TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The No. 3 Miami Hurricanes (4-0) will take on the No. 18 Florida State Seminoles (3-1) on Saturday night at Doak S. Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee.
Miami leads the all-time series 36-33 after defeating the Seminoles 36-14 last October at Hard Rock Stadium, while Florida State won the last meeting in Tallahassee in 2023.
Hurricanes quarterback Carson Beck has been the steady hand for Miami’s offense, completing 73% of his passes for 972 yards and seven touchdowns through four games.
His protection up front has been outstanding, with an offensive line that’s considered one of the best in the nation — anchored by Francis Mauigoa, Anez Cooper and Markel Bell.
Beck’s top receiving targets, CJ Daniels and freshman standout Malachi Toney, have provided explosive plays each week, while running backs Mark Fletcher Jr. and CharMar “Marty” Brown continues to give Miami a reliable ground-and-pound attack that has racked up a total of 781 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns.
Defensively, Miami has made a complete 180 under new coordinator Corey Hetherman, with defensive linemen Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor leading the charge.
In Miami’s Sept. 20 win over Florida, the Gators failed to convert a single third down, going 0-for-13 against the Hurricanes’ defense.
However, Hetherman’s unit now faces its toughest test of the season: slowing down FSU quarterback Tommy Castellanos.
Castellanos, who transferred to FSU from Boston College, has quickly become the centerpiece of the Seminoles’ attack, showing his ability to hurt defenses with both his arm and legs.
Through the first third of the season, the dual-threat quarterback has thrown for 848 yards, completing 45 of 70 passes with four touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s also been dangerous on the ground, adding 217 rushing yards and four scores on 41 carries.
The Seminoles lead the country in total offense, averaging 53 points and 600 yards per game, including 336 yards on the ground.
It’s a high-stakes in-state rivalry where both teams bring playoff hopes and powerful offenses into the spotlight. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
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