FSU FOOTBALL
Florida State football plays the Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday, August 30th at 3:30 PM EST in the newly renovated Doak Campbell Stadium, so discussing a Stanford Cardinal team that they play on October 18th could be too soon.
However, Stanford played the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors team on the road last night, where they lost by a score of 23-20. The Cardinal played them tough, and it seemed like they relied on the power running game with sophomore running back Micah Ford, who had 26 carries for 113 yards and one touchdown.
It looks like Cardinal turned back the clock on the play style from a couple of years ago. They emphasized physicality in the trenches, which could be encouraging for a team that is looking to forget about 3-9 in 2024 (only one game better than Florida State).
FSU VS STANFORD
We have heard defensive coordinator Tony White talk about being aggressive and physical within his 3-3-5 scheme. However, we will see the words come to action this Saturday as Florida State plays Alabama.
This could be a dangerous spot for Florida State as they play a physical Pittsburgh team at home on October 11th, then travel across the country to face off against Stanford at 10:30 PM EST on ESPN.
While I understand that traveling is easier than ever, it isn't an easy task for 18-23-year-old players to get ready for. I was encouraged to see that transfer quarterback Ben Gulbranson struggled through the air as he completed 15 of his 30 passes for 109 yards and one interception.
The Cardinal probably wishes that it had General Manager Andrew Luck back there under center, but they will have to move the chains by running the football, which could play in the Seminoles' favor.
I never want to pencil in victories for Florida State football, especially after they secured only victories over California and Charleston Southern last year, but it seems like a contest that the Seminoles could manage and control, given their lack of a passing attack.