Miami hoping to rekindle glory as FSU hits town
The stakes have not recently been what they used to be for the Florida StateMiami rivalry, but the Seminoles and Hurricanes usually put on a good show.
Before Miami won easily last year, the Hurricanes and Seminoles 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-ranked Hurricanes (2-0) are hosting ESPN’s “College GameDay,” and for the second straight week playing in prime time.
Florida State (0-1) will play without coach Mike Norvell, who tested positive for COVID-19 last week.
The Southeastern Conference also kicks off today,
putting three of the Power Five conferences in play. The Big Ten and Pac-12 are still at least a month away.
Best game
No. 23 Kentucky at No. 8 Auburn
Big football games involving Kentucky are starting to become more typical in the SEC. The Wildcats 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 since 2010 — and when they do, the Tigers usually win. 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.
Heisman watch D’Eriq King, QB, Miami
King has accounted for five touchdowns (four passing and one rushing) and hasn’t thrown an interception for the Hurricanes. The Houston transfer and Miami get a third straight national stage to show off a new up-tempo offense.
Another stellar performance and King could grab hold of that early-season Heisman front-runner status — which often isn’t worth much in the long run.
Also, keep an eye on King’s teammate Cam’Ron Harris, who is averaging 10.31 yards per carry.
Numbers to know
0.93 ——Average yards per carry allowed by No. 21 Pitt’s top-ranked rushing defense. No. 24 Louisville and star RB
Javian Hawkins will provide a much stiffer test for Pitt today.
42-9 — Average score in Alabama’s last five opening victories. All of those have been nonconference games at neutral sites. The second-ranked Crimson Tide opens at Missouri as about a fourtouchdown favorite today.
7-6 — Lane Kiffin’s record in his one 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 the Rebels’ coach is at home against No. 5 Florida.
Hot seat watch
Will Muschamp, South Carolina
Muschamp is 26-26 and 15-17 in the SEC in four seasons with the Gamecocks. South Carolina opens the season at home against No. 16 Tennessee.