MIAMI (AP) – When No. 5 Miami practiced under the lights at the Orange Bowl last week, coach Larry Coker had his team watch a construction crew install extra bleachers behind the end zone.

However unnecessary, Coker wanted his players to realize the magnitude of the season opener against fourth-ranked Florida State tonight.

“Deep down, you know this is one of those big games that’s going to determine the whole season,” Hurricanes guard Chris Myers said.

The opener, postponed four days because of Hurricane Frances, features one of college football’s top rivalries being played for the third time in 11 months. It will be televised nationally in prime time. And the series could have Atlantic Coast Conference championship as well as its typical national title implications.

“I’ve been fortunate to be around some big games and big rivalries, but this is as big as it gets,” Coker said.

No rivalry has affected the national championship picture as much as Florida State-Miami over the last two decades.

Either the Seminoles or Hurricanes have played for the title 13 times in the last 21 years, including six of the last eight. And only twice – Miami in 1989 and Florida State in 2000 – has the series loser been able to play for it all.

Florida State won all four meetings between 1996 and 1999 and went on to play for three national titles. Miami has won the last five games in the series and played in consecutive championship games in 2001 and 2002.

The loser could find it even tougher to stay in the title hunt this year, with the teams now in the same conference.

“You think Miami-Florida State can’t get bigger, but it just did,” Seminoles running back Lorenzo Booker said.

The loser likely would need the winner to stumble twice to get back in the conference championship race.

“The winner of the game has got to feel like, Wow, this is a big step forward,”‘ Coker said. “Is it over? No. But without question, if we win that football game, we’ve got to feel pretty good about where we stand.”

That could change next year, when the ACC introduces a 12-team, two-division league and a conference championship game.

The extra game probably will take less pressure off the regular-season meeting between Florida State and Miami, because the loser could run the table in conference play and still get a shot at the ACC crown in the title game.

The in-state rivals are slated to open the season again in 2005, in Tallahassee.

“It’s a bittersweet thing,” Myers said. “It’s awesome because you’re playing against FSU in the first game, but if you lose – which we’re not expecting to – it’s not the end of the season, but you have to start from the bottom again and work your way up.”

Although both teams won their respective conferences last season – Florida State claimed its 11th ACC crown in 12 years, and Miami won its fourth straight Big East title and eighth overall – neither was a factor in the national title race. It was the first time since 1997 that both teams missed the championship game.

The Seminoles lost three times, including twice to Miami. The Hurricanes lost consecutive games to Virginia Tech and Tennessee in November.

They expect to be much improved this season. The Seminoles return all five offensive linemen to protect quarterback Chris Rix and open up holes for Booker and Leon Washington. The Hurricanes have running back Frank Gore healthy and added depth at receiver. Both defenses should be strong as usual, too.

But just like year’s past, this game probably will define the season.

“The ACC championship is the first step in trying to win the national championship, and we dont want to be in a hole after the first game,” Florida State safety Pat Watkins said. “So it’s not hard to tell how important this game is going to be for us.”

AP-ES-09-09-04 1635EDT