A storm is brewing in South Florida and its name isn't Ernesto.
When the No. 11 Florida State Seminoles travel to Miami the first weekend of the season, the only Hurricanes they will be concerned with will be on the field.
The Sept. 4 game against No. 12 Miami is more than just a tumultuous matchup between old rivals. For FSU, it's a chance to mark their elusive return to former status. It's an opportunity to prove to critics and fans alike that the adversities of the past five years will not be the trademark of this season's Seminoles.
Is this the FSU squad that finished with head coach Bobby Bowden's worst season (8-5) since 1981? Or are these the Seminoles that battled for over four hours in a triple overtime loss to Penn State in the Orange Bowl?
The team hopes to propel its performance in the latter into success this year.
"I feel like the last two games [of last season] we looked the way we used to look," Bowden told USA Today. "We looked like the team we used to be, back when Florida State was thought of every year as a national championship contender."
Whether or not FSU gets back to that level will largely depend on the offensive line, which saw little leadership and an average of just 94 rushing yards per game last year. The line needs to give more time in the pocket to sophomore quarterback Drew Weatherford, who has emerged this season with a much greater understanding of offensive play and has established himself as the leader of the offense.
"I think we have a little bit of our swagger back," Weatherford said. "I feel like with my class, the one before that, and the guys we have signed, that we have good chemistry and it will carry over on the field."
If the offensive line solidifies, the pressure will be on fifth-year senior running back Lorenzo Booker, who has had a solid but unremarkable career, to improve FSU's rushing average. Back in what he describes as the best condition of his life, he has high expectations for the season.
"If I rush for 1,200 yards, we're going to Arizona for the national championship," Booker said.
Although the offense returns several key players, the Seminoles have lost depth and experience on the defensive side to the NFL draft with four first-round selections. Returning only four starters, FSU will look to several talented young players, including Myron Rolle, one last year's top overall high school recruits.
The inexperienced Seminoles do have a favorable schedule on their side. After the Miami opener, Florida State faces most of its toughest opponents at home in Tallahassee, including matchups with No. 18 Clemson, Boston College and No. 7 Florida.
With this schedule, the Miami game could make or break FSU's season. The potential of the Seminoles this year may rest in their ability to overcome the mental hurdles of their past problematic play.
Then, maybe, the Seminoles can expect not a storm, but a bowl in Arizona.
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