Miami continue their bye week unbeaten at 5-0, with tonight’s Florida State visit to Louisville offering an opportunity to assess the Hurricanes’ next opponents.
Florida State face an important test tonight
Miami might not be playing this weekend, but there is still a game worth keeping an eye on.
Tonight, Florida State travel to Louisville for a Friday night ACC clash.
And with the Seminoles heading to Hard Rock Stadium next weekend, it is a useful opportunity to see exactly what Miami will be facing.
The Hurricanes are enjoying a well-earned break after their impressive 41-13 victory over Clemson, but the next challenge is already approaching.
Florida State arrive at tonight’s game with a 3-2 record, having recovered from a difficult start to the season.
Their most recent performance was particularly impressive.
The Seminoles demolished Virginia 38-7, with quarterback Ashton Daniels producing one of the standout individual performances of the college football weekend.
Daniels rushed for a school-record five touchdowns and finished with 136 rushing yards.
That is something Miami’s defensive staff will certainly have noticed.
However, tonight provides another test.
Louisville might be 2-3, but all three defeats have come by just three points.
The Cardinals also possess one of the ACC’s most explosive offences, averaging 486 yards and 38.6 points per game.
This should provide a much better indication of how far Florida State have progressed.
Daniels gives Miami something to think about
The biggest storyline surrounding Florida State is the development of Ashton Daniels.
His performance against Virginia was good, but Miami will want to see whether he can reproduce that success against stronger opposition.
The Seminoles have become increasingly dangerous when Daniels uses his legs.
Against Virginia, Florida State also produced ten sacks, their highest total in a game since 1989.
That defensive performance is another reason tonight’s game deserves attention.
Miami’s offensive line has dealt with injuries, and protecting Darian Mensah will be particularly important when the rivalry game arrives.
For me, there are two things worth watching tonight.
First, can Louisville contain Daniels and force Florida State to rely more heavily on its passing game?
Second, can the Seminoles generate the same defensive pressure against Louisville’s explosive offence?
Those answers could tell us plenty about next weekend.
Miami’s priority remains recovery
Miami’s own injury situation remains the biggest concern heading into rivalry week.
Starting right guard Max Buchanan has been the subject of considerable discussion following reports earlier this week about his hospital photograph.
However, there has been no further official diagnosis or confirmed return timetable available this morning.
The same cautious approach applies to other players recovering from injuries.
The bye week gives Mario Cristobal valuable time to assess his options and allow players to recover.
At 5-0, Miami have put themselves in an excellent position.
Keeping the roster healthy enough to maintain that momentum is now essential.
A useful Friday night watch for UK Canes
There is actually some useful college football viewing tonight.
Florida State at Louisville
Friday 9 October
7pm ET | Midnight UK
Coverage: ESPN US/ DAZN & Disney + UK
For UK Canes, that means staying up into Saturday morning to watch next weekend’s opponents.
Miami’s own rivalry clash is scheduled for Saturday 17 October at 7pm ET, another midnight kick-off here in the UK.
There is also a small piece of official Miami news worth mentioning.
Miami Athletics are running a No Fee Friday ticket promotion today, with booking fees removed from eligible Hurricanes football ticket purchases through the official offer.
The promotion ends at 11:59pm on 9 October.
It will not be much use to most of us watching from this side of the Atlantic, but anyone planning a trip to Miami might want to investigate.
The Last Word from Across the Pond
It has been a quieter Friday around Miami, but that does not mean there is nothing worth following.
Florida State’s trip to Louisville tonight provides an opportunity to assess the Hurricanes’ next opponents, particularly the threat posed by quarterback Ashton Daniels.
Miami have earned their weekend off after reaching 5-0, and the priority remains getting players healthy before rivalry week.
The Clemson victory showed just how good this team can be.
Now the challenge is maintaining that standard.
For tonight, we can put our feet up, watch Florida State and hopefully learn a little more about what awaits Miami next Saturday.
