Florida State vs Miami: Preview, prediction, live stream for Week 6 battle

Hurricane Irma postponed the annual rivalry between Miami and Florida State. The Hurricanes finally head to Tallahassee this Saturday to face the Seminoles.

The annual rivalry game between Miami and Florida State lost some of its luster this year when Deondre Francois was injured for the season against Alabama in the season opener. Then Hurricane Irma disrupted the football schedule in the state of Florida, and the two teams scrambled to reschedule their interdivisional showdown in the ACC.

The game is supposed to be played this weekend, as the Hurricanes head to Tallahassee. A tropical system is being monitored, and will hopefully refrain from forcing another shift in the schedule.

Mark Richt’s team is ranked No. 13 in the most recent AP Top 25, having won each of its first three games. Florida State, meanwhile, belatedly won its first game of the season at Wake Forest in Week 5.

The past three editions of the rivalry game have all been decided by less than a touchdown. Last year’s showdown ended in a 20-19 Seminoles victory on the road. The Hurricanes would love nothing more than to repay the favor with a win over their nemesis at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday.

Here’s how to watch Saturday’s game between Miami and Florida State:

Date: Saturday, Oct. 7
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: Tallahassee, Fla.
Venue: Doak Campbell Stadium
TV: ESPN
Live Stream: WatchESPN

Keys to Victory

If Miami is going to prevail in Tallahassee this weekend, the Hurricanes will need to win the battle at the line of scrimmage. Florida State is allowing only 126 rushing yards per game, and they will test Hurricanes running back Mark Walton. With over 400 yards on the ground in his first three games, Walton will need to find holes quickly and keep moving the chains for Miami to have success.

A big game from quarterback Malik Rosier is also critical. The Seminoles are allowing just over 200 yards per game, but they have also struggled to force interceptions. If Rosier simply plays a mistake-free game without any turnovers, it will go a long way toward opening up the path to victory for the visitors.

On the other sideline, Florida State has a tall task ahead of it against their rival. James Blackman will need to play much better than he did in last week’s win against Wake Forest if the Seminoles are going to pull off the win. A strong defense, though, will ultimately decide whether Jimbo Fisher’s team keeps things close or whether they are blown out on its home turf.

Betting Odds

Odds courtesy of Sportsbook Review

Point Spread: Miami -3
Over/Under: 47.5

Prediction

Just like their other recent meetings, the Saturday duel between the Seminoles and the Hurricanes will be another close affair. The game will start slowly for Miami, and they could find themselves in an early deficit against FSU. But Richt’s crew will get back on track, and second-half adjustments will make all the difference.

Look for Walton to break out for another big game as he finishes with over 150 total yards of offense and a pair of scores. Malik Rosier will throw for under 250 yards, but he will toss a touchdown pass and will not turn the ball over. Miami’s defense is going to rack up a trio of sacks on Blackman, and the FSU quarterback will toss a costly interception that prevents the Seminoles from retaking a lead in the second half.

Next: Complete first round NFL Mock Draft after Week 5

Just as they have so many other times in this series, field goals could make all the difference. Florida State will have an opportunity to tie up the game late. But Ricky Aguayo will have his attempt blocked as Miami holds on to stay undefeated and keep pace with Georgia tech in the ACC Coastal for another week.

Final Score: Miami 27, Florida State 24