Notre Dame vs Florida State prediction and game preview.
Notre Dame vs Florida State Broadcast
Date: Sunday, September 5
Game Time: 7:30 ET
Venue: Doak Campbell Stadium, Tallahassee, FL
Network: ABC
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Notre Dame (0-0) vs Florida State (0-0) Game Preview
Why Notre Dame Will Win
Can Florida State move the offense?
There might be some interesting quarterback parts, and the running game should be okay, but the Seminoles still have to prove the offensive front can work on a consistent basis. It should be a good enough O to be okay, but that won’t be good enough if the defense isn’t a whole lot better.
Dead last in the ACC in sacks and near the bottom in total defense, Florida State has to prove it can keep the Irish from controlling the game.
This might be a wee bit of a reloading year for Notre Dame, but the plan should still work against this D. Control the clock, don’t take any unnecessary chances, and rely on the offensive line to do its job as the game goes on.
Do that, and the Irish defense should take care of the rest.
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Why Florida State Will Win
Again, there’s some reworking to do on the Irish.
It’s another strong team, but just enough star parts are done to be annoying, and it starts at quarterback. Ian Book was a terrific college quarterback, and new starter Jack Coan doesn’t have the same mobility and has to prove he can show a little of the same third down magic.
FSU might have had a bad defensive season in 2020, but it gets back a good enough starting 11 to be better. It’s a fast group, the secondary should be a plus, and the linebackers will be strong.
At some point the offense will start to explode under Mike Norvell. He knows how to get an attack going, and he’s got just enough flash in the backfield to start being more dangerous.
And then there’s this …
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What’s Going To Happen
It’s going to be among the most emotional games of the season.
Florida State will honor the late legendary head coach Bobby Bowden. That will be the overlying tone around the game, and then – at some point – in will come QB McKenzie Milton as he makes his first appearance from a horrific leg injury suffered a few years ago.
The Noles will start to play better. They had major problems last year, and they won’t be close to as good as they should be for a national title-level program, but there will be a few flashes when the offense works.
It’ll be slow-and-steady for the Irish early on, but the running game will take over in the second half. It’ll be a good, workmanlike road opener that shows Notre Dame will once again be a factor with a little more time.
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Notre Dame vs Florida State Prediction, Line
Notre Dame 37, Florida State 20
Notre Dame -7.5, o/u: 56
ATS Confidence out of 5: 4
Must See Rating: 3.5
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