Florida State football will be hosting No. 13 Miami on Saturday afternoon looking for a big ACC upset. Will the Seminoles rebound?
It’s been a rough season for Florida State football. First, the Seminoles faced off against No. 1 Alabama in the season opener and lost starting quarterback Deondre Francois for the season. Next, they lost to NC State at home after not playing a game for three weeks due to the hurricane. Lastly, they have been forced to rely on a freshman quarterback.
Still, the Seminoles had high hopes as a top-five team heading into the 2017 campaign and they were even favorites to win the ACC over Clemson. Just because of two early losses, don’t expect the Seminoles and that stout defense to roll over.
Miami will provide another solid test for the Seminoles and the in-state rivalry could go a long way for both sides. If the Hurricanes win, they’ll improve to 4-0 heading into the heart of their schedule with some confidence. If Florida State wins, it’ll rebound nicely from two early losses and get back on track.
Here are three bold predictions for the matchup.
3. James Blackman has best game yet
Coming into the season, you can bet James Blackman was expecting to be nothing more than a human victory cigar. Deondre Francois was returning as one of the ACC’s top quarterbacks and a potential Heisman Trophy contender. However, he was thrown into the fire early after Francois’ season-ending leg injury.
The true freshman from Belle Glada, Fla., was a bit shaky last week against Wake Forest after posting decent numbers in his first-ever start against NC State. He was just 11-for-21 for 121 yards and a touchdown and was sacked numerous times against the Demon Deacons. Every time he’s hit, Seminole fans hold their breaths because of his slight frame.
Against Miami, he’s going to put up his best numbers yet and give the Seminoles a serious chance to win. He’s going to surpass 300 yards through the air with three touchdowns, but will throw his first interception. He has 399 yards and two touchdowns on the year and will nearly double those numbers on Saturday.