After winning two straight, it’s a safe assumption that Miami won’t be overlooking NC State when the two square off this weekend. The Pack will be facing a tough Hurricane’s defense and emerging offense. Pack Pride takes a look at the Miami football program.

Record 5-3 (2-2, ACC Coastal)

Miami National Statistical Rankings

Rushing offense...59

Passing offense...98

Total offense...96

Rushing defense...46

Passing defense...20

Total defense...28

Complete Miami Statistical Rankings

Recap of Miami’s last game versus Florida State from Collegefootballnews.com 

Miami 37 ... Florida State 29
And the rivalry just keeps getting more bizarre. Florida State got five Gary Cismesia field goals, including two 45-yarders in the second half, a 45-yard Toddrick Verdell interception return for a touchdown, and a six-yard Xavier Lee touchdown run on the way to a 29-24 lead late in the fourth quarter. The game appeared to be all but over when Miami's Kirby Freeman was stuffed on fourth and one on the FSU two, but the Canes got another chance and went 83 yards in 1:30 with Freeman hitting Dedrick Epps for a 13-yard touchdown pass with 1:15 to play. The two point conversion failed, leaving the door open for the Noles, but 11 seconds later, Colin McCarthy scooped up a Lee fumble for a 27-yard score to seal the win. FSU turned it over five times, Miami four times.
Player of the game: Miami LB Colin McCarthy made ten tackles, a tackle for loss and recovered a fumble for a 27-yard touchdown
Stat Leaders: Miami - Passing: Kyle Wright, 6-10, 88 yds, 1 INT
Rushing: Graig Cooper, 10-80, 1 TD. Receiving: Darnell Jenkins, 4-106
Florida State - Passing: Xavier Lee, 14-32, 208 yds, 2 INT
Rushing: Antone Smith, 22-114. Receiving: Preston Parker, 5-83
What does it all mean? ... Just when it seems like the Hurricanes are left for dead, they come up with a stunning late win over Florida State to potentially change things around. Kyle Wright might not be Tom Brady, and Kirby Freeman might have led the offense to the big late touchdown to get ahead, but there are huge problems if Wright isn't healthy and playing. Freeman is just way, way too inconsistent. The running backs came through to save the day, with the 1-2 punch of Javarris James and Graig Cooper making up for the passing game's issue. That has to continue through the final month.

JAMES, COOPER AND MCNEAL GIVE MIAMI YOUNG BUT TALENTED BACKFIELD

Miami’s running backs Javarris James, Graig Cooper and Shawnbrey McNeal might be the youngest backfield in the country, and certainly one of the most talented. James is a sophomore, while Cooper and McNeal are true freshmen.

James is the younger cousin of former UM great and current NFL star Edgerrin James. Last year as a true freshman, James led the team with 802 yards rushing, which ranked second on the school’s all-time list for rushing yards by a true freshman behind only Clinton Portis (838 yards in 1999).

Cooper, a true freshman from Memphis, leads the team with 564 yards rushing, with a fine 5.9-yard per carry average. He has two 100-yard games so far, and in the season opener vs. Marshall he had the best debut ever for a Miami running back, gaining 116 yards on 12 carries (a 9.7-yard average).

McNeal, who has played running back in only six games so far this season, has come on of late. In the Week Seven game against Georgia Tech, he scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 39-yard run on a fourth-down play.

FOURTH-QUARTER DOMINANCE

Over the last 22 seasons, Miami has been almost unbeatable when leading after three quarters. Since 1985, Miami has won 198 of 204 regular-season games in which it entered the fourth quarter with a lead. The five losses in this span occurred against Florida State and Georgia Tech (2006), Clemson (2004), East Carolina (1999) and West Virginia (1997). Prior to those five losses, UM’s last loss when leading after three quarters was in 1984 against Maryland (42-40), after leading 34-21 heading into the fourth quarter.

THE HURRICANES WHEN SCORING 30 OR 31 POINTS ...

• Miami has won 132 consecutive games when scoring 30 or more points since a 31-30 loss at Notre Dame in 1988.

• Miami has won 153 consecutive games when scoring 31 or more points since falling 39-37 to UCLA in the1985 Fiesta Bowl.

• Excluding bowl games, Miami has won 147 consecutive regular-season games when scoring more than 31 since a 47-45 loss to Boston College in 1984.

IF MIAMI SCORES FIRST ...

Beginning with the 1983 season, the Hurricanes have gone 193-20 when scoring first. The last exception was against Georgia Tech in 2007 when Miami scored first and led 7-0 at halftime. The Yellow Jackets overcame the 7-0 deficit to win 17-14.

Depth Chart

OFFENSE

SE 83 Sam Shields (6-0, 175, Soph.)

8 Darnell Jenkins (5-10, 188, Sr.)

85 Leonard Hankerson (6-2, 199, Fr.)

87 Khalil Jones (6-2, 217, Jr.)

LT 64 Jason Fox (6-6, 290, Soph.)

or 76 Chris Rutledge (6-5, 302, Jr.)

73 Cyrim Wimbs (6-3, 330, Sr.)

LG 72 Andrew Bain (6-3, 344, Sr.)

74 Orlando Franklin (6-7, 320, Fr.)

C 62 John Rochford (6-2, 273, Sr.)

70 A.J. Trump (6-3, 294, Soph.)

RG 71 Derrick Morse (6-4, 320, Sr.)

61 Joel Figueroa (6-5, 322, R-Fr.)

RT 77 Reggie Youngblood (6-5, 302, Jr.)

or 76 Chris Rutledge (6-5, 302, Jr.)

67 Tyrone Byrd (6-5, 298, Jr.)

TE 88 Chris Zellner (6-2, 242, Jr.)

84 Richard Gordon (6-4, 260, Soph.)

11 DajLeon Farr (6-5, 252, Jr.)

FL 82 Kayne Farquharson (6-2, 185, Jr.)

13 Ryan Hill (5-11, 195, Soph.)

QB 3 Kyle Wright (6-4, 225, Sr.)

7 Kirby Freeman (6-3, 214, Jr.)

TB 5 Javarris James (6-0, 211, Soph.)

or 2 Graig Cooper (6-0, 192, Fr.)

33 Shawnbrey McNeal (5-11, 190, Fr.)

FB 41 Jerrell Mabry (6-1, 275, Soph.)

18 Dedrick Epps (6-4, 248, Soph.)

DEFENSE

LE 94 Eric Moncur (6-2, 255, Jr.)

47 Vegas Franklin (6-3, 255, Sr.)

LT 91 Joe Joseph (6-3, 271, Soph.)

47 Vegas Franklin (6-3, 255, Sr.)

RT 54 Teraz McCray (6-1, 286, Sr.)

56 Luqman Abdallah (6-3, 307, Soph.)

RE 81 Calais Campbell (6-8, 280, Jr.)

49 Courtney Harris (6-3, 254, Soph.)

SLB 44 Colin McCarthy (6-3, 223, Soph.)

48 Spencer Adkins (5-11, 230, Jr.)

MLB 52 Tavares Gooden (6-2, 238, Sr.)

57 Allen Bailey (6-4, 270, Fr.)

WLB 50 Darryl Sharpton (5-11, 240, Soph.)

48 Spencer Adkins (5-11, 230, Jr.)

LCB 22 Bruce Johnson (5-11, 174, Jr.)

30 DeMarcus Van Dyke (6-1, 170, Fr.)

23 Tervaris Johnson (6-2, 226, Soph.)

RCB 27 Carlos Armour (6-3, 204, Jr.)

24 Chavez Grant (5-11, 177, Soph.)

S 1 Kenny Phillips (6-3, 210, Jr.)

6 Randy Phillips (6-0, 204, Jr.)

S 28 Willie Cooper (6-1, 214, Sr.)

or 35 Lovon Ponder (6-0, 209, Jr.)

SPECIAL TEAMS

PK 46 Francesco Zampogna (5-11, 200, Sr.)

17 Daren Daly (6-1, 179, Jr.)

KO 17 Daren Daly (6-1, 179, Jr.)

46 Francesco Zampogna (5-11, 200, Sr.)

P 25 Matt Bosher (6-0, 195, R-Fr.)

17 Daren Daly (6-1, 179, Jr.)

KC 86 Ross Abramson (6-0, 218, Sr.)

62 John Rochford (6-1, 273, Sr.)

PC 86 Ross Abramson (6-0, 218, Sr.)

62 John Rochford (6-1, 273, Sr.)

PR 2 Graig Cooper (6-0, 194, Fr.)

24 Chavez Grant (5-11, 177, Soph.)

KOR 13 Ryan Hill (5-11, 195, Soph.)

33 Shawnbrey McNeal (5-11, 190, Fr.)

32 Lee Chambers (5-10, 180, Fr.)