Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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GAME PREVIEW: FLORIDA STATE running game to open up the passing game. Notre Dame's average of 152.8 rushing yards per game during the team's 5-0 start indicates the Irish could lean on the ground game a bit more than they do. If the season-opening 281-yard performance versus Rice is excluded, the team's average drops to 120.75 yards per game. Senior quarterback Everett Golson contributes more than 42 yards per game (not counting sacks), further diminishing the effect of Notre Dame's true running game. Notre Dame's three-headed backfield of senior Cam McDaniel and sophomores Tarean Folston and Greg Bryant combined for 524 yards on 129 carries (4.06 yards per rush) through the sea- son's first five games. The Irish will have a decent chance at mounting a running attack against a Florida State front seven that lost four starters this season and gave up 142.6 rushing yards per game and seven rushing touch- downs in the season's first five contests. Only Wake Forest did not manage at least 100 yards against the Seminoles, while The Citadel racked up 250 rush- ing yards. Florida State will need junior linebacker Reggie Northrup to add to his five-game total of 43 tackles to slow the Irish on the ground. Advantage: Even NOTRE DAME PASSING GAME VS. FLORIDA STATE PASS DEFENSE As good as Winston was last season, Golson has matched him and then some this season with 1,383 passing yards and 13 touchdowns on 64.0-percent passing through five games. The lack of a true primary receiver has forced Golson to spread the wealth among 10 different targets, led by sopho- more Will Fuller's 28 receptions for 371 yards and five touchdowns. Seven different Irish receivers have pulled in scores from Golson, forcing defenses to respect each potential benefactor that is on the field at any given time. The Seminoles have limited their opponents to an average of 205.2 yards per game, but also inter- cepted only two passes. Junior cornerback Ronald Darby leads a defensive secondary that lost first- team All-American LaMarcus Joyner. Advantage: Notre Dame SPECIAL TEAMS For the third game in a row, Notre Dame will need to do its best to avoid a dangerous return man. The nation was introduced to Kermit Whitfield when he returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown in last year's BCS National Championship Game. The 5-7 sophomore had not yet found the end zone through five games. Irish senior kicker Kyle Brindza has proven adept at avoiding dangerous return men, allowing only seven returns on his first 32 kickoffs. Florida State does not take a backseat at kicker because sophomore Roberto Aguayo is the reigning Lou Groza Award winner. Advantage: Even COACHING Jimbo Fisher's pedigree traces from Nick Saban to Bobby Bowden. It is hard to find a more respectable lineage in the college football ranks, and Fisher did his mentors proud with last year's championship. Kelly lacks that name-brand tutelage, but has brought the Notre Dame program back toward dominance. His long-respected offense finally has a complement in VanGorder's attacking defense. Advantage: Even INTANGIBLES Florida State has spent this season under a moun- tain of pressure and a whirlwind of scrutiny, two side effects of both the title and Winston's off-field transgressions. A raucous home-field advantage should compen- sate for those maladies quite nicely. This will be the first true road game of the season for a young Notre Dame team. Advantage: Florida State