Your Thoughts Thursday: FSU Will Beat Wake Forest by Multiple Scores

Florida State will arrive at BB&T Field desperate for a win on Saturday as it visits 5-1 Wake Forest.

Wake Forest hasn’t defeated FSU since 2011, but the last two contests in Winston-Salem have come down to the wire. The Seminoles rallied from an early 10-point deficit last season to top the Demon Deacons 38-17 at Doak Campbell Stadium.

This week, we asked our social media followers which teams would win Saturday’s contest. Despite the dismal effort last week against Clemson, more than 80 percent of the 160 accounts that responded have the Seminoles winning.

Overall, 49 percent have FSU winning by more than one score and 33 percent have it edging out a close one. 10 percent project that Wake Forest will win by more than one score and 8 percent see the Demon Deacons winning by a single score.

Our Take
Usually, we go with the audience, but on this rare occasion, I’m going to say that those who responded got it wrong.

The big question entering Saturday will be whether Wake Forest quarterback and the ACC’s top-rated and leading passer Jamie Newman will be ready to go after suffering a shoulder injury against Louisville. Newman has had an outstanding season thus far and out wide, has the ACC’s leader in receiving yards and touchdown catches in Sage Surratt.

For the Seminoles to have a chance, the ACC’s worst statistical defense will have to find a way to make stops. For FSU to win this one, it may have to try to win a shootout and given the continued woes on the offensive line, that will be tough to do.

The Wake Forest defense isn’t great, but it does have a good front seven with the ACC’s leader in tackles for loss in Carlos Basham and second-leading tackler in Justin Strnad. There is a fair amount of luck involved with the turnover battle, but that’s one that FSU will need to win.

Wake Forest 34, FSU 31.

Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson. Like The Daily Nole on Facebook. To pitch an idea, author a post or to learn more about The Daily Nole, email Mike Ferguson at Mike@TheDailyNole.com.