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Florida State is back in action after a much-needed bye week with an opportunity to finally get another W in the win column. It has been a long and disappointing season for the Seminoles, and with only two games left, the end can’t get here fast enough. However, it’s Homecoming and FSU welcomes an equally bad opponent to Tallahassee on Saturday. We typically don’t spend much time previewing FCS opponents, but nothing is a given this season, so here we go!
Many fans think this game could end up being a loss for FSU, and while it’s not impossible, there is still a large gap between FBS and FCS. FSU should win this game by multiple scores… the keyword being “should.” Charleston Southern is also having a terrible season, and while I love FSU and always try to be positive, this is a rather sad matchup to discuss. Both teams enter this game with one win. FSU is 1-9, CSU is 1-10. FSU is on a 6-game losing streak. CSU has lost 9 in a row. Both teams are averaging 15 points per game or less on offense and neither have scored more than 24 points in a game this entire season. Obviously, FSU has a sizable talent advantage and has played a much tougher schedule.
The Buccaneers are in year two under head coach Gabe Giardina, who has a 5-17 record in his first two seasons. Luckily for FSU, CSU is just 1-10 in road games. CSU has not played any Power 4 teams this season. The two teams will kick off at 1:30 PM on ACCNX or ESPN+.
I wouldn’t go into this game expecting a fireworks show. It’s pretty crazy how similar these two teams are, but not in a good way. FSU has the 134th-ranked scoring offense of 134 FBS teams averaging 13.3 points per game. CSU has the 120th-ranked scoring offense of 123 FCS teams averaging 15 points per game. CSU has yet to score over 24 points in a game this season, however, FSU is the only team in FBS AND FCS that has yet to score over 21 points. CSU averages 267.3 yards per game compared to FSU at 258.9. CSU has a third-down conversion rate of 29.41 (FSU is at 24.82%). CSU has a red zone scoring percentage of 63% (FSU is at 83.3%).
CSU uses two quarterbacks, but neither has had much success. Rob McCoy and Kaleb Jackson are the two names to know. Both quarterbacks have a sub-60% completion percentage, a PFF grade below 50, and only 4 passing touchdowns each. Both quarterbacks have 7 fumbles when rushing, too. CSU had just 8 passing touchdowns this season with 12 interceptions. Coincidentally, FSU had 8 passing touchdowns and 13 interceptions this season. One area CSU has excelled is only allowing 20 sacks this season.
CSU has two primary backs to know about, Autavius Ison and Tyson Greenwade. Ison leads the Bucs in rushing with 764 yards and 4 touchdowns. Greenwade has tallied 461 yards and 3 touchdowns, and both backs average 4.8 yards per carry. CSU also has two primary receivers to know about. Chris Rhone leads the team in yards with 533 and 4 touchdowns and has good size at 6-foot-3, 195-pounds. Noah Jennings leads in receptions with 43 and has turned that into 446 yards and 3 touchdowns. No other receiver has over 170 yards and only one has hit triple digits this season.
The CSU defense is allowing 25.5 points per game this season and an average of 348 yards per game. The Bucs’ leading tackler is sophomore linebacker Steve Zayachkowsky with 74. Redshirt senior defensive lineman Darius Bell, leads the team in TFLs (11.5) and sacks (5). CSU has 23 sacks and 74 TFLs, and while they only have 6 interceptions, the Bucs have forced 12 fumbles.
CSU’s defense appears to be its strength if you want to call it that. Like FSU, it has kept them in games, but the offense hasn’t carried its weight. CSU has allowed over 30 points on three occasions but has held three teams under 20 points.
As bad as FSU’s offense has been, this is BY FAR the worst defense they will face all season being a bad FCS team. FSU has not had the luxury of facing an FCS opponent this season like almost every other team in FBS. While that is not an excuse for failing to score over 21 points, I think the Noles finally get over the hump this week… at least they better!
There is no doubt it has been a terrible season for FSU. The fact that an upset against a 1-10 FCS team even crosses our mind tells you all you need to know. Personally, I don’t see that happening, but I do worry that FSU will be far less motivated for this game than CSU. FSU wants this season over sooner rather than later and is more concerned with the rivalry game next week than a 1:30 PM kick against a bad FCS team. On the contrary, CSU pulling the upset would be the biggest win in program history, no matter FSU’s record. However, make no mistake, this is not Jacksonville State.
As bad as FSU has been, I see them winning this game by a few scores. Because of its putrid offense, it may not be as wide of a score gap as we’d like, but if it’s a comfortable win, I guess we can’t complain after the season we’ve had. Give me FSU to grab win number 2 for Homecoming something like 38-6. Thanks for reading and Go Noles!
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