By Carlos Pineda
SouthernPigskin.com

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Saturday’s game is a great measuring stick for the Hurricanes, whose first goal is to play in the ACC Championship Game.

The undefeated Miami Hurricanes are historic underdogs ahead of Saturday’s game against third-ranked Florida State, despite being ranked in the top 10 in all the major polls.

UM is 7-0 for the first time in 10 years, and got off to a great start this season under third-year coach Al Golden, a start which included knocking off rival Florida early in the season. But Miami has floundered recently, in particular on offense, and received criticism for its lackluster performances each of the last two games.

That begs the question: is Miami the seventh-best team in the country?

Well, that depends on your view. The Hurricanes have already won seven games this season, a feat which took all of last season to accomplish. The defensive production has improved steadily x94 ranking 17th in the nation in total defense x94 and has been able to make the necessary in-game adjustments. The offense, despite its struggles, has managed to pull out wins.

A win Saturday could further Miami along in its climb back to the top, but it plays its toughest opponent yet.

Florida State is basking in its success. There are talks that this year’s teams is one of the best in program history. Just in the month of October, the Seminoles have throttled Maryland, Clemson and NC State by a combined score of 163-31. The Noles have looked nearly flawless all season long, averaging an astonishing 52.6 per game and over 550 yards of total offense.

Quarterback Jameis Winston, along with a talented cast of receivers and running backs, has been simply spectacular. He is the first QB in program history to lead FSU to seven straight wins with 40 points or more.

Defensively, the Seminoles rank eighth in the country in total defense and are allowing only 13.0 points per game. They have allowed 14.8 points per game during their current 11-game ACC winning streak.

With an 8 p.m. kickoff on ABC, the spotlight is back on this rivalry in a battle of top-10 teams. Below we look at Miami’s keys to pull off the win.

Storylines to watch

The Play of Stephen Morris x94 The Miami QB hasn’t exactly had the season many expected he would. A lingering ankle injury has kept the UM signal caller grounded at times, and has likely contributed to his inaccuracy on some of his passes. Morris is averaging 209 passing yards per game and has tossed 10 touchdowns, but he has also thrown eight interceptions, including four against North Carolina. Florida State’s pass defense is averaging 153.7 yards per game and has picked up 10 interceptions on the year. Morris must protect the ball and limit negative plays. His best game this season came against Georgia Tech, when he completed 17 of 22 attempts for 324 yards and three scores.

Can Miami contain Jameis Winston x94 What hasn’t already been said about the freshman sensation? Winston passed his biggest test of this season so far with a performance for the ages x94 completing 22-of-34 attempts for 444 yards with three touchdowns x94 on the road, in a hostile environment, against a third-ranked team. The Hurricanes defense has recorded 22 sacks by 14 different players this season, and junior linebacker Denzel Perryman leads the team with 52 tackles. He had a signature game against the Gators earlier this season with 13 tackles. Perryman has had at least 10 tackles in three games this season.

Establishing the running game x94 It goes without saying that the running game is integral, especially in this rivalry. Since 1988, the team that rushes for more yards has won 19 times in 26 games. The Hurricanes have found a solid duo in the backfield with the play of Duke Johnson and Dallas Crawford. Johnson is averaging 182.9 all-purpose yards and ranks eighth all-time in program history in all-purpose yards. Despite rushing for 823 yards this season, Johnson hasn’t quite had his best games against the better competition. He rushed for 59 yards and a a touchdown against Florida. While Johnson scored the last two touchdowns against Wake Forest, the emergence of Crawford has paid dividends in helping establish a dynamic run-game. UM is averaging 214.7 yards per game. The Florida State defense is allowing 135.7 yards per game and held Miami to only 29 rushing yards last season.

On the flip side, the Seminoles have rushed for 212.3 yards per game this season and are led by a trio of running backs: Devonta Freeman, James Wilder, Jr. and Karlos Williams.

Final Thoughts

Miami’s sluggish starts and Florida State’s well-oiled machine make Saturday’s game a huge challenge. This game is a great measuring stick for the Hurricanes, whose first goal is to play in the ACC Championship Game. A win over Miami would most likely prop Florida State to second in the BCS standings, keeping its hopes of playing for a national championship alive.