For the first time since the finale of the 2019 regular season, a game involving teams from the state of Florida’s Big Three programs has both programs with winning records - and in what may be a shock to some, the game doesn’t involve the Miami Hurricanes.

The Florida State Seminoles and Florida Gators will meet Friday night in Tallahassee (the first games between the two in the capital city since the 2018 season) in a game that has both teams bowl eligible for the first time since 2019.

Even what’s more shocking than the fact that FSU enters the final week of the regular season with an 8-3 record and the Gators come into the game with a 6-5 record is how much both teams, at this point, are somewhat ahead of the Miami Hurricanes.

With yet another loss this past week (this time a 30-point blowout at the hands of a ranked Clemson team), the ‘Canes find themselves with a 5-6 record and in serious jeopardy of doing something not done since the 2007 season: finish the regular season with a losing record.

So, just to recap things for those who might have missed so far: the ‘Canes went from a team predicted to win their division of the ACC to being one more loss from not playing in a bowl game. At the same time, both FSU and UF went from teams with losing records last season to both already knowing they will be going bowling.

Why is that? Is it because the ‘Noles and Gators are really that much better at this point than the ‘Canes?

If you’re FSU, it has to do with going through the bad moments to get to this point. After starting the 2021 season with an 0-4 record that included the program’s first ever loss to a FCS team, the Seminoles are 13-6 since and have a chance to be state champs for the first time since 2016 with a win Friday.

If you’re Florida, it comes down to doing something the ‘Canes haven’t this season: win the easy games. The Gators started the season with a win over a ranked Utah team and won the other five games everyone suspected they would – with Saturday’s loss to Vanderbilt being Florida’s first this season to a team that wasn’t ranked.

If you’re Miami, the ‘Canes have stared down the barrel of losing in the last two weeks to FSU and Clemson by a combined score of 85-13 to go along with losses to such power programs as…Duke…and Middle Tennessee State…and a Texas A&M team that is now 4-7 this season. But at least the North Carolina loss was a quality one…right?

The future may be bright in Coral Gables with what Mario Cristobal has in the works, but the present shows the ‘Canes are looking up at both their rivals from Tallahassee and Gainesville.