Is their defense that great or have they played mediocre offenses?
The same narrative that folks want to play with FSU and Alabama can apply to Miami and Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish were still trying to figure out themselves on offense in the season opener, and still took Miami to the brink.
Notre Dame was 4-9 on third downs and averaged 5.41 yards per play. They completed 19 of 30 passes for 7.4 yards per pass. The x-factor was two turnovers(much like FSU against UVA last week). Miami scored a field goal off one of those turnovers. They lost by a field goal at the end of the game.
I’m not going to talk about Bethune-Cookman. USF has a solid offense, but they don’t have the weapons FSU does. We know Florida’s offense has been a dumpster fire all season, but they managed to keep it to a one-possession game into the fourth quarter.
This FSU offense will be the first true test for a Miami defense that has some holes in it, especially in the secondary, and FSU has some bona fide weapons to take advantage of. There’s a reason the over/under points total is what it is.