The Trentonian (Trenton, NJ)

Week 4 Preview: FSU-Miami has King in spotlight; SEC begins

- ByRalphD. Russo

The stakes have not recently been what they used to be for the Florida State-Miami rivalry, but the Seminoles andHurrica­nes usually put on a good show.

Before Miami won easily last year, the ‘Canes and ‘Noles played five straight games decided by five points or fewer.

A pandemic-altered college football season has helped put FSU-Miami in the spotlight again this weekend. The 12th-rankedHurr­icanes (2-0) are hosting ESPN’s “College GameDay,” and for the second straight week playing in primetime.

Florida State (0-1) will playwithou­t coach Mike Norvell, who tested positive for COVID-19 last week.

The Southeaste­rn Conference also kicks off Saturday, putting three of the power five conference­s in play.

The Big Ten and Pac-12 are still at least a month away, but the college football menu is starting to fill up.

BESTGAME

NO. 23KENTUCKY­ATNO. 8AUBURN

Big football games involving Kentucky are starting to becomemore typical inthe SEC. TheWildcat­s have one of the best offensive lines in the country and could qualify as a dark horse in an East Division race that has No. 4 Georgia and No. 5 Florida as favorites.

Kentucky and Auburn don’t play often— just once since2010— andwhen they do the Tigers usuallywin. Auburn is 17-1 in the series going back to 1967.

The Tigers debut an offense led by new coordinato­r Chad Morris and sophomore quarterbac­k Bo Nix.

HEISMANWAT­CH

D’ERIQKING, QB, MIAMI

King has accounted for five touchdowns (four passing and one rushing) andnot yet thrownan intercepti­on for the Hurricanes. The Houston transfer andMiamige­t a thirdstrai­ghtnationa­l stage toshowofft­heU.’snewup-tempo offense.

Another stellar performanc­e and King could grab hold of that early seasonHeis­man frontrunne­r status—

which often isn’t worth much in the long run.

Also, keep an eye on King’s teammate, Cam’RonHarris, who is averaging 10.31 yards per carry.

NUMBERS TOKNOW

0.93 — Average yards per carry allowed byNo. 21 Pitt’s top-ranked rushing defense. The numbers have come against bad competitio­n, but the Panthers’ defense has been smothering. No. 24 Louisville and star RB Javian Hawkins will provide a much stiffer test for Pitt on Saturday.

42-9 — Average score in Alabama’s last five opening victories. All of those have been nonconfere­nce games at neutral sites. Thesecond-rankedCrim­son Tide opens at Missouri as about a four-touchdown favorite on Saturday.

7-6— LaneKiffin’s record inhisone SEC season as coach at Tennessee. Kiffin bolted for USC after that one year. His unusual career path brought him back to the SEC as Alabama’s offensive coordinato­r and has now led him to Ole Miss. Kiffin’s first game as Rebels

coach is at homeagains­tNo. 5 Florida.

856 — Combined yards passing for TexasTechq­uarterback­AlanBowman and Texas quarterbac­k Sam Ehlinger intheir opening games It’s early, Bowman and Ehlinger areNos. 1 and 2 in the country in passing yards and they play Saturday in Lubbock.

UNDERTHERA­DAR

UTEPATLOUI­SIANAMONRO­E

Before you downplay the Miners 2-1 start, with both victories coming against FCS teams, realize UTEP is 2-34 over the last three seasons. That includes a loss to an FCS team.

The last time UTEP started a season 3-1was 2010. ULMcomes into the game 0-2.

HOTSEATWAT­CH

WILLMUSCHA­MP, SOUTHCAROL­INA

Pre-pandemic this looked like a make-or-break season forMuscham­p, who is 26-26 and 15-17 in the SEC in four season with the Gamecocks.

South Carolina opens the season at home against No. 16 Tennessee.

 ?? AL DIAZ — MIAMI HERALD VIA AP ?? File-Miami quarterbac­k D’Eriq King (1) leaps for a second-quarter touchdown against UAB during a Sept. 10game in Miami Gardens, Fla.
AL DIAZ — MIAMI HERALD VIA AP File-Miami quarterbac­k D’Eriq King (1) leaps for a second-quarter touchdown against UAB during a Sept. 10game in Miami Gardens, Fla.

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