Who: Delaware State Hornets (2-8, 2-6 MEAC) at Florida State Seminoles (3-6, 3-5 ACC)
Where: Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida
When: Saturday, Nov. 18 at 12 p.m. (Raycom Sports Network, Fox Sports Florida)
The final leg of the journey to bowl eligibility for Florida State starts Saturday at noon. The Florida State Seminoles will host the FCS Delaware State Hornets in what figures to be a dominating win for the home team. There’s little to be discussed in regards to how this game will likely pan out.
Delaware State is no Syracuse, or Boston College, or even a decent opponent. The Hornets are a bad FCS team who is coming to Tallahassee for a payday. That’s something the Seminoles should be happy to dole out because they certainly struggle with the teams who aren’t on their payroll.
To break down Saturday’s homecoming contest is lead writer Clint Eiland and editor Mike Ferguson:
Biggest Advantage for Delaware State
Clint: An underdog’s heart – By nature of the match-up, this is the one advantage Delaware State has. A victory over Florida State in Tallahassee would clearly be the biggest win in program history. All they need is turnovers, an unmotivated FSU, and a whole bunch of luck.
Mike: Money and the experience – For what looks like a certain loss, Delaware State won’t leave Tallahassee empty-handed. The program will receive a guaranteed $475,000 to play the contest. For the players, they’ll get a chance to play at one of college football’s grandest venues, even if the result is lopsided.
Biggest Advantage for FSU
Clint: Everything – There are no basic advantages that FSU does not have. Talent? Yeah. Motivation? Yep. Home field? Uh, huh. Better situation? Correct. It’d be one thing if Delaware State was a good MEAC program, but it might be the worst one. There’s virtually nothing FSU does not have an advantage in.
Mike: Talent – When we say that Florida State has a talent advantage over the team, it’s usually true, but in this case, it’s not even in the same league. Despite the dismal season, FSU is loaded with blue-chip talent. Delaware State ranks outside the top 100 in most statistical categories.
Game Breaker
Clint: Can FSU Remain Uninjured? – With cupcake games like this, it’s essential that Florida State tries to get through without any major injuries. Fans saw in 2016 what could happen on a freak play against an inferior opponent (Derwin James vs. Charleston Southern). With the big rivalry game against the Florida Gators on the horizon, the Seminoles need to be fully loaded to make one last push towards bowl-eligibility.
Mike: Can FSU Gain Confidence? – Florida State is going to win on Saturday and probably by a lot. Still, the Seminoles need to play well and avoid turnovers and penalties, if for no other reason to feel good about themselves heading into the rivalry contest against Florida. FSU is going to win, but it needs to execute the way it wants and build confidence, especially for quarterback James Blackman.
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