FSU Football 2016 Preseason Preview: Game 1 vs. Ole Miss

Here is a look at how the 2016 season will play out for FSU football with our game preview and prediction.

As we get closer and closer to the 2016 season kicking off in the world of college football, FSU football is preparing for their spot as one of the teams that will compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff when the regular season is over. The Seminoles will have their work cut out for them, with eight games against teams that went to bowl games in 2015 (including six of their first eight opponents) as well as one team that made a run in the FCS playoffs last season.

While it starts and ends with SEC opponents in the Sunshine State (two of the nine games being played in the state of Florida this season for FSU football), there are plenty of challenges in between and potential road blocks that could keep the ‘Noles from winning the fourth national title in program history.

How will the ‘Noles fare this season when they take the field for the 12 games currently on their schedule? Is there a team that will come out on top and keep FSU football from being perfect in a season of such hope? Here’s our look at how the Seminoles will do in the regular season in 2016.

Game One – vs. Ole Miss in Orlando (September 5^th)

Series Record: Ole Miss leads 1-0

The season starts off with a bang for the Seminoles when they head back down to Central Florida for just the second all time meeting against the Rebels. For the last two seasons, Ole Miss has been the only team in the SEC who has been able to defeat eventual conference champ Alabama, but has had the bad luck of hitting road bumps that have kept them from making it to Atlanta.

For Ole Miss, their hopes of winning and making a statement on the national stage will center on quarterback Chad Kelly. After struggles early on in his college career at Clemson and later at the junior college level, the nephew of Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly has finally seemed to mature and put himself in the argument as one of the top quarterbacks in the game. It will be a challenge for the talented, but young secondary of the Seminoles led by Derwin James and Tarvarus McFadden among others.

For the Seminoles, a major advantage will be that the Ole Miss defense, while still talented and athletic, lost boatloads of talent to both the NFL and graduation last year and will be trying to keep their “Land shark” heads above water against both the running of Heisman candidate Dalvin Cook and a triple threat at wide receiver including Travis Rudolph, Kermit Whitfield and Bobo Wilson.

Key factor

After this weekend’s developments, Deondre Francois looks to be starting his first ever college football game in his hometown…on national television…in a battle of top ten teams. It doesn’t get much more pressure filled than that, so it will be interesting to see how Jimbo Fisher and the ‘Noles ease him into things.

Prediction

Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze was very quick at SEC Media Days to point out that this is far from being a neutral site game for his team. While it is true that it will feel like Tallahassee South for this game, you can be willing to bet that Fisher will remind the ‘Noles what the Rebels are capable of when they bring their best. Florida State 31 Ole Miss 21