There was an uproar when the noon kickoff was announced for the Florida State, but I digress.
Why?
First, the Tigers have to worry about the Florida Atlantic Owls.
The worst thing a good team can do is overlook a team they are supposed to beat. According to ESPN Analytics, the Tigers are 93% favorites, and oddsmakers are picking them to win by at least 25 points.
The Owls walk into Death Valley with new head coach Tom Herman. Before taking over the Owls, Herman spent time with the Chicago Bears as a coaching analyst. On the college level, Herman has never had a losing record, led Houston to 13 wins, and is undefeated in Bowl games.
Only two games in with the Owls, he stands at 1-1. Last week, the Owls’ offense was nonexistent, with turnovers in their 17-10 loss to Ohio. Casey Thompson threw two touchdowns but connected with his new favorite receiver, LaJohntay Wester, 12 times for 101 yards.
A week before that, they scored 42 points against Monmouth, where Thompson threw five touchdowns. On the ground, Larry McCammon averaged 9.6 yards a carry.
Two different teams on two different Saturdays, we’re still trying to figure out what kind of team this is.
The 8 p.m. kickoff time could be a factor. Keeping your team pumped up for a night game against an unformidable opponent could set up the trap. For Florida Atlantic, playing on the road, under the lights, against one of the best programs in the country, Herman will indeed have his team motivated to capture his first signature win against the program.