Second-ranked Miami will battle No. 5 Florida State in Tallahassee this Saturday. Both teams are struggling to maintain their undefeated records.
Miami will face their rival after squeaking by with a 22-20 victory against West Virginia last weekend in a game that cost them their best offensive player. Sophomore running back Frank Gore, the team's leading rusher, will be out for the rest of the season after tearing his ACL in that game.
Without Gore, Miami will turn its attention to senior Jerrett Payton. Miami coach Larry Coker, while admitting that Gore's injury does hurt the team, said he sees it as an opportunity for the team's other players.
"We have always approached it with the mindset that it is not the University of Larr Coker or Frank Gore, this is the University of Miami and when someone has an opportunity, they have to step up," Coker said "Jarrett Payton has that chance now."
It will be crucial for Payton and his teammates to command the rushing offense against the Seminole defense, which currently leads the nation in scoring defense and is fifth in total defense.
"We need to buckle down, because if we don't establish the run this week, it's going to be a long day," Payton said.
Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden is attempting to prepare his team for the effect the Miami vs. West Virginia game may have had on the Hurricanes.
"I thought it was the best thing that could happen to [Miami] to wake them up," he said.
Coker agreed with Bowden's assessment. "Our attitude is terrific right now," Coker said. "We are anxious to play a game like Florida State in the national spotlight."
Florida State, on the other hand, is coming off a bye week in which several of their key players had a chance to recuperate from injuries, including starting linebacker Kendyll Pope, tailbacks Leon Washington and Lorenzo Booker and guard Bobby Meeks. Coker sighted Booker and Washington as particular challenges to the Miami defense.
"We have a tremendous challenge," he said, "but I think we are up to it and feel good about the opportunity."
After their narrow victory against Georgia Tech on Sept. 13 the Seminoles have crushed their last two opponents with a combined score of 103-14.
This game will be the 47th in the Seminole-Hurricane series. Miami holds a 26-20 lead in the series and are coming off last year's one-point victory. This is the first time since 1993 that the teams have faced off while both being ranked in the top five.
This game will have a tremendous effect on the Cavalier's Oct. 18 home game against FSU, which could be for first place in the ACC. A Seminole defeat this weekend could shatter FSU's momentum and set Virginia up for an important ACC victory. Virginia will try to take advantage of their powerful running game (they are currently ranked first in the ACC with an average of 184.2 yards per game) against the Seminole defense. Before focusing on Florida State, however, Virginia will have to try to maintain its undefeated conference standing at Clemson (1-1 ACC) this Saturday.
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