The Miami Hurricanes fell to Florida State last season in a surprisingly low 7-10 game. It seemed hopeful that the tides would turn in 2006 with play in Miami, but the suspensions of several key players, including running back Tyrone Moss and receiver Ryan Moore, may have made this one tighter than many originally expected, though Miami still the favourite. by 3 points in Monday night’s matchup.

2005 Miami Hurricanes record: 9-3
Returning starters offense: 5 defense: 6

The offense: In 2005, Miami’s offense came under a lot of scrutiny as the Hurricanes posted their lowest point production since 1997. Larry Coker is looking for a new offensive coordinator, Rich Olson, to reinvigorate Miami’s attack. This will be a pretty daunting task in Game 1 with your starting running back against last season’s 14th ranked defense, but the Seminoles have lost 6 of their top 7 tacklers and while they will be a solid defensive unit, they won’t be at their best. in Game 1. Quarterback Kyle Wright, who led the ACC in touchdown passes last season, should improve along with his talented but underachieving receiving core of Lance Leggett, Darnell Jenkins and Ryan Moore. Miami also has one of the best tight ends in the country again this year in Greg Olsen. Despite the suspensions, the Hurricanes will be able to put more than 7 points on the board against the Seminoles defense.

The Defense: It was Miami’s defense that made most of the big plays last season and it will be the defense again in 2006 with far fewer worries than the offense. How good was the ‘canes’ defense last season? They had the 4th best overall “D” in the nation and were #1 against the pass. The secondary should be strong once again with the return of safeties Brandon Meriweather and Kenny Phillips. Miami’s secondary will be a big test early on for young Drew Weatherford, who has created a lot of buzz by breaking Phillip Rivers’ ACC Freshman record for TDs and yards. With the problems the Seminoles had on the field last season, you should expect to see a lot of strength from Miami, the secondary, against Florida State, the passing attack, on Monday night. Initially, I’ll give the Miami defense the advantage, but if Miami’s offense has trouble moving the ball, a tired defense could allow Weatherford a few late-game strikes.

2005 Florida State Seminoles record: 8-5

Repeat starters offense: 5 defense: 5

The offense: If Miami’s defense has a weakness, it’s against the run, returning just 2 starting defensive linemen and an undersized core of linebackers. However, if the Seminoles have a weakness, it’s football. Florida State was ranked 109th out of 117 Division IA programs last year with just 94 rushing yards per game. If the ‘noles can’t do a better job on the ground in this case, the ‘dogs will be able to sit back and make it harder for Weatherford to find open targets. The running game was a big emphasis all spring and I expect it to be improved with the 2 back attack of senior Lorenzo Booker and sophomore Antoine Smith. Any improvements will set Weatherford free for an even bigger year in 2006.

The Defense: The Seminoles produce NFL talent on the defensive side of the ball year after year, as their players consistently make up one of the fastest defenses in the country. Replacing All-ACC and All-Americans normally hasn’t been too difficult a task for defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews, but he had to replace 6 of FSU’s top 7 tacklers from last season, including the top linebackers in the league. conference in Sims and Nicholson. . The ‘noles will be based around senior linebacker Buster Davis, who was the second-best tackler last season with 91 saves. The Seminoles defense will be young, but it will be talented and lightning fast. I anticipate they will be left with a Hurricanes offense, which will not be a well-oiled machine with missing players and a new offensive coordinator.

Inexperience could dwarf the talent of Florida State’s youngsters on the defensive side of the ball, allowing Miami to capitalize on crossing patterns and movement sets on offense. On the other side of the coin, if Miami isn’t ready for an enhanced running attack from Florida State, the Hurricanes could lose their projected ACC title in Week 1.

Ultimately, Jimmy Boyd knows which team will be most prepared for the first big matchup of the season, and he’ll be able to get a lot out of picking up one of our premium packages for Monday night’s game.