Saturday Blitz
Fansided

The fatal flaw with every College Football Playoff Top 10 team after first rankings

By Josh Yourish

Oct 28, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) celebrates a touchdown during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium.
Oct 28, 2023; Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) celebrates a touchdown during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium. /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
7 of 10
Next
Oct 21, 2023; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Keon Coleman (4) celebrates after a first down catch during the second half against the Duke Blue Devils at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 21, 2023; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Keon Coleman (4) celebrates after a first down catch during the second half against the Duke Blue Devils at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 4 Florida State – Big Plays

Florida State looks like it will make it to the ACC Championship game undefeated and with Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson on the outside, the Seminoles create plenty of big plays, but this year they’ve also given up their fair share. That’s the big weakness of this team.

Mike Norvell’s group is 30th in total defense, which is solid, and even better at 28th in yards per play. The defense allows the lowest completion percentage to opposing quarterbacks at 49.4% but is 96th in yards per completion allowed at 12.6. Teams aren’t sustaining drives on them, but they are hitting the big shot. In some ways that’s even worse.

Florida State ranks 56th in 20+ yard plays given up with 34 and 20 of those have been through the air. It’s not a massive issue, but we saw with TCU beating Michigan last season, that if a lesser team converts on a few big plays, they can flip a game and end up in the national championship game.

Home/College Football Playoff