The University of Miami-Florida State University rivalry grows in strength every year like a hurricane over warm water, and this year is no exception. The most anticipated football game of the season is finally here after being postponed due to Hurricane Frances.
“It’s a game of many firsts – it will be Miami’s inauguration game into the ACC,” Dr. Pat Whitely, vice president of Student Affairs, said.
Whitely said that arriving early to the Orange Bowl is essential. Although an extra 1,000 seats have been added to the East end zone -making a total of 8,000 seats designated to students – students are urged to come early to be guaranteed a seat. Gates will open two-and-a-half hours before the game, and most students have already planned to be there in advance, with many tailgating at the Orange Bowl with their friends.
Football season is always an exciting time at UM. The buzz around campus since the beginning of the semester has surrounded this in-state showdown between the ‘Canes and the Noles.
“Seeing these two teams battle it out always makes for an exciting game and for a great environment on campus as well,” Lindsey Hall, junior, said.
Even freshmen have picked up on the intensity of the UM/FSU rivalry, and are just as hyped up as the rest of the UM community.
“The greatness of our football team is one of the reasons why I chose to attend UM,” Alex Joseph, freshman, said. “I couldn’t be more excited about this match-up.”
The outcome of the game also determines who gets the coveted bragging rights that UM has held for the past four years.
“I’ve already begun bragging to my friends at FSU about how we’re going to dominate them,” Michelle Denton, junior, said. “There is a lot on the line.”
Some students are going so far that they are putting friendships on hold for the game.
Jordon Edwards, junior, has a good friend who attends FSU.
“For one game, we’re not going to be friends,” Edwards said.
“The ‘Canes-Seminoles rivalry is one of the greatest, always ending with classic football moments, such as FSU missing yet another field goal,” Ryan McCavitt, sophomore, said.
According to junior Max Panoff, there is only one thing to say about the rivalry between the ‘Canes and the Noles.
“It’s non-existent. We’ve won the last five games against them, and it’s not going to change now,” Panoff said. “There is no competition.”
Meghan Risser can be contacted at m.risser@umiami.edu.