FOOTBALL IN TALLAHASSEE
Florida State football is back in Tallahassee, as they take on Wake Forest on Saturday at 7:30 PM EST in Doak Campbell Stadium. The Seminoles are surprisingly listed as 9.5-point home favorites. This was a shock to fans, since Florida State is 1-11 in its last twelve ACC games.
However, this is a squad that should be hungry to get back in the win column in front of the home crowd for Homecoming. I want to highlight two players from the Florida State and Wake Forest teams that could make a huge impact in how the contest pans out.
QB THOMAS CASTELLANOS (FSU)
Head football coach Mike Norvell feels that quarterback Thomas Castellanos is trending in a positive direction after he suffered a scary injury late in the fourth quarter of the contest versus Stanford. Castellanos can be an effective weapon if he is a dual-threat option in the offense. It all comes down to if he has recovered from the ankle injury that he had against Kent State.
LB BLAKE NICHELSON (FSU)
I could have chosen a variety of linebackers in this defense, but they cannot allow Wake Forest running back Demond Claiborne to have the game of his life. This is a constant theme where Florida State linebackers look lost in coverage. This should be a game where linebacker Blake Nichelson needs to emerge in run support and coverage.
RB DEMOND CLAIBORNE (WAKE)
You thought I wouldn't mention Claiborne since I mentioned him in the last point? You are mistaken. Florida State's defense has allowed running backs to have stellar performances, especially in Doak Campbell Stadium. Some fans even have PTSD from Pittsburgh's Desmond Reid, with 200 total yards. Claiborne has 612 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the year, so he has been productive.
DE LANGSTON HARDY (WAKE)
With quarterback Thomas Castellanos potentially coming back from injury Saturday night, this offensive line has to protect the signal-caller. The Seminoles are 45th in the FBS in sacks allowed per game (1.43). Wake Forest has a clear-cut pass rusher that is the leader in sacks for the Demon Deacons in defensive lineman Langston Hardy (4.5). Florida State has to give Castellanos time to improvise outside the pocket and run if needed.