Miami and Florida State are ranked in the top 25 for the first time since week one of the 2018 season. Many assumed that the two teams (Miami ranked 22nd, Florida State 3rd) would dominate the conference together since the Hurricanes joined the conference in 2004
The ACC has been in some controversy this offseason as the two rival schools in the Sunshine State were part of a "Magnificant 7" that were trying to find its way out of the league. There were questions about whether the ACC would stay together with the much conference realignment happening over the landscape of college football, but through it all, the conference is still intact. In fact, the conference welcomed new members Stanford, California, and SMU just under two weeks ago.
Both teams are not just off to 2-0 starts but convincingly beat two SEC teams.
Florida State flexed its muscles against LSU 45-24, and Miami out-physicaled Texas A&M 48-33.
The ACC is currently 4-1 against the SEC in this early college football season.
The way in which Miami won the game against the Aggies and its dominant win over Miami (OH), compared to losing to A&M last year, proves that Miami is indeed making "progress." The other preseason contenders, Clemson and North Carolina, have not been overly impressive. The Tigers were beaten by three scores by Duke 28-7 in the season opener, and the Tar Heels needed two overtimes to defeat unranked Appalachian State.
It's certainly not out of the realm of possibility for both teams to meet in Charlotte for the ACC championship game. This scenario most assumed would happen maybe every other year since Miami joined the conference. And maybe, just maybe, it will benefit both teams to stay in the conference for the opportunity to get one of the best rivalries in college football twice in a year.
Saturday afternoon, many thought that it was the same ole Miami as Texas A&M jumped out to a 17-7 lead just 17 minutes into the game after two special teams errors. But the Hurricanes scored 24 points in the next two quarters to the Aggies' three, and when A&M trimmed the lead Miami responded. Tyler Van Dyke's 64-yard strike to Jacolby George with 2:36 ended any chance of a comeback. FSU continued its dominance dismantling Southern Miss 66-17.
Miami and Florida State are closer than people may think as the Hurricanes will be favored in every game left on its schedule except for its November 11th trip to Tallahassee. We have a long way to go, but if both teams remain consistent and relatively injury-free from this point forward, a rematch in the conference title game could be in the cards.
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