Miami a record favorite against Florida State and it may not be enough
· Yahoo Sports
A rivalry in which both teams were ranked in the final poll 25 times since 1980, 17 of those years both closing in the top 10, has become lopsided.
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When Florida State (3-3) and Miami (5-0) play Oct. 17 at Hard Rock Stadium in South Florida, the Hurricanes will enter as the heaviest favorite in the series going back at least 45 years - and likely much longer.
The No. 3 Hurricanes are laying up to 23 points, with the consensus 22.5 according to Vegas Insider. And that number could grow with the UM offense, led by quarterback Darian Mensah, the most potent in the country and FSU's defense ranked 121st nationally, with just four worse in the Power Four conferences.
Mensah (1,438 yards, 15 touchdowns, no interceptions) and wide receiver Malachi Toney (39 catches, 604 yards, six touchdowns) have emerged as two of the top Heisman Trophy contenders.
Additionally, the Seminoles program knows its coach, Mike Norvell, likely will be fired before the end of the season, a decision that could be expedited with an ugly loss at Miami.
The Hurricanes, who were off this weekend, were made a 19.5-point favorite after Florida State's embarrassing 44-20 lass at Louisville Friday night, a game in which the Seminoles surrendered 35 consecutive points after taking a 14-0 lead.
The Seminoles allowed the Cardinals to gain 397 yards on the ground, the most allowed under Norvell and second most in program history. And, 209 yards of that total came on three scoring plays: Isaac Brown's runs of 97 (a Louisville record) and 68 yards, and a 44-yard run from Braxton Jennings. While the Seminoles' defense has been inconsistent this season, its run defense had been a strength in prior games and had mostly limited explosive plays.
FSU coach Mike Norvell says defense 'sucked'
Norvell was blunt after the game.
"It sucked...," Norvell said about the defense while thumping a press conference table. "We gave like 20 freaking yards of rushing a week ago, and this week it was 400 yards.
"It's not because, 'Oh hey, we just forgot to coach this week.' You got to go and be able to execute in the moment. You got to be able to take what you do during the course of the week, yeah, short week and all the things, but that's what we coach and work to play for."
The largest point spread in the FSU-UM series in at least the last 45 years is 21 points, including two years ago when 7-0 Miami defeated 1-6 Florida State, 36-14, at Hard Rock Stadium.
FSU was a 21-point favorite in back-to-back seasons, winning 33-20 in 2012, and 41-14 the next season.
Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Miami a record favorite against Florida State and it may not be enough