(Photo: On3)
Campus Clash
(3) Miami Hurricanes at (18) Florida State Seminoles
Miami (4-0):
The ACC was gift-wrapped to the Clemson Tigers before the season even started — how’s that panning out?They’re 1-3 and have struggled significantly. As far as I’m concerned, the conference now runs through the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, who I had pegged as one of the teams making it to the ACC title game — along with the group I’m about to discuss now. Mario Cristobal has this Miami Hurricanes football team believing they belong, and they’re playing with a ton of confidence right now. If I had to cast my vote for Coach of the Year, Mario would get it. I’ve always felt like our game had more buzz when Miami was relevant — and look: they’re the third-ranked team in the country as we speak. This has been a bounce-back year for Carson Beck, and he’s looked incredibly comfortable within this system. I’m all in on the Hurricanes. Compared to the “Turnover Chain” team from eight years ago, this group is far more disciplined on both sides of the football. Offensively, they play with balance and control; defensively, they bring that punishing style, wearing teams down with a physical front and pressure from all over the field. I’ve enjoyed watching them when I can, and if they continue to play at this level, they could be dangerous come playoff time. This Saturday night, they’ll head in-state to Tallahassee for a heated rivalry matchup.
Florida State (3–1):
Their effort on Friday night in Charlottesville is exactly why I always say this on the site — and really on any show I contribute to: Do not look ahead. It will cost you every single time. Overlooking an opponent never works out. If anything, it gives the other team even more motivation. Honestly, I thought this team was past that — clearly, I was wrong. After that Week 1 win over Alabama, I praised them heavily. It was the biggest win of Mike Norvell’s tenure as head coach. I also mentioned how Tommy Castellanos gave them a spark — something they hadn’t had in years. But this loss was a major setback. They walked into that game thinking they could just roll their helmets out and beat an up-and-coming Virginia Cavaliers team. I thought this was a team that had returned to pounding opponents! — dropping 77 on East Texas A&M in Week 2 and 66 on Kent State. Now, all you can do is rally the locker room, turn the page, and move on. On Saturday night, they’ll welcome Mario Cristobal, Carson Beck, and the third-ranked Hurricanes for a huge conference showdown.
Miami X-Factor: Reuben Bain Jr.
Reuben battled through multiple injuries in 2024 but is now back at full strength. What I love about his game is that he can be a “destroyer of worlds” — the kind of player who can blow up an entire offensive game plan. In rivalry games, it’s the guys in the trenches who tilt the balance. If Reuben can be the disruptive force he’s known to be, good things will happen for Miami’s defense. He affects timing, play design, and decision-making.
Florida State X-Factor: Duce Robinson
He’s the top receiving option in this offense and will be a crucial weapon Saturday night. This Hurricanes secondary is young in spots, and Duce can exploit that inexperience. At 6’6″ and 222 pounds, he’s the definition of a possession receiver, and his size creates mismatches — especially against Miami’s smaller DBs. He transferred from USC to play in Tallahassee, and he’s been a difference-maker. Keep your eye on him in this one.
Final Thoughts:
It’s wild to think we’re already at Week 6 of the college football season, and we’ve got a throwback ACC rivalry on deck. Miami is looking to keep momentum going, while Florida State is trying to bounce back after a stunning upset in Week 5. Here’s what each team needs to do: For Miami: Generate pressure on Tommy Castellanos to force hurried throws and mistakes, establish the run early with Mark Fletcher to create a consistent ground attack, control the clock, and limit FSU’s offensive chances and lastly, the secondary must play disciplined football, especially against this talented Seminole receiving corps. For Florida State: Win the battle at the line of scrimmage to give Tommy time to throw — when he has time, he can pick defenses apart, get Duce Robinson involved early and often to exploit Miami’s youth in the secondary. and most importantly: protect the football as this Miami defense thrives on turnovers and momentum swings. This is what the Seminoles were looking ahead to and they got their wish now, I like the Hurricanes to handle business here on Saturday night in Tallahassee.
