FSU Football called most important game for two 2018 foes by ESPN
By Jason Parker
FSU football already knows it’s going to have one of the toughest schedules this year – now, the Noles are getting respect as being a tough foe themselves.
Unless you have been living under a rock since the early part of this year, you know the FSU football team has a schedule this coming season that plenty of teams wouldn’t wish on their worst enemies – one that starts at home with Virginia Tech and includes teams like Clemson, Miami, Notre Dame, Florida and more.
Needless to say, it is going to be important for the Seminoles to get out to a quick start to the season or any hope of playing for the ACC title will be gone in an instant. An early season loss can be overcome, but too many setbacks by the Noles will have head coach Willie Taggart and his team back in Shreveport for the bowl season.
Now, it’s not just FSU football is getting all the attention for having important games – the Seminoles are being called the most important game for two of the ACC foes they will be facing in the month of October.
ESPN.com ranked the most important game for each of their preseason top 25 teams at this point and the Noles came in at that spot for both No. 2 Clemson and No. 8 Miami:
"Even though Florida State is going through a coaching transition, the Seminoles remain an immensely important game for the Tigers, not only for ACC championship hopes but for their playoff hopes, too. Nobody else on the schedule matches them in the talent department.The Hurricanes made strides last season, and one of the biggest happened in Tallahassee…to keep building on their momentum, it is crucial to get past the Seminoles."
FSU football was in both games last season – leading Miami with six seconds to go before a Hurricanes touchdown for their first win in eight tries while being down by just three points late in the fourth quarter and having the ball on the road against Clemson. While both ended in losses, it shows that they didn’t get blown out or even beaten convincingly.
Next: Battle with Miami ranked among top 2018 revenge games
The Seminoles are out to prove everyone in America that last season’s 7-6 season was a once in a decade or more event and Florida State will be back to normal this season. If FSU football can have a winning record in their five biggest games – Clemson, Florida, Miami, NC State and Notre Dame – it will go a long way to showing that.