The Florida State Seminoles will start their season against the No. 9 ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish on September 5th. Last year, the Seminoles finished with an overall record of 3-6, so Florida State is expected to improve in Norvell’s second season. This first matchup will be tough for the Seminoles, for Notre Dame finished 10-2 last season; Notre Dame’s only losses were to Alabama and Clemson. A home win for Florida State could turn their program in the right direction. There are crucial matchups on either side of the ball, which will decide who wins this game.
McKenzie Milton vs. Notre Dame’s Secondary
Undoubtedly, McKenzie Milton’s play this season will determine Florida State’s success. If he can replicate his ability from his years at UCF, the Seminoles’ offense will be on a roll. Notre Dame’s secondary is actually pretty solid; they only allowed more than 30 points in four games last season. Milton will have to make use of targets such as Andrew Parchment and Ontaria Wilson for the Seminoles to stretch the field. Enforcing the passing game will cause the Fighting Irish to play back, and Jashaun Corbin can hopefully get the running game going. Florida State has an experienced offensive line, and they return 10 starters from last year. The offense is the key to lead the Seminoles to a statement victory in this game; a strong performance by Milton could put him in the race for the Heisman Trophy.
Jack Coan and Kyren Williams vs. Florida State’s Defense
Recently, Brian Kelly named Jack Coan the starting quarterback for the Fighting Irish. A transfer from Wisconsin, Coan will have to replace Ian Book and run Notre Dame’s offense. The regular criticism against Notre Dame is that they cannot win in NY6 Bowls or the playoff. However, they do perform well against worse teams; so, the Seminoles will have to be fully prepared for Saturday.
Florida State returns seven starters on defense, and the Seminoles were able to grab Jermaine Johnson out of the transfer portal. However, the defense did allow 35 points or more in each of the past four games. In fact, Florida State gave up 42 points to Notre Dame last year. Adam Fuller, FSU’s defensive coordinator, will need to game plan to limit Kyren Williams and the running game. Even in today’s offensive era, games and championships are won by great defensive play in the trenches.
Concluding Thoughts
Notre Dame is arguably the second toughest opponent for the Seminoles this season. A win in this game would definitely turn heads in the ACC. Milton and Florida State’s offense will need to perform better than last year to beat the Fighting Irish. Moreover, the defense needs to make changes and force Jack Coan to throw the ball rather than let Kyren Williams run down the field. Florida State’s season doesn’t depend on this game, but an upset by the Seminoles would get them back in the conversation for an ACC Championship.