FSU Football: ‘Experts’ Say ‘Noles In Position To Continue ACC Rule
By Kelvin Hunt
FSU football has won the ACC Conference three out of the last four years. A panel of ESPN “experts” say that the ‘Noles are in position to continue to be the top team in the ACC.
The ‘Noles again are in the mix to win the ACC in 2016 with divisional rival Clemson again being the stiffest competition along with a difficult early schedule.
ICYMI: Breaking Down The Entire 2016 FSU Football Schedule Game By Game
ESPN produced a list of the top 25 college football programs based on the following:
"Our eight-person panel of CFB experts graded teams on five criteria, each given different weights, to determine the three-year outlook of college football’s top teams."
The criteria:
- Coaching (27 percent)
- Current Talent (27 percent)
- Recruiting (20 percent)
- Title Path (16 percent)
- Program Foundation (10 percent)
Here’s what the eight-person panel of CFB experts said about the ‘Noles who came it at No. 3 behind Alabama and Ohio State:
"According to our panel, the Noles are elite in current talent, recruiting, title path and foundation. When it comes to coaching, however, FSU is outside of the top 5. Don’t read too much into it though, especially since the Seminoles rank No. 3 overall in the rankings."
The big red flag that I immediately noticed was they placed FSU football outside the top 5 in coaching. How is that possible? It solidifies the notion that Jimbo Fisher continues to be dismissed and not included among the top five coaches in college football.
must read: Jimbo Fisher Isn't A Top 5 Coach?
Of course when it comes to recruiting the ‘Noles continue to bring in the best recruiting class in the ACC and usually top five nationally.
Things are no different with the 2017 class that have one of the highest composite rankings per player in the nation at 92.84.
The title path right now consists mostly of beating Clemson and Louisville as those are the two toughest games in the ACC, and avoiding a hiccup against rival Florida at the end of the year.
Once a team gets to the four team playoff it’s anybody’s game for the most part.
As far as the FSU football program foundation, it’s in excellent condition. AD Stan Wilcox just got a contract extension and he has communicated that he wants to keep Jimbo Fisher as long as possible.
The stadium is receiving upgrades as are the football facilities (i.e. FSU football locker rooms, lounge areas, etc.) to remain among the best in the country. The ‘Noles Booster Club donations are the highest in the ACC by a wide margin.
The ACC had a respectable four teams (outside of FSU) make the ESPN Power 25 three-year outlook:
- Clemson (No. 4)
- Notre Dame (No. 9)
- Miami (No. 19)
- Louisville (No. 23)
So FSU football fans enjoy this as we’re in an excellent position to continue to compete for championships in the near future. If you were around for the “Lost Decade” you know what I’m talking about.
Next: Top 5 Players FSU Can't Afford To Lose In 2016
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