Staff Predictions: Florida State vs. Jacksonville State

The Florida State Seminoles will play the Jacksonville State Gamecocks at The Doak, Saturday night, under the lights, in prime time, on the ACC Network.

However, if you are like me and a Comcast customer, you will have to find a streaming service to watch the game because Comcast, one of the largest cable providers servicing the Atlantic Coast of the United States, and the ACC, are unable to come to an agreement to provide coverage to millions of ACC fans.

Your Tomahawk Nation staff has broken down the film, charted plays, performed virtual simulation of individual man-to-man matchups [by position], compiled, sorted, and analyzed all of the data, and have come to the conclusion that the Noles should win this game.

What do you think be the margin of victory against the ’Cocks?

Will FSU cover the spread?

Discuss.

• Jon Marchant: I have one foot in the door on this team already being one of the 4 or 5 best in the ACC this season. But I need to see how they play against Jacksonville State and Wake Forest before I go all in. Just don't come out flat, and get out of this game with no injuries. However, that one foot in represents my heart, and this team's already got it.

Jacksonville State 0 - 111 Florida State

• Brian Pellerin: This game should have simple goals for FSU — find a rhythm at quarterback, correct errors along the offensive line and in the wide receiver room, and get out healthy. It’s easy to have a letdown game after a big opener, but the team has preached nothing but identity and attitude this week in press conferences. To actually have that, they’ll need to back it up on the field this week and I don’t think Mike Norvell will let them fail in that regard.

Florida State 44, Jacksonville State 13

• NoleThruandThru: FSU is mad. Jacksonville State is bad.

Florida State 59, Jacksonville State 6

• LastNoleOfKrypton: This game is about consistency. Consistency in prep, execution, and desire to play ball. Obviously every opponent isn’t a top ten opponent at home but you shouldn’t have to see ND on the schedule for the level of execution we saw on Sunday. FSU dominates and hopefully stays relatively healthy while some young guys on the roster get some early season reps

FSU 55, Jax State 17

• Trey Rowland: Much like your buddy that always hit the sauce a little too early and passes out at the tailgate, I kind of expect FSU to be out of it for the first part of this game. Sunday night was wildly emotional and filled with a lot of positive press in the aftermath. As a team still looking to establish a consistent culture of excellence, I believe that slow starts are still something that we will have to deal with this year.

However, like that same drunken friend that usually pulls it all together right before kickoff, I expect Florida State to wipe the crust from its eyes and rise like a glorious phoenix from the ashes to eventually lay the smackdown on the entire State of Jacksonville. I expect big days from the running backs in this one, and the ’Noles secure a comfortable W at home after a slow start.

Florida State 41, Jacksonville State 14

• Tommy: Emotional loss, yes. No moral victories, also yes. I expect the Seminoles to come out swinging and light up the scoreboard after last week's performance. Selfishly I will admit, I want them to have a large enough lead to work in quarterbacks Chubba Purdy and Tate Rodemaker along with some new skill position players to get them much-needed game reps. I just do not see the rest of the schedule allowing that in any portion beyond this game (UMass?) Expect a strong run game and a healthy rotation between QB’s one and two to get that ball rolling. I have Florida State winning by 35.

FSU 45, Jacksonville State 10

• FrankDNole: The hangover from the ND game will be a factor in the first 2 quarters, then the talent differential will come into play and the Noles take over in the 3rd quarter.

I don’t care who starts or how many snaps MM and TJ get, I want see #12 and #18 get some garbage time snaps.

Florida State 38, The Gamecocks 14

• Juan Montalvo: Unlike Frank, I am not hungover, and neither will the ‘Noles be. KZ will come out and lead a good 2-3 scoring drives, Travis will do the same, and then we can start letting Tate Rodemaker pad stats for the future.

Florida State 48, The Fighting Perrilloux’s 17

• Perry Kostidakis: In past years, playing an FCS team following a deflating loss was an almost guarantee for a close game, an unfortunate trend that FSU is looking to break Saturday.

Last year in the second half vs. Jacksonville State is when Florida State truly took on an identity of being a Mike Norvell team, rather than a bunch of players wearing the same uniform. It was one of few times it happened in 2020 — but last week, through 4 quarters, the team had an identity. Against an opponent that should be heading to Doak to solely collect a check, FSU needs to prove that it can do it game in and game out in 2021.

Florida State 52, Jacksonville State 16