Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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www.BLUEANDGOLD.com OCT. 10, 2020 31 The next lowest among the Power Five is Texas Tech at 949, and the Division I average in football is 969. It reached as low as 922 in Fish- er's final season (2017), with 930 the bench mark for postseason action. Under Taggart, the mark did im- prove to 956. Despite the quality recruiting rank- ings, they don't always reflect how well a team fills its most pressing needs. One area where Florida State has come up short is along the offen- sive line. In the 23-man class signed in 2017, only one was an offensive lineman (three-star Brady Scott). Over the last four cycles, the Semi- noles have signed only two four-star prospects up front, and this year Florida International graduate trans- fer DeVontay Taylor was viewed as a significant upgrade to the group. Imagine just five years ago think- ing how FSU badly needed someone from FIU for protection. Last year the Seminoles allowed 48 sacks, ranking 125th among 130 Foot- ball Bowl Subdivision teams, and the year prior it was 111th while permit- ting "only" three sacks per contest. The run game wasn't anything to brag about either, finishing 126th in 2018 with 91.1 yards per game and 93rd last year (140.7) despite the presence of second-round running back Cam Akers. Norvell produced prolific offenses at Memphis from 2016-19 while fash- ioning a 38-15 record, notably 12-1 last season while averaging 40.4 points per game (eighth in the country). In time, he might have similar suc- cess in Tallahassee, but right now the program has not demonstrated any evidence of achieving such heights. A TIME TO CATCH UP Florida State at one point held a 6-2 series advantage against Notre Dame before the Irish romped to a 42-13 victory on Senior Day in 2018. The Fighting Irish have an oppor- tunity to make up more ground this season, and then next year's opener is Sunday, Sept. 5 in Tallahassee, moved up a day from the originally planned Labor Day kickoff. It will be the first visit by Notre Dame to FSU since 2014, when an Everett Golson touchdown pass to Corey Robinson in the closing sec- onds was nullified on a "pick play" and helped preserve No. 2-ranked Florida State's 31-27 victory. The most famous contest was the second, Nov. 13, 1993, the first ESPN "GameDay" broadcast held on a college campus when host and No. 2-ranked Notre Dame defeated the No. 1-ranked Seminoles, 31-24. FSU's next visit to Notre Dame will be in 2024, the final listed year of Irish head coach Brian Kelly's con- tract. ✦ GAME PREVIEW: FLORIDA STATE Redshirt sophomore running back Jashuan Corbin — a transfer from Texas A&M — was brought in to provide a boost to Florida State's struggling ground attack, but the Seminoles managed just 130.0 rush- ing yards per game during their 0-2 start. PHOTO BY DON JUAN MOORE/COURTESY ACC MEDIA Predictions Todd D. Burlage: Notre Dame 38, Florida State 13 Two programs in different places. Notre Dame remains in national title contention, if its season and roster holds together, while FSU — which went 6-7 in 2019 — has some talent but is still rebuilding under a new coach. Brian Kelly won this last meeting 42-13 in 2018, and will win in similar fashion this year. Patrick Engel: Notre Dame 38, Florida State 7 Florida State labors to complete downfield throws and protect its quarterback, so a salty Notre Dame defense should limit the Seminoles to a low point total. That'll give the Irish offense some margin for error against an FSU defense that has some NFL talent. I don't expect it to be the most polished effort after such a long layoff. Andrew Mentock: Notre Dame 42 Florida State 10 Given Notre Dame's unexpected time off, the Fighting Irish offense looks sluggish early before it begins to click and explodes for six touchdowns in the final three quarters. The Notre Dame defense looks ready to play out of the gate. Mike Singer: Notre Dame 31, Florida State 13 Florida State has talent, but they have a ways to go before they can put it all together. Notre Dame is coming off consecutive bye weeks and this Seminoles' team will be hungry after being embarrassed by Miami, but the Irish should roll. Lou Somogyi: Notre Dame 35, Florida State 10 There is going to be a white-knuckle game somewhere this October that comes down to the final series. The Seminoles possess the most such individual talent to make it possible, but too much internal turmoil and current transition against a Notre Dame program that has become a model of stability will show itself.