Miami is facing another team with fancy stats this week, this time a North Carolina State program ranked No.1 in Division I-A in total defense and passing defense. Both rankings can be attributed to one impressive number: 97.5 passing yards a game.
N.C. State (4-2, 3-1 ACC) also has 22 sacks but beaten No.23 Virginia Tech, middling Maryland (3-3) and Wake Forest (3-3) and I-AA Richmond.
Saturday's game in Raleigh comes nine days after the Hurricanes (5-0, 2-0) faced the biggest threat yet to their pursuit of a national title. Miami, No.2 in the BCS standings released Monday, had to come from behind (at home, no less) to beat then-No.18 Louisville 41-38.
Hurricanes quarterback Brock Berlin 's stats are not fancy - at least not consistently so. But after his performance Thursday night, his teammates said they have no doubts he can handle the Wolfpack.
After Louisville outgained Miami 277-144 to take a 24-7 halftime lead, Berlin brushed off the boos from some in the Orange Bowl and the bruised chest he sustained in the second quarter. He switched to the shotgun and led the Hurricanes to scores on all six second-half possessions.
In the third quarter, Berlin completed 12 of 14 passes for 179 yards and two touchdowns. He led the Hurricanes on the winning 56-yard drive in the final minute, including a 4-yard completion on fourth down.
"When the situation gets rough and the game's on the line, Brock's going to step up every single time," fullback Quadtrine Hill told the Miami Herald . "That's what he does. That's why he's our quarterback."
BIG DEBUT: They're celebrating at Florida Atlantic this week and not just because the Owls are 5-0. FAU finally plays its home opener Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe at Lockhart Stadium in Fort Lauderdale.
Hurricane Jeanne pushed back their home opener a month, but it might end up being the best scenario for the Owls. Before they can move up as scheduled to I-A and the Sun Belt conference next season, the NCAA requires they average 15,000 fans.
Coach Howard Schnellenberger and his players could not have done more to create a buzz. FAU has won 15 of 16, with the loss coming in the I-AA semifinals last season to Colgate.
As a transitional team, FAU is ineligible for the playoffs this season, but it would be more than happy with a mythical Sun Belt championship. The Owls have already beaten league teams North Texas and Middle Tennessee with games coming up against Louisiana-Monroe, Troy New Mexico State and Florida International, which also is scheduled to move to the Sun Belt.
Three of those games are at home, and Schnellenberger said he expects solid support.
"What has happened is when we get somebody to come to the stadium, they come back," he said. "If we can get the big crowd out there this Saturday, they'll come back. We have met the test, and we have passed it."
Among the standouts for FAU has been tight end Anthony Crissinger-Hill of Tampa, a Jefferson High graduate. Crissinger-Hill leads the team with 26 catches for 384 yards and three touchdowns.
RATTLED: Florida A&M's 62-0 loss to Virginia Tech was its worst since 73-6 to Tuskegee in 1926. FAMU (2-5) didn't help itself by committing five turnovers.
"Virginia Tech is a real solid, genuine, bona fide I-A program, and we're not a top Division I-AA program," Rattlers coach Billy Joe told the Tallahassee Democrat . "So when you get that mixture of chemistry, it can be highly incendiary."
But at least it can be profitable. FAMU was paid $200,000 to be a homecoming opponent.
INSULT TO INJURY: It's hard enough for Central Florida fans to watch their team struggle under new coach George O'Leary with no easy answers in sight. But to ask them to pay for it?
Saturday's road game pitting the Golden Knights (0-6, 0-3 Mid-American Conference) against Miami (Ohio) will be televised (as part of ESPN's GamePlan package), but fans must pay $19.95 to see it. Perhaps the investment will be rewarded. UCF's last road victory was in 2002, 48-31 at Miami (4-3, 3-1). But probably not. It is a 231/2-point underdog.
