5 Miami Hurricanes to Watch vs. FSU on Saturday Night

The powerhouse days of Miami football have been over for a while. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out.

But that doesn't mean the Hurricanes haven't been competitive this season. Well, unless when "The U" has played against a ranked opponent, that is.

In two games against Top 25 foes, Miami has been crushed by a combined score of 93-16 and has given up over 1,000 yards of offense—664 of which were surrendered on the ground.

On Saturday, the Hurricanes face their heavily-favored rival, the No. 14 Florida State Seminoles.

With starting quarterback Stephen Morris likely out, Miami must have players step up on both sides of the ball in order to keep the game close.

Here are five Hurricane players to watch on Saturday night.

Note: Stats courtesy of NCAA.com

QB Ryan Williams

Sophomore QB Ryan Williams has the unenviable task of making his first career start at Miami against the vaunted Seminoles defense.

It's about to get real statistical up in here.

Florida State ranks third in the nation in total defense, giving up a mere 222 yards per game.

The Seminoles rank sixth in passing defense while allowing just 4.35 yards per attempt and have recorded 17 sacks on the year.

Compared to the Hurricanes, who allow nearly 27 first downs per contest, opposing teams have averaged a fraction over 13 first downs per game against FSU, which is second nationally only to the No. 1 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide.

The transfer quarterback from Memphis needs to bring his A-plus game to conquer the Seminoles.

He'll also need a little help from his friends.

RB Mike James

This is Mike James' last shot at the rival Seminoles.

According to Susan Miller Degnan of the Miami Herald, the senior running back knows he has to make this one count.

Head Coach Al Golden stated in the article that Miami will be patient offensively and won't abandon the run, fearing that otherwise the game could get out of control.

As a leader on this young Hurricane team (and while playing alongside the backup QB), James will have a lot of responsibility to keep Miami's offense focused and in rhythm.

Look for the veteran in the backfield to get plenty of touches early, and fight for every yard even harder than usual.

RB Duke Johnson

Though he is battling through a turf toe injury, true freshman Duke Johnson is still the biggest weapon for the Hurricanes.

Johnson has earned nearly 28 yards per kick return and almost 10 yards per touch.

But with only 16 yards allowed per kick return, FSU boasts the sixth best kickoff coverage team in the nation.

Something has to give.

While big plays against the Seminoles look to be at a premium, Johnson must be the game-changer he was early in the season and give the Hurricanes' offense a shorter distance to travel to put points on the board.

WR Phillip Dorsett

Between dropping two potential touchdowns on the opening possession against Notre Dame and having a pass hit him in the helmet after slipping near the end zone against North Carolina, Phillip Dorsett has experienced his fair share of struggles in recent weeks.

Prior to the past two games, the receiver from St. Thomas Aquinas (FL) was an extremely reliable wideout. Dorsett needs to snap out of his funk and help the Miami offense get some of those first downs that the Seminoles' defense so rarely allow.

Whether it be by taking the top off the FSU secondary, or slicing into the zone across the middle of the field, it is imperative that the sophomore catches each on-target pass.

Miami Defense

Defense wins championships. Well, that's why Alabama is ranked first in the nation. And it would explain why Miami is 4-3 on the season.

FSU quarterback E.J. Manuel will be a handful for the Hurricane secondary, but the true test for Miami's defense will come from the Seminoles' backfield.

Running backs Chris Thompson, James Wilder Jr. and Devonta Freeman are players with tremendous big play ability, while Miami has struggled mightily against the run—and pass for that matter—all year long.

The defensive line must generate pressure and disrupt the Seminoles' offense if the Hurricanes want to avoid a shootout—something "The U" cannot survive without Morris.

It could get ugly in South Florida, but if Miami is physically and mentally prepared, there is a chance that Saturday night could result in the season's second upset of a very talented Florida State team.