FSU-Ole Miss: Five Things to Watch

Florida State’s 2016 season gets underway Monday night as the fourth-ranked Seminoles travel to Orlando’s Camping World Stadium to take on No. 11 Ole Miss. Both teams finished with 10-3 records last season and New Year’s Six bowl appearances.

The opener may be the most highly-anticipated for both head coaches. Florida State is 6-0 in openers under head coach Jimbo Fisher while the Rebels are a perfect 4-0 under Hugh Freeze in season-openers. Neither head coach has previously opened against a ranked team however.

With the Seminoles’ 2016 campaign set to get underway, here are five things to watch for Monday night:

1. Quarterback Play
Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher is extremely high on redshirt freshman Deondre Francois, who will be making his first career start on Monday. Francois has few limitations with a big arm, quick feet and high football IQ.

Still, the most important position in football is one where Ole Miss looks to have an advantage. Chad Kelly accounted for more than 4,500 total yards last season and 41 touchdowns and finished as the second-team All-SEC quarterback behind Mississippi State\’s Dak Prescott.

2. The Pass-Rush
Getting to the quarterback will be key for both teams on Monday night. The Seminoles have an extremely talented defensive line with DeMarcus Walker and Josh Sweat at the ends with Derrick Nnadi on the interior. The Rebels will have to try to block those guys with two new faces at the tackle position, including junior Rod Taylor who has to replace first round pick Laremy Tunsil.

The Seminoles are returning all five starters up front on the offensive line, but look to be fairly banged up with center Alec Eberle and guard Kareem Are each battling injuries. Though the Rebels lose two key starters on the interior of the defensive line, defensive end Marquis Haynes is one of the best pass-rushers in the SEC and maybe the country.

3. Dalvin Cook vs. the Ole Miss Defense
Florida State junior running back Dalvin Cook is coming off the greatest season ever for an FSU rusher, going for 1,691 yards on the ground and 20 total touchdowns. Cook enters 2016 with his sight set on a run at a Heisman Trophy and Florida State’s all-time rushing record.

Last season, the Rebels held elite backs like Heisman winner Derrick Henry of Alabama and LSU’s Leonard Fournette below their season averages for yards per game and yards per carry, but are losing two key pieces at defensive tackle in first-round pick Robert Nkemdiche and nose tackle Woodrow Hamilton.

4. Matthew Thomas and Tony Conner
Florida State and Ole Miss each won 10 games last season without a key guy who could have made an enormous impact for their defenses. For Florida State, that guy was redshirt junior linebacker Matthew Thomas. Once a 5-star prospect, Thomas has struggled to put it all together for FSU, missing time to suspension, injuries and last season, ineligibility. At 6-3 and nearly 230 pounds, Thomas is an incredible athlete and is expected to headline a young corps of linebackers this season.

Tony Conner, a safety, missed the final eight games of 2015 for Ole Miss with a meniscus tear after an All-SEC season in 2014. Conner is a big hitter and a heady football player who can defend against the pass or assist in stopping the run. In 2014, Conner finished with 69 tackles, including nine for loss, a sack and an interception.

5. Special Teams
In a game early in the season, especially an opener, special teams always seem to be a major factor. The Rebels are returning each of their three kicking specialists, but placekicker Gary Wunderlich was inconsistent a season ago despite making 76 percent of his kicks. FSU will be replacing a 2-time All-American at kicker in Roberto Aguayo and Cason Beatty, the ACC’s leading punter in 2015, with two freshmen.

Logan Tyler will be handling the kickoff and punting duties for the Seminoles while Aguayo’s younger brother, Ricky, will be kicking the field goals. The return game could also be a difference-maker. Both FSU and Ole Miss were among the worst return teams in the country last year. Both were dismal when it came to returning punts. FSU was better on kickoff returns.

Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson