It doesn’t get more personal than this.
Miami vs. Florida isn’t just another game on the schedule; it’s a battle for bragging rights, recruiting turf, and state pride. The Canes have a chance to silence the Gators and remind everyone who runs football in Florida.
Heading into the season, it was projected to be a top-25 clash at Hard Rock Stadium. With Miami holding up its end of the bargain, Florida has gone in the complete opposite direction.
College Gameday is still heading to Miami for one of the
biggest rivalries in college football, and it’s largely due to the success and hype the Hurricanes are experiencing this season.
The question is now, can the Canes take care of business in another rivarly game this season?
Well, looking at some matchups, this is going to be an interesting game between the Gators and Hurricanes.
Miami’s Defensive Line vs. Florida’s Offensive Line
The biggest positional battle that will have a big factor in determining the game will be in the trenches, specifically the Canes’ defensive line going up against one of the Gators’ best units, their offensive line.
Pro Football Focus has graded Florida’s offensive line at 83.3 for pass blocking and 75.8 for run blocking. It’s a respectable grade, especially considering that they just faced LSU and a ranked USF team.
Nonetheless, Miami needs to dominate this matchup to put Florida to bed early on Saturday night.
The defensive line for the Canes is arguably the best in the country, and it starts with Rueben Bain Jr. He leads the team with the highest graded score on the defense with 94.2. It’s incredible what he has done three games into the season and the amount of attention he draws from opposing offenses.
Bain wrecked the Notre Dame game in the fourth quarter, even recording an interception in the game. He has been phenomenal and has been hyped up on social media to be at least in the top ten in the Heisman race right now.
His counterpart, Akheem Mesidor, has been just as good, too. He has a 90.3 pass rush grade on PFF, which is slightly below Bain.
Mesidor has been elite for Miami, and he has another golden opportunity to rise to the occasion against a formidable opponent.
If Miami can constantly disrupt DJ Lagway by dominating the Gators’ offensive line, the Canes will be in great shape to win this primetime game.
Be on the lookout for Ahmad Moten Sr. and Justin Scott in the interior, going up against Jake Slaughter. Despite the tough matchup, they can be difference makers on Saturday night as well.
Keionte Scott vs. Vernell Brown III
The matchup in the slot is going to be fun to watch between Miami’s nickel corner Keionte Scott and Florida’s Vernell Brown III.
Scott has been nothing short of amazing for the Canes. He has allowed a 58% catch rate when targeted for only 56 yards. He has one pass breakup and hasn’t allowed a touchdown this season.
Brown has lined up in the slot 68.8% of the time for Florida and has been Lagway’s main target this season. He has 16 catches for 197 yards yet zero touchdowns.
You’ll see Billy Napier try to scheme up targets and touches for Brown, but it’ll be interesting to see how that gets played by DC Corey Hetherman and this Miami defense.
I believe it’s a good matchup for Scott heading into Saturday night. He had an impressive debut for the Canes against Notre Dame, and now he has another chance on primetime to build off his stellar play. He’s playing with tremendous confidence, and if he can neutralize Brown, the Gators’ offense could be stagnant for much of the night on Saturday.
OC Shannon Dawson vs. DC Ron Roberts
Undoubtedly, the strong suit of Florida (so far this season) has been its defense.
PFF ranks them as the 17th-best defense in the country, with an 89.3 overall grade, and the third-highest run defense grade at 93.5. The pass rush, on the other hand, is not that great. They are graded at 68.5, which ranks 72nd in the country.
It appears that Caleb Banks will not suit up for Florida as he suffered an injury against LSU last week. That will be one less guy to worry about on their defensive line, as Banks is a very talented player.
Myles Graham and George Gumbs Jr. have been a consistent presence for the Gators on the defense. What hasn’t been consistent is the secondary, where Shannon Dawson can expose them.
When you add up an inconsistent secondary and a weak pass rush, Dawson needs to dominate his matchup against the Gators’ defensive coordinator schematically.
The Canes should have a big day through the air on Saturday. Dawson is one of the best in the country when it comes to dialing up shot plays, and with the playmakers Miami has, we could see another big game between CJ Daniels and Malachi Toney.
Carson Beck has been great through three games, and his red-hot start should continue. With Florida being stout against the run, Beck should pick the defense apart in the air.
Dawson had a good game calling plays against Florida last season. Understanding that every game is different, including the personnel on both sides, it should be no different with the success he can have on Saturday night.
