Florida State is just a few hours away from kicking off Week 6 against the Louisville Cardinals in Kentucky. The Seminoles managed to improve to 3-2 last week in a major way, and the win allowed fans to enjoy Florida State football for a moment. Now, the next challenge awaits, and Louisville is a far different team compared to Virginia.
Last week, Florida State entered the game as home underdogs against Virginia, and the team appeared to take that personally based on the response on the field. The Seminoles shifted the momentum of the game in the second quarter and never looked back afterwards. Securing a dominant win always feels good, but the reality is that Florida State still has plenty of work to do moving forward.
Hosting the Seminoles this week will be the Cardinals, who are in the middle of a two-game losing streak against the likes of NC State and Wake Forest. Empty possessions have not been a problem for Louisville, but fumbles and the growing miscommunications on defense have. The talent is certainly there, but the results have not been, which makes Louisville a very dangerous team to play against.
Can Florida State replicate the Week 5 success against Louisville?
The expectations have now been set for Florida State after coach Mike Norvell proved this team can win dominantly. Now, the real test begins, and that involves repeating that performance against another strong ACC team in Louisville.
It might be a rough start to the season for Louisville at 2-3, but the Cardinals' team is loaded with talent, particularly on the offensive side. Quarterback Lincoln Kienholz looked like a true Heisman Trophy candidate early and remains a very dangerous player despite the recent losses. Louisville is arguably the only team in the ACC that could potentially rival Miami offensively, and they will serve as a serious test for the Florida State defense.
Virginia is a very experienced team, and Florida State found a way to shut them down on offense, but Louisville is not necessarily the same type of team. Kienholz and the Cardinals hurt opposing defenses through the air, which happens to be an area of weakness for Florida State.
Expect a long night for both defenses during Week 6
Completely shutting down the Cardinals' offense is likely not going to happen, as the worst performance the offense had this season was good for 399 total yards and 27 points. The Louisville offense is a different animal, and that could pose a threat to the Florida State defense and the secondary in particular.
With that in mind, Louisville could certainly have an explosive day on offense, but there is also a good chance that Florida State does the same. The Cardinals have the second-worst defense in the ACC, with an average of 29.2 points per game allowed. Louisville additionally allows 423 total yards per game, which means moving the football into scoring position should not be an issue for Florida State.
Florida State has looked better defensively over the past two games, allowing an average of 226.5 total yards gained. The defense should be able to find enough success to prevent a blowout, but this game will likely come down to who makes the last mistake on offense.
Prediction: Florida State 38, Louisville 35
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