Preview: FSU Hopes to Extend Rivalry Streak Over Florida

Who: Florida State Seminoles (4-6, 3-5 ACC) at Florida Gators (4-6, 3-5 SEC)
Where: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida
When: Saturday, Nov. 25 at 12 p.m. EST

Saturday’s game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Florida Gators is rare — not in a good way of course. This will be the first time since 1959 that both teams come into the contest with losing records. It will most likely be a close game, but not exactly for the reasons that people thought at the beginning of the year.

Florida State comes off a 77-6 shellacking of the Delaware State Hornets, which should not be taken as anything more than a tune-up game before a rivalry. That being said, there are a few factors which should be encouraging.

One is the fact that the Seminoles have settled on a punt returner in D.J. Matthews. Fans remember that the only touchdown Florida scored last year was on a fumbled punt by Nyqwan Murray. Other than that however, little has changed. The Seminoles will still rely on their run game and a bend-don’t-break defense to lead them to victory.

Florida exceeded expectations last week with a resounding 36-7 victory over the UAB Blazers. Despite having their head coach fired and losing five straight games, the Gators came out with a passion and put all doubt away early. They’ll be fired up going into what might be their last game of the season.

The talent at the skill positions is there, with Tyrie Cleveland and Kadarius Toney at wide receiver and Malik Davis and Mark Thompson in the backfield. Will Feleipe Franks be able to get it to them? Will their offensive line withstand the pressure?

To break down Saturday’s contest is lead writer Clint Eiland and editor Mike Ferguson:

Biggest Advantage for FSU

Clint: Run Game – With Jacques Patrick now functional, the duo of him and Cam Akers in the backfield should be able to run it right down the throat of the Florida defense. Contrary to popular perception, the Gators have struggled mightily with just about every good running back they’ve faced. The Seminoles should be happy to control the ground game and wear down a defense which has proven susceptible to it in most of their games.

Mike: The Defensive Line – Last season’s contest in Tallahassee was one where the Florida State defensive front stole the show with six sacks. Despite DeMarcus Walker being gone and the FSU pass-rush having taken a step backward, that’s again an area where the Seminoles should dominate. Florida State has depth up front and is coming off a 6-sack performance against Delaware State, led by Joshua Kaindoh’s four sacks. Blocking Kaindoh, Brian Burns and Josh Sweat should be a tall task for a Florida offensive line that has yielded 32 sacks in 10 games this season.

Biggest Advantage for Florida

Clint: Home Field – This might seem like a slight at Florida, but it truly is a big advantage in at least one aspect — facing true freshman James Blackman. Florida State’s quarterback has been turnover prone and tries to do too much with the ball in his hands. This feeds well into a Florida defense that is known for ball-hawking (13 interceptions) and will likely be inspired by the home crowd. It’s also Florida’s best chance to break the streak in years, which probably translates into an invigorated Gainesville fan base.

Mike: Having Nothing to Lose – While Florida State is looking to win out and preserve the nation’s longest bowl streak, the rival Gators come in with absolutely nothing to lose. At 4-6, this will be Florida’s final game of 2017 with a bowl already out of the picture. Florida will also be making a coaching change prior to next season, so interim head coach Randy Shannon can roll the dice and take some chances.

Game Breaker

Clint: Can Florida State Prevent the Big Play? – Tyrie Cleveland should be the No. 1 concern for Florida State on Saturday. He is a big play factory, constantly bailing out his quarterback and the offense as a whole with his spectacular catches. FSU cornerback Tarvarus McFadden has been shaky this year and Levonta Taylor is too small to put on Cleveland for many snaps. If he’s given the chances downfield, he could flip the game upside down.

Mike: Can James Blackman Make the Plays? – Despite the contest being of 4-6 teams, Saturday’s environment in Gainesville should be a tough one for freshman quarterback James Blackman to handle. Florida hasn’t been great against the run this season and will likely do all it can to force Blackman to win the game with his arm. After committing costly late turnovers in losses to Louisville and Clemson, Blackman may have gotten his confidence back with a 3-touchdown performance against Delaware State. Come Saturday, Blackman will be the most important player on the field for the FSU offense.