No. 22 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Florida State Seminoles
Saturday’s game might be one of the most important for FSU coach Bobby Bowden in years. Early this week, following the Seminoles’ loss at BC, the head of the school’s board of trustees called for the Bowden era to end this year as the Noles dropped to 0-2 in the conference and 2-3 overall. It’s the school’s worst start since Bowden’s first year in 1976, when they lost their first three games and finished 5-6 for their last losing season.
If FSU loses Saturday against the Jackets, it can forget about winning the ACC Atlantic with a 0-3 record. But the game is equally important to Georgia Tech, as it can’t afford a second loss in conference play as it is stuck in the loaded Coastal Division with Virginia Tech and Miami, which already beat the Jackets.
History is on FSU’s side, as Bowden is 12-1 all-time against Georgia Tech and FSU is 6-0 at home against the Jackets. Thus the Noles, despite being unranked and below .500, are 3-point betting favorites on WagerWeb.com.
This game couldn’t match two more different offenses. FSU can’t run the ball, while Georgia Tech would run every play if it could.
FSU QB Christian Ponder has thrown for more yards than anyone in the ACC and is coming off a career-high 341 yards in last week’s loss at BC. Florida State enters Saturday’s game averaging 403.4 yards of total offense per game (285.4 passing and 118 rushing). The last time the Seminoles averaged more than 400 yards of total offense per game was during the 2003 season.
Tech is averaging 252.2 yards rushing per game (first in the ACC), while Florida State is holding opponents to 128.8 yards rushing per contest. Over the last two games combined, Georgia Tech’s time of possession has been 78:09, compared to 41:51 for its opponents. Look for FSU to bring 8-9 guys in the box and make QB Josh Nesbitt beat them. Nesbitt is coming off a career-best 266 yards passing in the win over Mississippi State. FSU’s pass defense is its Achilles’ heel: The Noles are last nationally in pass defense among 119 Division I-A teams, allowing 18.21 yards per completion.
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