FSU Football: Could similarities with 2016 Miami game benefit Noles?

FSU football again finds themselves the underdog on the road against rival Miami, while there is plenty of home based on a recent game between the schools.

When the FSU football team takes the field inside Hard Rock Stadium, the Seminoles will come into play with a 3-2 record after two rather embarrassing losses against a ranked Miami team who is a heavy favorite entering the game as they look to beat the Noles in South Florida for the first time since the opener of the 2004 season.

If it sounds like you have heard this story before, you have. With the exception of Miami being ranked No. 16 now and having a loss on their record so far this season, it’s the exact same story line as the 2016 season – the last time the Seminoles went down to Miami-Dade County and left with a victory.

That season, the Seminoles were coming off a last second loss at home to North Carolina and brought a FSU football team to town desperate to turn things around with a schedule in front of them that included Wake Forest, Clemson, N.C. State, Boston College and Florida among the games left – five of the remaining six foes the Noles will face to end this season.

Offensively, the Seminoles brought in a quarterback named Deondre Francois and a pathetic offensive line while the defense at the time was ranked in the mid 70s – while this year’s Noles team has not been able to block D12 to save his life at many points while the defense comes into this one ranked 86th in the country.

Am I saying that FSU football is going to win this one just because of similarities like stats and players who may still be on either team? No, of course not – this is a better Miami team on defense and the Seminoles are in the middle of trying to learn a new offense that seems to go so well for the team (sarcasm intended).

The point of this comparison is this: on paper, the Miami Hurricanes are supposed to run rough shot over FSU football and make this the biggest blowout win for those in South Florida in some time over their rivals – you know, the same thing they were supposed to do the last two seasons, which ended in one win for the Noles and one for the ‘Canes with six seconds to go.

But, contrary to what some may believe, the game this season will not be played on paper but on the grass inside Hard Rock Stadium – where the Seminoles have won the last five games played inside that stadium between the rivals.