In the world of sports rivalries, there aren't many that are more intense than the yearly battle on the football field between the Miami Hurricanes and the Florida State Seminoles. While it's taken a few years off from being college football's top game, there was a 30+ season period where it couldn't be topped.
From 1983 to 2013, the teams combined to win eight national championships in those 31 seasons while playing for the title a combined seven additional times. For one Saturday each fall, fans in orange and green can truly say they hate anyone in the colors garnet and gold.
Which is why the following sentence might make fans and alums of both schools scratch their heads: Miami and FSU fans should root for each other to win as many games as possible this upcoming season.
Yes, it sounds crazy to have two hated rivals cheering for each other to win. But, in the ever changing world of major college football, both the 'Canes and 'Noles need to look their best in an effort to abandon their current conference home, the ACC.
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With the news last week that the Big Ten signed a massive television contract with multiple broadcast networks, including NBC and Peacock, the conference who already has 16 teams with the recent additions of USC and UCLA will likely be expanding by as many as four more teams in the near future.
Do both Miami and FSU have the name recognition and championship history that would make them attractive to the Big Ten? Of course. Do they have the recent success to tell the conference there is a bright future? Well, that's another story.
The 'Canes have gone more than two decades since winning its last national title (2001) and have as many losing seasons as they do bowl wins (three each) since the 2004 season. Miami has not won the ACC since joining the conference in 2004 and has won the Atlantic Division just once.
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FSU, meanwhile, does have a national championship in 2013 and three straight ACC titles from 2012 to 2014 on its resume. At the same time, it also has four straight losing seasons for the first time since the mid-1970s and had arguably the most embarrassing loss in program history last season to FCS member Jacksonville State.
If both teams, who seemed like they would be fleeing the ACC together, want to get out the best way would be to have a successful 2022 season. Both teams don't have to be undefeated when they meet November 5th in Miami Gardens, but having no more than two losses each would go a long way to help.
So, Miami fans, you may want to do the tomahawk chop with all five fingers when the 'Noles play teams like LSU, Clemson and Florida. FSU fans, it might be time to throw up the U when the 'Canes play Texas A&M, North Carolina and Clemson. Except for one Saturday in November, being the best of friends could be beneficial to your future.
