Miami will get another prime-time stage when Florida State comes to Hard Rock Stadium on October 17. The ACC announced the rivalry matchup will kick off at 7:00 p.m. ET and air on ESPN.
There’s still no word on whether the ACC Network will bring its ACC Huddle pregame show to Hard Rock or set up on Miami’s campus. Last year, the show was in Tallahassee for the game, and that was a simpler operation because FSU has an on-campus stadium. Hard Rock Stadium, by contrast, controls the parking and doesn’t open the lots until five hours before kickoff.
The Hurricanes have made a habit of playing under the lights this season. All five of their games so far have been night games, even with plenty of reasons to gripe about the schedule. Miami spent much of September on Thursdays and Fridays, and it has already played three conference road games, including the cross-country trip to Stanford.
Still, the late kickoffs have suited Miami just fine. The Hurricanes went into Death Valley in Week 5 and came away with a beaten and battered Clemson team by the time the final horn sounded. Now they’ll try to do something similar against Florida State, a program that may have been written off too soon.
The Seminoles are coming off a 38-7 win over Virginia, a veteran group that was compared to an average JV high school football team in terms of speed. That victory gave Florida State its first ACC win and only its fourth since the start of 2024.
Florida State will face Louisville this Friday night, and as much as the idea of the Mike Norvell era ending in complete embarrassment might appeal to some, a Seminoles win would actually help Miami if it came on the road. That said, Florida State has not won away from home since December 2023.
Few expect that streak to end on October 17. Miami is likely to be a huge favorite - probably by three touchdowns or more - and will be looking to put up as many points as it wants against a Seminoles team the Hurricanes have clearly moved past in the ACC.
That doesn’t make the rivalry any less tricky. Florida State will show up with fight and plenty of motivation, and Miami will need to make sure any early push from the Seminoles gets shut down quickly.
In Other News...
Former Miami Five-Star Is Suddenly Writing A Very Different Next Chapter
Hayden Lowes college path has already taken a sharp turn from the kind of trajectory that once made him one of Miamis most high-profile defensive commitments. The former five-star edge rusher began his career with the Hurricanes, but he is now at Long Beach City College after parting ways with Miami, a move that head coach Mario Cristobal confirmed without offering any details.
Lowe is now taking a hard look at what comes next, and a recent visit to Tennessee suggests he is keeping his options open. He came away sounding encouraged by the Volunteers defensive line rotation and the opportunities that could be available there, a notable development for a player whose next stop will be watched closely by Miami fans who remember just how much upside surrounded his arrival in Coral Gables. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Heads Into Bye Week With One New Concern After Clemson
Miami rolled past Clemson 41-13 to stay unbeaten at 5-0 overall and 3-0 in the ACC, and the bye week now arrives with the kind of injury checkpoint every contender expects in October. The encouraging part for Mario Cristobals team is that several players who had been dealing with injuries were back in the mix, including running back Mark Fletcher Jr. and defensive lineman Ahmad Moten Sr., giving Miami a healthier look after a physical conference win.
The concern now is less about the record than the wear and tear that comes with it, especially after a game that featured strong all-around play and a defense that handled Clemson comfortably. With a week off to reset, Miami gets a chance to evaluate who came out of the matchup fully intact and who needs extra time before the next stretch of ACC play, a detail that could matter just as much as the standings later on. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Just Sent A Message But One Concern Wont Go Away
Miamis perfect start kept rolling in Week 5, and the win over Clemson was the kind of result that makes a real statement in the ACC. The Hurricanes are now 5-0, and with Pittsburgh also sitting unbeaten, the league picture is starting to take shape early as Florida State and Wake Forest added their own impressive performances to the mix.
Still, the celebration came with a reminder that a long season rarely stays simple. Marquise Lightfoot went down with an injury in the Clemson game, leaving Miami with one issue it cannot ignore as the stakes rise and the schedule gets tougher. [Read more 🡒]