2014-15 Football Previews – (ACC) – Seminoles
It took a hell of a team to break the SEC’s stranglehold on the BCS trophy but that is what Florida State did last season. The Seminoles dominated on offense and defense last season and they look as good as any team of recent vintage in terms of the possibility of a repeat championship.
Florida State Seminoles
Head Coach: Jimbo Fisher
2013 Record: 14-0
Odds to win National Championship: +500
Odds to win (ACC): 4/11
[dfads params=’groups=63740&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
FSU Team Link
Sure they lost some players to the pros but Jimbo Fisher has things rolling down in Tallahassee right now.
Strengths:
Hmmm…I guess we should start with the encore season of Heisman Trophy Jameis Winston. All personal snarks aside it looks like there is nothing he can do wrong when it comes to having a football in his hand and it makes some sense to think that he just might improve off a stellar first season.
They may not get the glory but one of the reason the Noles have risen to the top of late is the play of their offensive line. This will again be the strength of the team with 4 starters returning and the remaining spot being filled by a senior.
Check out our in-house Handicapper!!! Buy Razor Ray’s College Picks in 2014!
That should mean that Winston has little trouble staying upright and the new running backs have room to run.
FSU has the program rolling now and that means replenishing their losses to the NFL with another influx of talent. Once again they signed the top recruiting class in the ACC and among the best in the nation. Look for 5 star running back Dalvin Cook to make his presence known even if he doesn’t start.
There are other fresh impact players on defense too.
Weaknesses:
We might be splitting hairs here but FSU is looking to replace starters in the backfield and at wide receiver. Top receiver Rashad Greene returns but NFL pick Kelvin Benjamin was a brute force last season who made lots of big plays and made it so Winston did not have to be as fine with his passes.
Two new running backs will have to carry the torch.
[soliloquy id=”82219″]
Similarly on defense only 3 players from the front seven return. There are talented and experienced players looking to fill those voids but the outgoing talent was from the best defense in America so it is reasonable to assume they could take a step back this season.
Only 5 starters return on defense total.
When you are at the very top there is only one way to go right, down. The Seminoles were no surprise to win it all last season but this year the expectations will be even greater and the scrutiny sharper.
I know this is a flims weakness but repeating as champion is difficult, even though this team has a great chance to do so.
Prediction: 12-0, ACC Winner and spot in the Playoff
Schedule:
- Aug 30 – Oklahoma State (Arlington)
- Sep 6 – The Citadel
- Sep 20 – Clemson
- Sep 27 – @NC State
- Oct 4 – Wake Forest
- Oct 11 – @Syracuse
- Oct 18 – Notre Dame
- Oct 30 – @ Louisville
- Nov 8 – Virginia
- Nov 15 – @Miami
- Nov 22 – Boston College
- Nov 29 – Florida
The Noles are once again the top ranked team in the nation and despite losses have a chance to repeat as champ.
This team is stacked and as a result it is going to be hard to find any kind of value with them in the futures market and in most games. They should be favoured in all contests and last year went 11-2 ATS against the spread – a success rate that would be hard to repeat.
Their schedule is not that daunting either with their toughest road game against ACC newbie Louisville.
I think the best you can hope for are some sluggish performance that create some line value somewhere in the season.
