Miami coach Al Golden knows importance of FSU game for team, job

Hurricanes have lost 5 straight against Seminoles

Florida State cornerback Jalen Ramsey had the game-saving interception against Miami last season. (FSU Sports Information)

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Miami Hurricanes head coach Al Golden knows it's important that his team has a good week of practice in preparation for Saturday's rivalry game at No. 12 Florida State.

The Hurricanes returned to practice Tuesday looking to put their 34-23 loss to Cincinnati behind them.

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"We obviously have a lot of work to do between now and Friday to play the game we want to play," Golden said. "We have a lot of respect for Florida State and the type of environment we're going into and the challenge it presents. We're just preparing our guys accordingly."

In many ways, Miami's upcoming game against the Seminoles is the defining moment of his career.

The last time Miami visited Bobby Bowden Field at Doak S. Campbell Stadium, the Hurricanes were undefeated and ranked seventh in the country, but then-No. 3 Florida State spoiled the party with a 41-14 win. Miami unraveled after that game, losing three of its next five games, including a lopsided 36-9 loss to Louisville in the Russell Athletic Bowl in Orlando.

Last season, Miami rebounded from a 3-3 start to win three in a row before hosting the Seminoles.

Miami led 23-7 in last year's game before the Seminoles rallied for a 30-26 win. Miami native Dalvin Cook ran for two scores, including a 26-yard touchdown with 3:05 remaining that proved to be the difference in the game.

Golden, who has felt the heat since that last trip to Tallahassee, recognizes the importance of a victory this weekend.

"It'd be big," Golden, who is 0-4 against Florida State, said of a win. "I thought we played with a lot confidence last year. We didn't finish. We left a lot of plays out there. I don't think you can carry anything forward but the experience. I think our guys that played in that game a year ago have to lead now. We have to learn a lot from what we did well and what we didn't do well. That's going to be critical -- that we have that experience, that we share that experience with the guys that haven't been in the game, and really just keep our focus on the game and not everything that surrounds it."

For the Seminoles, a win would extend the streak to six games -- the longest span since Florida State won seven straight from 1963-72. The Hurricanes last defeated the Seminoles when Bowden was in his 34th and final season at FSU in 2009. That game was also in Tallahassee.

"They'll be fired up," Golden said. "We know Florida State will be fired up."

Golden said he's looking for more consistency from his team this week than what was on display in Cincinnati last Thursday.

"It's my responsibility, at the end of the day," Golden said. "We just have to be a consistent team. We have to consistently play at a high standard and a high level, irrespective of who's in the game or if we have an injury or something else is in the game, or whatever the case may be. Whoever goes in has to play at a high level, and we have to execute at a high level. There's no excuse. We didn't do it the other night. It's as simple as that."

Golden said the team hasn't shown any sign of letdown after the loss and realizes that the goal of winning the Atlantic Coast Conference -- something Miami hasn't done since joining the league in 2004 -- is still within reach.

The outcome will also play an important role in the recruiting process. Cook is arguably the most obvious example.

Cook burst onto the scene at Florida State as a true freshman in 2014, rushing for 1,008 yards and eight touchdowns. The accolades set a Florida State freshman record.

A season earlier, while the Seminoles were steamrolling opponents on the way to the national championship, Cook was finishing his senior season at Miami Central Senior High School, where he won Florida's Mr. Football Award. The offensive star for the Seminoles is nursing a hamstring injury and hasn't practiced this week, but he could be back in the lineup by Saturday.

"It is important," Golden said. "It's important for us in a lot of different respects, but none of that matters if you don't prepare and keep your eyes focused on what we have to do every day. That will take care of itself if we play well. That's what we have to do. We have to play well, execute (and) play with poise. We need leaders to lead, and we need to do the things in that game to be successful."

The game will air at 8 p.m. Saturday on Local 10.

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Miami at Florida Atlantic, Sept. 11: Miami makes the short trip north to Boca Raton for its first-ever visit to FAU Stadium. This Friday night game will give Florida Atlantic a chance to showcase its 5-year-old stadium against a marquee opponent. The Hurricanes soundly defeated the Owls, 34-6, the last time these teams met in the 2013 season opener.