South Florida vs Florida State 2009

South Florida vs. Florida State

Florida State is currently ranked #18 in the polls, after a thrashing they put on BYU (which surprised me as well as many others). It is possible that the ACC made a statement that they are as competitive as the other conferences by beating a top 25 team handily in their own house?

Now they have to do it again, under much more local confines. The ACC’s Florida State will host South Florida in a big time game for both sides. This is a game that Florida State simply cannot lose, if they are to retain credibility for their top 25 ranking. With teams slipping and sliding every week, the opportunistic team can easily find themselves in the top 10 in a few weeks…case in point, Mississippi.

But to stay there, they must win and not lose to an unranked opponent…case in point, Mississippi.

But the Big East has a point to prove too, and they need South Florida to make that for them. About 27 undefeated teams remain in the FBS, three of them come from this very conference. South Florida has shown signs of brilliance the last few years, only to buckle under the pressure once they were ranked high in the standings.

There is a LOT of credibility on the line here, for the ACC and the Big East…who wins this matchup in the Sunshine State? Let’s look at it:

South Florida is currently 3-0, and not ranked at the moment. Sure, the Bulls have scored about 134 points in three games, which averages to over 40 a game, but who have they beaten? Wofford? Western Kentucky? Charleston Southern?

Again, only 27 teams remain undefeated, and you’re not on the top 25? Very soft schedule folks.

Mind you, this team started out 5-0 last year and was the apple of many eyes, beating teams like Kansas and NC State. But it preceded a 1-4 record once they hit the Big East schedule before beating UCONN, losing to West Virginia and winning the bowl game against Memphis.

I think with a returning good quarterback and an excellent defensive power, this is still a good team, they can win decent games so these are not your mother’s cupcakes, but the last couple of years just seem to show that they are mid-card teams, destined to hover around greatness, but never obtaining it.

But if there is a chance for an upset, it can happen against Florida State.

The Seminoles were 9-4 last year, losing to Wake Forest by 9, Georgia Tech by 3, Boston College by 10 and to Florida by…well that doesn’t matter. Granted they destroyed my beloved Catamounts 69-0, but what did it gain them?

Losing to rival Miami hurt them, but not as bad as the near loss to Jacksonville State. That embarrassing win must have prompted Florida State to re focus, which is what they did against BYU, in a big time win that vaulted them back in the top 25 spotlight.

The Seminoles try to make a living with the passing, which has also burnt them more than once. Last year quarterback Ponder threw for 14 touchdowns…great….but also threw for 13 interceptions…ugh.

The question here is going to be which mindset is Florida State on: the swagger that produced players like Charlie Ward and Deon Sanders, or the team that was so high on itself that it almost lost to Jacksonville State… as they say, half of football is mental.

With Grothe for the Bulls being injured, there may be a feast of blitzes for Florida State, and I think that kinda pressure could get to South Florida. But sometimes playing home makes a team kinda…cocky. I don’t think South Florida can beat Florida State, but I also don’t think they are as intimidated. This could be interesting…

If I had to pick, I might think Florida State will win, but not as big a margin as the BYU game. I give it to the Seminoles by 8 points.