. I remember Goldent talking about Regis and if he had any depth he would be benched for the year.
If the season turns into a waste from this play the guys who will play regardless of experience and maybe this douche bags that cannot perfrom will transfer out and brother they are on this team and more than one.
Posted by: Ted | November 12, 2011 at 05:51 PM
nobody complained about the street type attitude when miami was winning in the past i think these players are out coached and came in with alot of hype and never worked hard to prove the hype thats the problem these players Spence is great but these other players i just think they dont play as hard because their hard work suks as you can see on the field
Posted by: cane fan | November 12, 2011 at 05:54 PM
Ted.
Start today and start phasing out the butt- holes and playing those who will listen and be coached. Use the rest of the year as a rebuilding year. This bunch of morons who do not want to really play show the true mentality as they are given a schollarship to a top university and act like 14 year old punks.
Posted by: Karl | November 12, 2011 at 05:55 PM
fsu is not better coached. they have a head start in rebuilding. these guys havent had any quality coaching until golden was hired. the mistakes are unexcusable, like benjamins. but miami will grow. i know its been forever since miami had a quality team, but hold on. dont lose faith. golden is the right man, and it will take more than a put together recruiting class to change things. U gotta believe. go canes florida is 5-5 with all those recruiting classes. aint that sweet
Posted by: mike-s | November 12, 2011 at 05:57 PM
Cane Fan
Is it possible under current rules, regulations and just the progression of time this type of winning "attitude" has past. How many teams in recent years have won a national championship with it.
Even Davis's team (under Coker) that won a national championship had minimized to a great degree the Jimmy Johnson type of play of the mid to late 1980s.
Posted by: Earl | November 12, 2011 at 05:58 PM
What has happened to Alan Hurns that was so effective early in the year.
The left OT of Miami is being wipped out with speed and quickness.
Posted by: Joe | November 12, 2011 at 06:01 PM
keep james in, miller shoud sit. 2 fumbles.
Posted by: mike-s | November 12, 2011 at 06:01 PM
This Miami team is TRASH!!!!
Posted by: New Canes!! | November 12, 2011 at 06:02 PM
Bring in Morris and let him run. They need to slow that pass rush. Jacory is hurting.
Posted by: Canesjunkie | November 12, 2011 at 06:02 PM
Miami is simply being outplayed and outcoached. Golden is way too passive + predictable = incompetence. Let's just pay the money and get a coach in here. One blogger said that Randy was a H.S level coach, so that must make Golden a middle school P.E level coach.
Posted by: DarinD | November 12, 2011 at 06:03 PM
Brother played LB at TCU and he mentioned to me last time in town that 8 or 10 players on a team with the wrong attitude can caue havoc if the younger players look up to them. The U has had so many coaching changes these types are able to gain a position of "leadership" and can challange the new coaching staff and good players who are leaders.
Posted by: Doug76 | November 12, 2011 at 06:04 PM
Posted by: Ted
FSU is not very good, Miami is just worse. You can't sell me FSU as a good team, we lack talent.
Posted by: Canesjunkie | November 12, 2011 at 06:04 PM
Good post Earl on times are a changing.
Posted by: Doug76 | November 12, 2011 at 06:07 PM
FSU is giving us the business.
Posted by: Ron Cherry | November 12, 2011 at 06:09 PM
Doug76. Exactly our problem. AJ and Rayray to name two. First on is a big marshmellow.
Posted by: ltcdolphin | November 12, 2011 at 06:09 PM
The do not fear the miami passing and just put 7 or 8 in the box. The OL cannot give the time for longer passes and the running game is being stuffed.
The Miami receivers are round off the routes and look like they are jogging. They have given up. No Ed reeds, Dan Morgans, Warren Saps for leader on this team that would kick some ass
Posted by: lenny | November 12, 2011 at 06:11 PM
Miami is not even trying. This makes me sick.
Posted by: A true fan | November 12, 2011 at 06:11 PM
True fan.....you are corerect
Posted by: lenny | November 12, 2011 at 06:12 PM
Many of the Miami players are a bunch of uncoached "street acting" types that cannot play what they are supposed to as the coaches draw it out on the board and prqactice it in scrimmage. Lack of discipline. I played for BTW and FAMU and saw this so much as a player.
Posted by: Otis21 | November 12, 2011 at 05:12 PM
WOW!! Otis you are comparing FAMU to Miami talent level? Really? Don't know how you long you have been a fan of the Canes. But I remember Schnellenberger going into the poor neighborhoods in Miami and recruiting those kids that you refer to as punks. The difference is that Coach Schnellenberger had credibility, he knew how to coach and motivate. I ask you to show me one of those talents in Golden? Wearing a tie does not make you smart it simply makes you a loser wearing a tie.
Posted by: DarinD | November 12, 2011 at 06:12 PM
Earl. The winning attitude has passed but i feel these new players just want to wear the jersey and not put in the work because i dont expect miami to win every game. But the players just look like they quit in games and i think thats the problem if you look at Boise state they dont have the talent as other powerhouse teams but when you get players who dont come in as much hype they play harder and it shows because those players come in with a chip on their shoulder but these miami players come in trying to imitate players like Sean Taylor and dont put in the hardwork like Ed reed and Ray lewis did.
Posted by: cane fan | November 12, 2011 at 06:13 PM
DO NOT PUNT TO REID ANYMORE
Posted by: Theo Smith | November 12, 2011 at 06:13 PM
junkie, exactly right. we are the result of a head coach Not doing his job. that would be RS. with coker, and RS, all those years of no coaching and not very good recruiting, this is the result. not very good. the future is going to be better. much much better. go canes
Posted by: mike-s | November 12, 2011 at 06:13 PM
DarinD.
The times have passed that by...one poster remarked what team with the 1980s UM mentality and type of player is winning national championships or even competing for one since 2000 or even earlier?
Posted by: Pete | November 12, 2011 at 06:16 PM
cane fan....correct
Ed Reed was 6 foot 185-190 lbs. versus Armstrong at 6.4 215 lbs. and Reed made this guy look like a JV player in high school.
Posted by: Pete | November 12, 2011 at 06:18 PM
Miami es un pedazo de KAKA !!! should go to the mall instead of watching this bunch of premadonna loosers!!!
Posted by: New Canes!! | November 12, 2011 at 06:18 PM
Coaching has nothing to do with what's happening. These guys are scared...that's all.
Posted by: Canesjunkie | November 12, 2011 at 06:19 PM
Want to blame someone. Blame Donna shalala. Miami has sucked it up ever since she came on board. Harvard of the south in school and on the football field. Donna killed this team.
Posted by: A true fa | November 12, 2011 at 06:20 PM
Why anyone would hire Matt Millen other than to follow horses and scoop at the track is beyond me. He is clueless and just plain stupid. The network is full of losers who all have been fired for poor performance or pro washouts. From Millen, James, Smith, Davies, Holtz both Greises...
His partner doesn't know the rules, and is on a cloud. They can't be the best talent out there.
They just tried to create a name for someone who's lack of talent was discovered on the field and they are washed up
Posted by: oviedocane | November 12, 2011 at 06:22 PM
Action talks BS walks....Too many UM players in recent years are talking and not producing like guys in the 80s and 90s.
Those guys were "street players" in many instances in the 80s and 90s but produced!!!!!
This bunch talks but produce little.
Posted by: Will | November 12, 2011 at 06:24 PM
Another sleep walker for Miami. Unprepared again. Aren't you guys getting tired of losing the same games every year? UVA, VT, FSU...
Posted by: Dave | November 12, 2011 at 06:26 PM
They should take the U OFF the helmets in SHAME... instead put a paper bag logo on them. Maybe then they will understand that they are NOTHING!!!! NOBOdy special!!! just loosers with a nice uniform
Posted by: New Canes!! | November 12, 2011 at 06:27 PM
Will I agree.
The current bunch...well a number of them...are like a 15 year old that bumps chest and talk about your mama but do not swing. It talk and not production.
Posted by: Dave | November 12, 2011 at 06:27 PM
Shalala has killed this program...you're right.
Nobody out there is making plays or getting in anyone's face. Show something...anything!!!!
No heart on this team. Coaching isn't going to give us heart. Look at the body language...these guys want out.
Posted by: Canesjunkie | November 12, 2011 at 06:27 PM
The Eddie Edwards, Don Lattomore, Jerome Browns, Russell Maryland’s, Cortez Kennedys, Warren Sapp’s, Michael Ervin type players are still out there in Fla H.S. The problem is not since Butch Davis have those players came to Miami. Coker & Randy were cheap hires; neither was ready for the responsibility or had the head coaching qualities. Now we fast forward to Golden, he is in the same boat as Larry & Randy....Being the head coach at Temple is just a step above being the head coach at the Citadel.
Posted by: DarinD | November 12, 2011 at 06:28 PM
Hope those Penn St loosers that came to coach don't bring in 10 year olds to cheer the team!!!
Posted by: New Canes!! | November 12, 2011 at 06:30 PM
remove the names off the back of the jerseys and make them earn the name only one who should have the name on the back of his jersey is Spence in my opinion.
Posted by: cane fan | November 12, 2011 at 06:32 PM
From 2000 to present there have been 4 coaches at the U name another program that has gone through that and as some have mentioned Cooker and Shannon hires were questionable at best.
Posted by: Frank | November 12, 2011 at 06:34 PM
good idea...Cane Fan
Posted by: Frank | November 12, 2011 at 06:35 PM
Posted by: DarinD
It's not the coach, it's the talent.
Jimbo Fisher was a highly touted coach....look at how bad FSU's offense looks. Virgina and Maryland ran rings around this defense. FSU has speed and talent, that's why we are losing.
Take the handcuffs off of Golden and let the man recruit.
Posted by: Canesjunkie | November 12, 2011 at 06:37 PM
Remove the name and U logo!!! And they should be fined every time they flash the U... bunch of loosers...
Posted by: New Canes!! | November 12, 2011 at 06:37 PM
Waaah! Waaaah! Waaaah!
Posted by: Miami fans are the worst | November 12, 2011 at 06:38 PM
The U needs to get a strenght coach. They have the same guy that was under Cooker and Shannon and he is a three ring FLOP.
Posted by: Betts | November 12, 2011 at 06:38 PM
$100 says they score in this drive.
Posted by: CanesGeorgia | November 12, 2011 at 06:42 PM