Miami Looks for Third Straight Win Over Rival Florida State
Oct 8, 2002
By DOUG FEINBERG
AP MegaSports Writer
Top-ranked Miami will try for its third straight win over Florida State whenthe rivals play in the Orange Bowl on Saturday.
The Hurricanes (5-0) are coming off an easy 48-14 victory over Connecticut.Miami scored on five of its first six possessions and rested its starters inthe second half to prepare for Saturday’s game that Hurricanes players calltheir annual “measuring stick.”
“It’s always a different breed when they come here to come play us,” Miamicenter Brett Romberg said. “They’ll want to fight. They turn it up for us andwe do the same for them.”
Ninth-ranked Florida State (5-1) will be looking for revenge for lastseason’s 49-27 home loss to Miami. The defeat ended the Seminoles’ NCAA-leading37-game home win streak and 54-game home unbeaten streak, dating to a 17-16loss to Miami on Nov. 16, 1991.
Miami, which has won 27 consecutive games, has run over its opponents thisseason, with tailback Willis McGahee leading the charge with four straight100-yard games.
“It’s amazing,” Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said. “When ClintonPortis left early you wondered who would take his place. Then the next guy getshurt and they come in there with McGahee and he’s as good as anybody. The thingabout Miami is they lost all those players from last year and they are just asgood.”
McGahee, who scored the first three touchdowns in Saturday’s win, isn’tletting the importance of this matchup between top 10 teams get to him.
“I’m just going to treat it like any other game, and practice like Ipractice,” McGahee said. “It is a big game. You know, Florida was a big game,too, so I’m going to do the same thing I did for that game. I’m going to do myeveryday thing, go out there and have fun and be laid back.”
Bowden knows his Seminoles will have a difficult task winning this weekend.
“From what I see, it’s Miami and the rest of the world,” Bowden said.”We’re not at that level yet.”
Florida State has struggled of late, rebounding from its loss to Louisvillewith a 48-31 victory over Clemson on Thursday.
Tailback Greg Jones ran for three touchdowns in the victory, breaking eighttackles on the final score. He set up a fourth TD with a long run that helpedthe Seminoles take a 28-24 halftime lead.
Jones will be hard-pressed to duplicate that success against a Miami defensethat is ranked third nationally in total defense, allowing just 241.2 yards pergame, and 10th in scoring defense (14.8 points).
“They’ve got their front seven back on defense so it doesn’t surprise methat they are playing so well,” Bowden said. “They’ve got some new guys inthe secondary, but they are talented. Because the front seven are so good, theyare able to do some different things defensively. We won’t see another defenselike them.”
Miami leads the all-time series 25-20, but is only 14-14 at the OrangeBowl.
