FSU Miami football game fourth different coaching matchup in a row
The Florida State Miami football game will have its fourth different coaching matchup in as many seasons when the teams play Saturday night at Hard Rock Stadium.
For the fourth time in as many seasons, the Florida State Miami football game will have its fourth different coaching matchup. In 2017 Jimbo Fisher coached for Florida State against Mark Richt, Richt and Willie Taggart coached against each other in 2018, Manny Diaz and Willie Taggart matched-up in 2019.
Diaz will coach against interim head coach Chris Thomsen for FSU Saturday night. The Seminoles will be missing head coach Mike Norvell who it was announced last Saturday is out indefinitely after testing positive for Covid-19. If Norvell makes it past his first season, 2021 will make it five coaching matchups in five seasons.
The Miami football team has won the last three years against Florida State after breaking a seven-game losing streak in the Seminoles last season under Fisher in 2017. The Hurricanes needed a 23-yard touchdown pass from Malik Rosier to Darrell Langham with six seconds left for a 24-20 win.
In 2018 Miami needed a comeback from a 27-7 deficit in the third quarter to rally for a 28-27 victory. A N’Kosi Perry to Brevin Jordan 41-yard TD pass in the fourth quarter lead Miami to the win. It was the final season for Richt. Richt finished 2-1 against Florida State where he began his coaching career as an assistant.
Miami made a statement in more ways than one in 2019 against Florida State. Led by a defense that had nine sacks, Miami won 27-10. Taggart was fired after losing to Miami and just 21 games as the Florida State head coach. Nearly 11 months later, the Seminoles are facing Miami with an interim coach.
Miami offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee will be making his debut against Florida State on Saturday. Lashlee knows rivalries well. He was on the coaching staff at Auburn twice and coached at SMU the last two seasons against TCU. The aggressive play-calling Lashlee has become known for should become Miami-FSU lore.
The Miami Florida State rivalry does not have the national impact it did throughout the 1980s, early 1990s and early 2000s. Miami and Florida State have played 14 times with both teams ranked in the top 10. The Hurricanes hold a 10-4 lead. Seven of those games were from 1987-92 with Miami winning six.
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The one loss for Miami during those seven years came in 1989 and the Hurricanes went on to win the national championship. Miami and Florida State have played five times with both teams ranked in the top five. The Hurricanes have won six. Miami is 6-0 as a ranked team against unranked FSU as will take place in 2020.