Third quarter game thread: FSU vs. Wake Forest

FSU vs. Wake Forest Game Threads:

When the third quarter ends, please move to the FOURTH QUARTER THREAD where hearts might be ripped out, and worse.

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Although the Florida State Seminoles have been trying really hard to start 0-3 for a few years now, even dating back to Jimbo Fisher’s last season (2017) when the Noles’ started 0-2 before finally beating Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, FSU has not lost the first three games of a football season since 1976, which coincidentally was Bobby Bowden’s first season as the FSU Head Coach.

Florida State vs. Wake Forest

Pre-Game Coverage from Tomahawk Nation

Depth chart for Wake Forest game-McKenzie Milton listed as lone starter at QB

Kevin Little’s Florida State vs Wake Forest Preview

Jon Marchant’s Q&A with Cameron from SBN’s Blogger So Dear to see how they are feeling about this game.

Listen to Brian Pellerin’s Seminole Wrap: A must-win game for the Seminoles?

Matchup and Memories of Florida State vs Wake Forest history with Matt Minnick, NoleTruandThru, and Tim Scribble.

Staff Predictions: Florida State vs. Wake Forest

Florida State vs. Wake Forest: Odds, spread, over/under

Channel

ESPN

Time

3:30 p.m.

Stream

ESPN, Hulu, FuboTV

Listen

‘Nole Radio Network

Game notes, via Seminoles.com

• Florida State opens its 30th season of ACC play Saturday, traveling to Wake Forest for an afternoon kickoff on ESPN. This is the fourth time Florida State has played Wake Forest in the Seminoles’ ACC opener and first time the conference opener is in Winston-Salem.
• Since joining the ACC for the 1992 season, Florida State is 18-11 (.621) in its first ACC game of the season, including 7-6 (.538) when opening conference play on the road.
• The Seminoles lead the all-time series over the Demon Deacons 30-7-1. The FSU-Wake Forest series dates back to 1956 and was played every season from 1992-2019. FSU’s 30 wins over Wake Forest are tied for the most by the Seminoles against any current ACC program.
• Florida State has rushed for at least 200 yards in three consecutive games for the first time since 2012. FSU ended last season with 324 yards on the ground vs. Duke, then opened the 2021 campaign with 264 rushing yards vs. No. 9 Notre Dame and totaled 202 yards rushing vs. Jacksonville State.
• The Seminoles rushed for 264 yards in their season opener vs. No. 9 Notre Dame, the program’s most rushing yards against a ranked opponent since totaling 287 yards on the ground vs. No. 10 Clemson on Sept. 22, 2012.
• FSU’s rushing yards total vs. No. 9 Notre Dame was the 4th-highest total in the ACC and 18th nationally in the season’s opening weekend.
• Florida State’s defense held No. 9 Notre Dame to six rushing yards after halftime as the Fighting Irish gained two yards on the ground in the third quarter, one in the fourth quarter and three in overtime. Florida State limited Notre Dame to 65 total rushing yards on the night, a 288-yard improvement from last season’s game when Notre Dame rushed for 353 yards.
• The Seminoles rank 2nd in the ACC and 9th in the NCAA with an average of 4.5 sacks per game, led by Jermaine Johnson II’s 2.25 sacks per game that are 1st in the conference and rank 2nd nationally. Johnson also leads the nation with an average of 3.5 tackles for loss per game, pacing the Noles’ 8.5 TFLs per game that rank 17th nationally.
• Florida State’s defense is holding opponents to an ACC-best 2.34 yards per rush, an average that is 18th nationally.