FSU football: 5 most important games on 2022 schedule
By Kelvin Hunt
Miami
If the Miami game were earlier in the year, it would likely be No. 1 on the list. The Noles finally broke through and defeated the Canes last season in a thrilling home game for the first time since the 2016 season.
The win snapped a four-game losing streak and likely was the final nail in the coffin for Manny Diaz. Ironically, Miami fans have tried to turn that into a positive since they hired Mario Cristobal away from Oregon.
Cristobal has given the dormant program some new life, and they have been firing on all cylinders on the recruiting trail this summer, but they still have a lot of flaws on that team. FSU will have a shot at making it back-to-back wins, which would go a long way in taking the luster off of Cristobal’s homecoming.
The game is later in the season and could be key in helping to swing some recruiting battles in favor of the Noles. A win would continue to support the message of Mike Norvell bringing the program back to national prominence.
A win over Miami also gives the Noles a shot at winning the state title for the first time since 2016, which would be huge for recruiting purposes.