For most of the first two months of the 2020 football season, the schedule has played out according to how it was supposed to when games were announced in the early parts of August - until the past few days played out.
Thanks in no fault to the Miami Dolphins, Miami Hurricanes or FIU Panthers, several of those teams and others across the Sunshine State have seen games canceled and bye weeks moved around to where fans and players have had to adjust their own schedules.
What does that mean for us? It means the Dolphins will now get the week off after moving to .500 with a shutout win over the rival New York Jets last weekend. I mean, it's not like they are going to do anything this week that might draw attention...right?
Sports
It also means we get to focus on the college game with a 'Canes team that may have avoided getting trapped last weekend and now have their focus on a potential rematch against the one team who beat them this season - while the Panthers are just happy that, health permitting, they can get back on the field.
But, we all know what it really means - we get to break it all down with NBC 6's not-so-scientific ranking system.
Miami Hurricanes vs. Virginia Cavaliers (Saturday)
For the second straight season, the men from Charlottesville make the trip down to Hard Rock Stadium in a game where the location was moved due to the pandemic mania. Now, it's a game that could show Miami is one step closer to being 'The U' again.
Last weekend, the 'Canes bounced back from an ugly loss to ACC standard holder Clemson and - despite a few moments of concern - got a win over Pitt to show head coach Manny Diaz is able to do something others before him haven't: avoid the letdown loss that would come after losses to big name programs in the past.
Now, Miami comes into this weekend's game against a Cavaliers team that won the ACC Coastal Division last season - but has lost five of their last six games dating back to last season and enters with a 1-3 record in 2020 with three straight losses.
FIU Panthers vs. Jacksonville State Gamecocks (Friday)
While the 'Canes have played all their games as scheduled, the Panthers have just taken the field twice this season as several games bit the bullet over COVID concerns - including last week's game at Charlotte.
The positive side is that the men from Southwest Miami-Dade have a chance to get their first victory of 2020 against the only FCS foe they will play - a Gamecocks team who gave FSU a scare for the first half of their game earlier this month.
Other State Games
Speaking of FSU, the Seminoles hit the road after their upset win over a top five ranked team last weekend when Florida State takes on Louisville looking to get back to .500 for the first time in 2020.
The FAU Owls are hoping to play their second game of the season when they travel to face Marshall while St. Thomas travels to take on Southeastern.
In the NFL, the Jacksonville Jaguars hit the road desperate for a win as they take on the Los Angeles Chargers while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers - who were scheduled to play the Las Vegas Raiders on NBC's Sunday Night Football - will now play earlier in the day due to COVID concerns with the silver and black.
