FSU football: 3 reasons Noles cover spread, 3 reasons they don't against Georgia Tech

Mike Norvell Is Outstanding in Season Openers

I'm not counting the 2020 season because the team didn't have an offseason at all in the staff's first year. If we discount that season, Mike Norvell and FSU covered the spread in the subsequent three season openers. They were big underdogs against a more talented team in No. 10 Notre Dame in 2021. They took them to overtime. They were +4.5 underdogs against LSU in 2022 and beat them straight up. They were + 2.5 underdogs agaisnt LSU in 2023 and beat them by three touchdowns. All three of those teams are more talented than this 2024 Georgia Tech team.

Mike Norvell and the coaching staff are among the very best at exploiting weaknesses while minimizing their own. They also don't beat themselves often, which means they usually don't turn the ball over much and don't kill themselves with penalties. When teams do that and have a significant talent advantage in the trenches and other places? They usually cover the spread.