Preview: Rejuvenated FSU Hosts Wake Forest for Homecoming

Who: Wake Forest Demon Deacons (5-1, 2-1 ACC) at No. 14 Florida State Seminoles (4-2, 1-2 ACC)
Where: Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida
When: Saturday, Oct. 15 at 3:30 p.m. EST (ESPN)
Last Week: Wake Forest defeated Syracuse, 28-9; Florida State defeated Miami, 20-19;

Homecoming week is capped off at Florida State with a football game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, who are off to a surprising 5-1 start. Both teams notched victories against their opponents last week, with FSU getting the extra satisfaction of defeating one of its main rivals. Each one comes into Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday with different hopes: Florida State wants to gain momentum and stay healthy for Clemson in two weeks, while Wake Forest wants to pull off an upset and shock the nation.

Running back Dalvin Cook continues to be the star of the show for the Florida State offense, coming in third overall in the nation in rushing yards and with over 1,000 total yards. He is supplemented by redshirt freshman quarterback Deondre Francois, who has taken a beating in recent games but continues to lead the Seminoles through the air with nine passing touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Seminoles’ defense finally lived up to expectations against their rival Miami last week, providing hope for observers that were noticing that the unit was far from living up to its potential. Miami was the first Power 5 opponent that FSU held to under 34 points.

For the Demon Deacons, the basics have not changed since last year. They still rely on a stout defense, but lack the talent on offense to consistently move the ball. S&P+ ratings have the defense ranked 43rd overall, which is good in context of where Wake Forest typically stands in the ACC. It currently ranks in the top 20 for sacks and top 30 in interceptions, with defensive lineman Duke Ejiofor leading the charge with six sacks. On the other side of the ball, quarterback John Wolford has paltry passing stats, but is still a legitimate dual-threat, with over 260 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. Tight end Cam Serigne, who had 10 receptions and a touchdown against FSU last year, returned as well.

Lead writer Clint Eiland and editor Mike Ferguson weigh in on Saturday’s match-up:

All-Time Series

Florida State leads the overall series by an impressive 27-6-1 count. The Seminoles have won four straight contests dating back to 2012, with Wake Forest’s last win coming at home in 2011. While the last 10 meetings have split at 6-4 in favor of FSU, Jimbo Fisher has only lost once to the Demon Deacons. Wake Forest hasn’t scored a touchdown in Tallahassee since shutting out the Seminoles 30-0 in 2006.

Key Players for FSU

Clint: Jacob Pugh — One of the more interesting developments from the 2016 season so far has been the emergence of Jacob Pugh as a reliable linebacker/edge rusher. He has become much more disciplined when defending the read-option and has shown an improved ability to get into the backfield with 3.5 tackles for loss so far. Pugh won’t single-handedly change a game or force a defense to account for him, but the control he plays with is vital for a defense that has been susceptible to mental lapses. Keeping the Wake Forest option in check will be a welcomed responsibility of his.

Mike: Deondre Francois — In Wake Forest’s only loss of the season — a 33-16 defeat at N.C. State — quarterback play made a big difference as the Wolfpack’s Ryan Finely passed for 300 yards and three touchdowns. This week, Francois will get to take his shots against the Wake defense. Francois has shown tremendous poise this season and is taking care of the football. If he can continue to do that against the Demon Deacons, FSU shouldn’t have much trouble in this one.

Key Players for Wake Forest

Clint: Cam Serigne — As mentioned above, Serigne was the one Wake Forest player last year who consistently gave the FSU defense trouble. Serigne is an athletic and dangerous receiving threat who will likely be going in the first half of the 2017 NFL Draft. This poses an issue for the Seminoles, considering that similarly talented players like Ole Miss tight end Evan Engram (121 yards and one touchdown) have gashed the defense for huge games. Add in the fact that starting linebacker Matthew Thomas is out for the first half, and Serigne could once again be the player keeping Wake Forest around.

Mike: Marquel Lee — Coming off a 15-tackle effort against Syracuse that earned him ACC Linebacker of the Week honors, Marquel Lee might be the best player Wake Forest has on defense. Lee ranks third in the ACC in tackles for loss and will look to blow up the FSU ground attack — something that hasn’t been done since the Sept. 17 loss to Louisville. If Lee can be productive on the early downs and force Francois and the FSU offense into obvious passing situations, Wake Forest should have a chance. If not, it will be a long afternoon.

Game Breaker

Clint: Can FSU Put Wake Forest Away Early? — Head coach Dave Clawson has made serious strides towards legitimizing Wake Forest football. The fact that the Deacons are 5-1 already is a testament to that, and it’s entirely possible that they become a perennial bowl team in a few years. There however, are very few reasons for FSU to somehow get into another close game with them. The Wake offense is only slightly better than Charleston Southern’s and it should not be able to exploit the weaknesses in the FSU secondary. The defense for the Deacons is very respectable, but once again, Florida State has too much of a raw talent advantage to be stifled for an entire game. If the Seminoles come out strong and play to their ability, they will have a comfortable lead by halftime. If they let Wake Forest hang around for the whole game, it would not be shocking to see another upset occur at Doak Campbell Stadium.

Mike: Can the FSU Defense Build on Last Week’s Performance? — For once, Florida State won’t be facing a red-hot, prolific offense when it battles Wake Forest on Saturday. After struggling mightily for the first month of the season, many things seem to have been corrected against Miami last week as the Seminoles gave up just 276 yards and 19 points. The Demon Deacons are the worst FBS offense that FSU has faced and if the Seminoles can avoid blowing coverages, loafing or taking plays off, it should be a confidence-building day for the defense. That’s something FSU could certainly use with Clemson two weeks away.