Florida State vs. Syracuse: Three Key Matchups For ACC Battle

The Florida State Seminoles are 5-0 on the season, coming off a recent win against Virginia Tech. The Seminoles are currently No. 4 in the AP Poll, but they need to continue building on their resume as College Football Playoff rankings loom large in the next couple of weeks.

With a final score of 39-17, the game wasn't always that big of a deficit. Coming out of halftime, the Hokies brought home a 99-yard kick return. This brought the game too close for comfort, but the Seminoles eventually pulled the game out.

As the Seminoles look to build a College Football Playoff resume, that can't be happening. Here are three keys to the game as Florida State looks to take care of business against Syracuse.

Florida State Offensive Line vs. Syracuse Pass Rush

Syracuse is coming off two straight losses, one to North Carolina and the other to Clemson, and is going to be playing with some fire, and if they aren't, the program has deep enough issues that Florida State shouldn't lose.

With 18 sacks on the season, Syracuse could get some pressure on the quarterback, and some timely sacks could keep this game more than interesting. It'll be up to the Florida State offensive line to keep Jordan Travis' jersey clean if they want to blow out Syracuse and take care of business.

Trey Benson vs. Syracuse Run Defense

When a team wants to be elite, beating up on lesser-skilled teams is essential. Benson having elite games opens up any contest they play in, and allows the team to run up the score.

Against Virginia Tech, Benson had 200 rushing yards on 11 carries, including a 65 and 85-yard rushing touchdown. If he can string together a few carries half as impactful as those, the Orange will be in trouble.

Florida State Run Defense vs. Syracuse Run Game

This game feels like one where the Orange try and run the ball down the Seminoles' throat to keep the game alive. The Seminoles average 145 of its 383 allowed yards per game on the ground.

With Syracuse likely diverting to the ground game, the Seminoles will have to quickly get off the field, allowing the offense to run up the score and make the Orange play from behind.

Stick with NoleGameday for more coverage of Florida State football throughout the 2023 season.

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