2009 NCAA - Florida State
The Seminoles have found a way to make more news off the field this offseason once again, as academic scandal could force Bobby Bowden to vacate 14 wins from 2006 and 2007, which would give Joe Paterno an insurmountable lead in the battle to secure the record for most career college football victories. Most preseason prognosticators seem to say that 'this will be the year' for Florida State to finally turn the corner in the ACC and to get back on the national map. Problem is, that's been said several times in the last few years, only to see one thing or another derail FSU's chances early in the season. |
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Florida State
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Offensive coordinator and future FSU head coach Jimbo Fisher has gradually built the Seminole offense by reviving the dismal rushing attack, getting them up to 179 yards per game last year, the best output since 2000. Two stud sophomores (Ty Jones and Jermaine Thomas) appear ready to take over for departed Antone Smith in the backfield, and junior Christian Ponder (already has a degree) is back under center. His mobility was a big reason why the rushing went up precipitously last fall, and if his decision-making and accuracy improve this fall, he will be tough. The receivers lose some experience, but young athletes await their chance, and the O-line is one of the best in America. Longtime defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews had his unit lead the country in a couple of notable statistics last fall - opponents' third-down conversions (just 26 percent) and tackles for loss (112). That helped the Noles hold opponents to 20 points and 295 yards per game. |
| From the bookie? - There is really only one breather - five days after the Noles open with Miami at home, they host Jacksonville State. After that, they leave town to play BYU before hosting South Florida. The Noles, which played laughably easy schedules at times in the last 20 years, draw 11 teams with winning records and a 12th (NC State) that went to a bowl, so they probably have the toughest schedule in America. FSU gets Miami, North Carolina and Georgia Tech from the Coastal Division. National title hopes are unrealistic, but if Ponder continues to improve, the Seminoles could easily be playing in Jacksonville in December. |
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