Column: Noles Should Embrace Underdog Role in ACC

With all 11 starters returning on offense and arguably three of its four best defensive players in DeMarcus Walker, Derwin James and Marquez White, Florida State looks to be a team in position to compete for a national championship in 2016.

With a young roster, a brand new offensive line and uncertainty at quarterback a season ago, the Seminoles won 10 games and reached a New Year’s Six bowl. It’s no surprise that FSU is seen as a contender for the upcoming year, but in their own conference, the Noles are not the favorites.

The ACC media released its championship picks on Monday and the leader of the pack was the reigning conference champion Clemson Tigers. FSU was picked second in the ACC Atlantic and received the second most votes to win the ACC outright.

Picking the Tigers is far from unreasonable. Clemson won its first 14 games a season ago and took a lead into the final quarter against Alabama in the National Championship. Had it not been for two miscues on special teams in the final quarter, the Tigers may hold the title of not just reigning ACC champions, but reigning national champions.

While Florida State fans have spent much of the offseason speculating who might start at quarterback, Clemson may have the best player in the country at that position in junior Deshaun Watson. Watson was picked over FSU running back Dalvin Cook on Monday to be the player of the year in the ACC.

Since joining the ACC in 1992, Florida State has won the conference 15 times and usually is seen as the team with the most to lose entering the season. It’s the second straight year the Seminoles have been picked to be runner-up to Clemson, but being an underdog to the Tigers in the ACC is something that FSU should embrace.

After winning the conference for the first time in seven years in 2012, Florida State was also picked to finish as runner-up to Clemson in the ACC in 2013. That year, the Seminoles had their most dominant season ever, going 14-0 and winning the national championship.

In the process, redshirt freshman quarterback Jameis Winston became the youngest player to win the Heisman Trophy while the FSU offense set an FBS scoring record. The Florida State defense led by defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan and cornerback Lamarcus Joyner yielded the fewest points per game in the country. The highlight of the regular season was a 51-14 victory at No. 3 Clemson as the Seminoles scored more points than any visiting team ever to come to the place Tiger fans affectionately refer to as “Death Valley”.

Regardless of who thinks what team will finish where in the ACC, the conference will ultimately be decided on the field. FSU has tough contests with Ole Miss, Louisville, North Carolina and Miami to worry about long before the highly-anticipated Oct. 29 showdown with Clemson.

The Seminoles led Clemson at halftime last season and were even in the fourth quarter before the Tigers ultimately pulled away at home, 23-13. This time around, the scene will shift to Doak Campbell Stadium where FSU has won an FBS-high 21 straight games and four straight over the Tigers.

Though Clemson was picked to win the ACC, the expectations for Florida State won’t be any lower. The Seminoles are still expected to win just about every other game and to contend for a national championship.

It’s worth noting that Clemson could have the biggest target on its chest in 2016 as its had in the history of its program. How the Tigers handle those high expectations remains to be seen.

For FSU, being picked as the conference’s No. 2 might serve as just a bit of extra motivation and history has shown that an extra motivated Florida State team can be quite scary for the rest of the country. Just ask the 2013 Clemson Tigers.