‘Noles head into UF game with more sacks than any other FBS team

It’s pretty tough to deny Alabama the top spot in just about anything related to college football these days. But, despite a disappointing season that sees the Florida State Seminoles hosting the Florida Gators with an 8-3 record that is nevertheless a primetime meeting of two rivals ranked in the AP’s top 15, FSU has relegated the Crimson Tide to second in one very important category: sacking the opposition’s quarterback.

Entering the final week of 2016’s regular season, the ‘Noles boast more sacks (41) than any other FBS team in the country, with ‘Bama one behind at 40. Florida is tied for 28th, with 21 QB takedowns.

Leading the way for Florida State is senior defensive end DeMarcus Walker, who is second, nationally, with 13 sacks. He’s gotten help from rising freshman Brian Burns, with seven sacks, as well as Derrick Nnadi (4.5), Josh Sweat (4), and Jacob Pugh (3.5). UF’s leader in sacks is freshman Jabari Zuniga, with five. Only one other Gator has more than three sacks (Jordan Sherit, with 3.5).

Since Jimbo Fisher took over as the Head Coach in Tallahassee in 2010, he’s gone 5-1 against the Gators, including last year’s 27-2 victory over Florida in Gainesville that saw the ‘Noles out-sack UF by a 5-2 margin. That’s the most sacks either team has registered against each other since Fisher was at the helm for the Seminoles. FSU is also coming off an eight-sack performance at Syracuse, the most under Fisher since Florida State whipped BYU by a 34-10 score in 2010, Fisher’s third game as a head coach.