CFB Preview: No. 23 FSU vs. No. 10 Miami

With Hurricane Matthew looming, the University of Miami Hurricanes will host the Florida State Seminoles on Saturday. The Seminoles look to bounce back after a tough loss in the last seconds to North Carolina while the Hurricanes look to stay undefeated.

FSU has owned the matchup recently, winning the last six meetings. This year, however, marks the first time in that span that Miami has been ranked higher than FSU in the AP Top 25.

Yup, it's FSU week. #BeatFSU pic.twitter.com/F8sxPuDdQL

— Miami Hurricanes (@MiamiHurricanes) October 4, 2016

Mark Richt

Miami owes much of their success to new head coach Mark Richt. Richt, an alumna and former player at Miami,  was the head coach of Georgia for the past 15 years before agreeing to coach the Canes this past offseason. Richt is also no stranger to the Seminoles, having spent another 15 years at various coaching positions for the Seminoles, which range from graduate assistant to offensive coordinator.

While the Hurricanes having been trending upward this season, the Seminoles have been doing the opposite. After getting off to a strong start defeating No. 11 Ole Miss, the Seminoles have struggled losing games to Louisville and North Carolina.

“We ain’t used to losing, ain’t going to get used to it.” https://t.co/7JsnwNQl5m

— FSU Football (@FSUFootball) October 4, 2016

The Seminoles will be looking to get their first ACC victory, with their biggest question being on the defensive side of the ball. The Seminoles, who remain impressive on offense ranked 22nd in points for, have allowed 35 points on average so far, ranking them 106th among Division I programs.

Running Attacks

Despite their recent struggles, Miami running back Mark Walton is prepared for a tough game.

Both Walton and Florida State running back Dalvin Cook are leading their teams in touchdowns, with both backs averaging over five yards per carry.

The games against Miami have a special meaning for Cook, who is a Miami native. Cook, grew up a fan of the Hurricanes, with most of his family still loyal.

FSU RB Dalvin Cook: "Just thinking [about] Miami winning just irks my nerve." #Noles https://t.co/WQ4B2ZNyVZ pic.twitter.com/gNO6ZP1fog

— Orlando Sentinel-FSU (@osfsu) October 3, 2016

The Series

Miami currently has the slight edge historically, leading the Seminoles 31-29. The Seminoles will look to close the gap, while preventing Richt from getting his 150th victory as a head coach.

Kickoff for the game is at 8 p.m. Saturday.