Florida State’s Mike Norvell says ahead of clash with Miami what every coach should about their biggest rivalry game
The Noles’ head coach has his team locked in on their in-state rivals.
The Florida State Seminoles welcome the Miami Hurricanes to Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday night for what will be one of the biggest games in both the ACC and the country so far this season.
The annual Sunshine State matchup has plenty on the line this year, with both teams firmly in the running for the ACC Championship Game and a spot in the College Football Playoff. The game is particularly important for FSU after having already dropped a conference game last weekend against Virginia 46-38 in double overtime.
But make no mistake, this game matters more than all others for both teams regardless of the records and what’s at stake. And that’s something that Florida State head coach Mike Norvell reminded everyone on the ACC Network this week leading up to the game
FSU head coach Mike Norvell says that it’s “a 365-day-a-year battle” to prepare for Miami
“For those that don’t know (about the importance of the Miami rivalry), I start off the year with it,” Norvell said. “I want to make sure that I help ingrain that, the importance of this game, the importance of this opportunity. It will be a game that they remember the rest of their life. I don’t care what the backstory of their journey was in getting here. Now they’re a part of it, and there becomes a responsibility for coaches, players, everybody involved. This represents so much, and our best is required. And that’s something that – it’s a 365-day-a-year battle in preparation for this game, and I know, as a football team, I feel that in their urgency, and I’m excited for what’s ahead.”
Often times the importance of a rivalry is written in marker everywhere you see during the week, such as when Michigan and Ohio State play at the end of the year. Other times coaches give coach speak about what a game means or give a cliche answer.
But there’s no sugar coating or playing down publicly what this rivalry means to both programs and what a win would mean for each side. And Norvell’s comments about preparing every day for beating the Hurricanes is what the focus and the goal should be each day. Beat Miami, and you are good enough to play with and take down anyone in the country.
We’ll find out soon enough if the Seminoles are indeed at the Hurricanes’ level on Saturday night when toe meets leather just after 7:30 pm ET.
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