Who: No. 3 Florida State Seminoles vs. No. 1 Alabama Crimson Tide
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia
When: Saturday, Sept. 2 at 8 p.m. EST (ABC)
What more can be said about the Florida State-Alabama opener? This has been the game to look forward to ever since the 2016 season concluded. We now stand less than three days away from the “Greatest Opener of All-Time”. All the storylines and hype coming into the game will be put on full display under the lights of the brand new Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday.
It’s fair to say that this match-up is still not necessarily “equal”. If Alabama wins, nobody will bat an eye. If FSU wins, the college football world will be talking about the Seminoles as the new premier program of the sport. From the FSU side, that’s a pretty strong motivator. Make no mistake however — Alabama head coach Nick Saban will have his team ready to play.
Check out some of our other pieces for a detailed review of the teams. For this part, we’ll be breaking down the match-up.
Key Players for FSU
Clint: Deondre Francois — If Florida State wants to move the ball against the Alabama defense, Francois will need to play up to his potential. He wasn’t always consistent against better defenses in 2016, often struggling with accuracy and missing opportunities. But he still showed that he had the raw ability to truly threaten a team from the pocket. Alabama’s secondary is not radically better than any team Francois has already faced. He just needs to be poised and not attempt risky passes that could swing the momentum towards the Crimson Tide. If he can play mistake-free and forces Alabama to account for his arm, the Seminoles’ offense will impress.
Mike: Derwin James — Alabama is perennially the most talented team in the country, but the best player in this contest is Florida State safety Derwin James. Against a Crimson Tide team known for pounding the football and being physical, the Seminoles will need a big night from their redshirt sophomore. James can play coverage, make plays out in space or rush the passer. James recorded an interception in last season’s neutral-site opener against Ole Miss and will need to be all over the field to slow down the 3-headed rushing monster of Bo Scarbrough, Damien Harris and Jalen Hurts.
Key Players for Alabama
Clint: Minkah Fitzpatrick — It is probably true that Derwin James is the best player for either team. It’s also probably true that Minkah Fitzpatrick is not that far behind. Fitzpatrick is a versatile defensive back who excels as a ball-hawk at the safety position. He led all Alabama defenders with six interceptions last year. He also chipped in the fourth most tackles on the team. How Alabama will utilize him against FSU remains to be seen, but it seems clear that wherever he is put, he will make an impact.
Mike: Jalen Hurts — Dual-threat quarterbacks such as Lamar Jackson and Deshaun Watson put a hurting on Florida State last season and Jalen Hurts will look to do likewise on Saturday. Hurts is one of the nation’s most explosive quarterbacks, but still lacks as a passer. For Alabama to take care of business, Hurts can’t force throws against a talented FSU secondary. If Hurts can keep the Seminoles honest with his legs, he could have a chance to burn them over the top as the game goes on.
Game Breaker
Clint: Has Jalen Hurts Improved As a Passer?
The one thing that consistently held back Alabama last year was Hurts’ being unreliable as a passer. That obviously didn’t mean much, considering it made it back to the national championship, but it was noticeable in games against ranked opponents. Now he has to face one of the best secondaries in the nation with two of the best defensive backs in the nation. Florida State is one of the few teams who can turn Hurts’ ineffectiveness into a negative for Alabama. If Hurts hasn’t made progress as a passer, then the Crimson Tide offense could be in for a frustrating night.
Mike: Can the FSU Offensive Line Hold Its Own?
Perhaps the biggest question mark heading into 2017 for Florida State is the offensive line. There is no shortage of talent at the skill positions for FSU, but keeping Deondre Francois upright and opening holes for the likes of Jacques Patrick and Cam Akers will be paramount. Da’Shawn Hand and Da’Ron Payne are both special talents and Alabama led the nation in sacks a season ago. The Seminoles did improve up front last season as the year went on, but holding their own against the Crimson Tide will be the ultimate test.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login