First Look At Florida State Shows A Potentially Dangerous Opponent
Notre Dame has an easier schedule now that they are playing an All-ACC schedule in 2020. While most teams getting all the attention are Clemson, Louisville and North Carolina, another is setting up for a better year. Florida State has been in a tailspin for the last few seasons. Now that Willie Taggart is out the door and Mike Norvell has taken over, they could put Notre Dame on upset alert.
Florida State Rebuild
Florida State was a total disaster in 2019. Taggart was the coach hired to replace Jimbo Fisher. However, instead of building off what Fisher had done, Taggart did his best to run the program into the ground. Now, Norvell steps in after turning Memphis into a consistent top team in the Group of Five.
Norvell spent four seasons at Memphis and never had less than eight wins, registering a 38-15 record. He also played three AAC conference championship games. Even more impressive was his ability to finish with a top 10 offense last season. Memphis finished 8th in scoring offense, 10th in total offense, 17th in passing offense and 39th in rushing offense. The downfall of Memphis was their defense. That's where the match with Florida State will pair so well.
Florida State Defense
Florida State doesn't have a recruiting or talent issue, they had a coaching issue. Norvell looks to turn the offense around and make the Seminoles a powerhouse once again. The defense has the pieces in place to do just that.
Looking at Irish Breakdown publisher Bryan Driskell's recent All-ACC team article (read HERE) shows quite a few Florida State players. The Seminoles have four defensive players on the first-team and two more on the second-team. Half the defense is represented as some of the best in the conference. They also averaged the 14th recruiting class from 2017-2020 so like I previously mentioned, the cupboard isn't bare for Norvell.
The defense is led up front by former five-star defensive tackle Marvin Wilson. Wilson is looking like he could be a breakout candidate in 2020. Florida State had two defensive linemen and two defensive backs make the first or second team.
Matching Up With Notre Dame
Florida State could give Notre Dame some issues and is not a game to be overlooked. However, Notre Dame is the better team. The Fighting Irish get Florida State at home in mid-October and should be able to take care of the Seminoles. The biggest thing to consider is where Florida State is coming into the game.
Florida State is coming into South Bend after playing Georgia Tech, Miami and Jacksonville State. They have a chance to build some momentum and work some kinks out with the new system. Notre Dame will also be their circle the calendar game because of history and the chance to try and win in South Bend.
However, this game will stand more as Florida State trying to catch Notre Dame slipping over beating them with talent. The Fighting Irish have the offensive line to compete with a talented Florida State defensive line. There will also be next to no pressure on Ian Book in a quiet home stadium. The Seminoles are also likely a year or two away from actually being a legit threat in the ACC. But this should be another solid game for Notre Dame and their ACC only schedule
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