Hurricanes Open Season in Tallahassee Against Rival FSU
Sept. 3, 2009
MIAMI HURRICANES AT NO. 18 FLORIDA STATE SEMINOLES
Thursday Press Conference Quotes 
HURRICANES vs. FSU PHOTO GALLERY
Date: Monday, Sept. 7, 2009
Location: Bobby Bowden Field at Doak S. Campbell Stadium – (Natural Grass), (82,300) in Tallahassee, Fla.
Kickoff: 8 p.m. (ET)
TV: The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN, with Brad Nessler (play by play), Todd Blackledge (analyst) and Erin Andrews (Sideline reporter).
Tape Delay Telecast: On CSS, Thurs., Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. and Mon. Sept. 14 at Noon
Local Radio: The Hurricanes Radio Network (WQAM 560 AM) will carry the game live with Joe Zagacki (play by play), Don Bailey Jr. (analysis). Fans can also listen online at www.wqam.com.
National Radio: The ACC ISP Radio Network will have the national broadcast with Andy Demetra (paly-by-play) and Sonny Randle (color analyst).
Radio En Espanol: The game will broadcast in Spanish on 1450 ESPN Deportes (1450 AM) with Joe Pujala (play by play) and Joe Martinez (analysis).
Websites: Miami (www.hurricanesports.com) and Florida State (www.seminoles.com)
THE GAME
Miami opens its season Labor Day night as the Hurricanes travel to in-state rival Florida State in a nationally televised game on ESPN. It will be the third time the two teams meet on Labor Day since 2005. The scheduled 2004 Labor Day game was delayed four days due to Hurricane Frances.
The Hurricanes open their 84th season of college football with its 54th game against intrastate and Atlantic Coast Conference rival Florida State. Miami and Florida State have faced each other 11 times to open the season. FSU holds a 7-4 edge in those games. Five of those 11 games have been shutouts: three by Miami and two by FSU.
Sophomore quarterback Jacory Harris will be Miami’s opening-day starter for the second straight season when he leads the `Canes against the Seminoles. Harris started twice in 2008 and became the first freshman QB at UM to start a season opener since Bernie Kosar in 1983. Even more, 2009 marks the first season since 1974 that a player from Miami-Dade County enters the season as the starting quarterback. Kary Baker from Miami-Edison High School was UM’s starter in 1974. Hialeah High’s Ryan Collins started the last seven games of the 1993 season.
Miami is 56-26-1 in season-opening games, including a 37-14-1 mark at home and 19-12 mark on the road.
THE SERIES
Miami leads the all-time series between the two schools, 30-23. Since Miami joined the ACC in 2004, UM has won two of five match-ups against FSU with the `Canes winning in 2004 and 2007. The series between the two programs dates back to 1951. In last year’s game at Dolphin Stadium, FSU jumped out to a 24-3 halftime lead. However, the `Canes stormed back, cutting the lead to two before eventually falling short in the end 41-39.
The last six games in the Miami-Florida State rivalry have been decided by a total of 24 points, with one game going into overtime (a six-point Miami win in 2004).
SHUTTING OUT THE SEMINOLES
Since Bobby Bowden took over the coaching reigns at Florida State 33 years ago, only one team has managed to shut out the Seminoles – the Miami Hurricanes. Miami has blanked the `Noles twice during the Bowden era.
The Hurricanes shut out FSU 47-0 in the Orange Bowl in Bowden’s inaugural season at Florida State in 1976 and then blanked his preseason No. 1-ranked Seminoles 31-0 in the Orange Bowl to start the 1988 season.
THE TEAM THAT SCORES FIRST…
When Miami and Florida State play, the team that has scored first has won 16 of the last 18 meetings (the only two times it didn’t happen was 2004 and 2007) and 21 of the last 24.
FSU scored first in 1992’s 19-16 Miami victory at the Orange Bowl, Miami’s 2004 16-10 overtime win in the Orange Bowl and 2007’s 37-29 UM win in Tallahassee.
CLOSE CALLS TEND TO FAVOR THE `CANES
If the Miami and Florida State final score is close, history has favored the Hurricanes. Since 1973, the Hurricanes are 10-3 against FSU in games decided by four points or fewer.
However, FSU has won the last three close games, 10-7 in 2005, 13-10 in 2006, and 41-39 last year.
THE MIAMI-FSU SERIES SINCE 1983
In the last 27 games against FSU, Miami has passed for more yards 16 times. The team that has passed for more yards has lost 12 of the last 21 meetings.
The teams have combined for nine 300-plus yards passing games since 1983 (Miami – 5, FSU – 4).
MIAMI-FLORIDA STATE: A MADE FOR TV MATCHUP
The 2009 game with Florida State marks the 26th consecutive season and the 30th time in 54 meetings that the UM-FSU clash will be shown on regional or network television.
The Hurricanes have been involved in the three most watched regular season college football games to air on ESPN. First on that list is the UM-Florida State game on September 4, 2006 (9,120,000 household impressions) and the second most viewed game ever is the Hurricanes contest against the Seminoles on October 8, 1994 (7,667,000 household impressions).
The University of Miami’s football game at Florida in 2008 was the third most watched regular season game in the history of the network’s college football coverage. The game drew a 5.0 rating and had 6,954,000 household impressions.
DID YOU KNOW?
-Miami’s APR score in 2009 ranked 7th nationally with a score of 976. This score was the highest among all Florida institutions and second highest in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
-Of the 20 seniors on this year’s squad, eight have already earned degrees, while the remaining 11 are all on course to graduate either in December of 2009 or May of 2010.
-The eight players that have already earned degrees include: Jack Byrne (Finance), Joe Joseph (Sports Administration), Eric Moncur (Bachelor of Liberal Arts), Matt Perrelli (Marketing and Management), Matt Pipho (Biology), Darryl Sharpton (Finance), A.J. Trump (Management and Organization), Jimmy Graham (Management).
-Last season, Miami had 13 early graduates, which were the most in the nation.
-Miami has won 24 of its last 39 games against ranked teams, dating back to the 2000 season.
