These last few weeks have left me feeling like Tom Petty.
Because the waiting is the hardest part.
As glorious as Florida State’s 31-17 statement win over Alabama was, the last few weeks have been uninformative.
Sure, it’s been fun to see FSU’s offense return to form and then some. It’s wild to consider that FSU scored more offensive touchdowns in its first nine quarters of the season (20) than it had all of last year (19).
But we’ve had to wait nearly a full month now to get an idea of how real vs.
one-game sample size that Alabama showing was.
As impressive as it was, I wrote before the game that it wouldn’t determine the season win or lose. That definitely still applies.
While a real test is looming next week, FSU-Miami will only be a top-10 matchup if the Seminoles take care of business Friday night at Virginia.
“It’s been pleasing to see their mindset, but we’ve got to have that continued push going into a hostile atmosphere Friday night,” FSU coach Mike Norvell said.
This week’s game will tell us a lot about this team. In four weeks’ time, FSU has gone from the hunter to hunted.
While Virginia’s fanbase would have already been motivated to make the Scott Stadium atmosphere hostile for this game, the Seminoles’ No. 8 ranking, which was not remotely expected to be there for this game at the start of the season, will only add more fuel to the fire.
FSU is the more talented team in this game. But as we see every week — and as we saw during pretty much all of FSU’s 2024 season — that doesn’t guarantee anything in college football.
Virginia’s offense will be a test for FSU’s defense. The Cavaliers have scored 31-plus points in each of their last four games and are coming off a 48-20 win over Stanford. North Texas transfer QB Chandler Morris (1,050 passing yards, eight TDs, one interception) has been a revelation for the Hoos and has been sacked just once this season.
However, Virginia’s offensive line is quite banged up at the moment. Starting center Brady Wilson is questionable with a calf injury, and the Cavaliers are already down a few offensive linemen with their depth depleted.
Does that open the door to FSU’s front seven causing disruptions?
That would really set the tone for the Seminoles as UVA’s offense is considered the better half of the team. If FSU’s defense is able to stack stops, it’s possible things get lopsided.
FSU’s offense has shown its big-play ability while Virginia has allowed four plays of 50-plus yards already this season, tied for the most among Power Four teams this season. Virginia has also struggled to stop the run at times, allowing NC State to run for 216 yards and four touchdowns at over six yards a carry.
Suffice it to say, there are plenty of reasons to feel good about FSU’s chances going into this game.
The one thing that may work against the Seminoles? Those dreaded intangible factors.
This FSU team has faced minimal adversity so far this season. It has trailed for just 3:06 of game time in its first three games. These Seminoles haven’t yet played a road game and dealt with the communication issues that can emerge in hostile atmospheres.
While this game won’t be the biggest test of those factors on the schedule, it’s the first one. And that’s not nothing.
I tried not to take much of anything away from the last two games. But I certainly will this week.
If the Seminoles go into Charlottesville and take care of business, somewhat comfortably covering a 7.5-point spread, that would be a statement of sorts to me.
It would make me even more of a believer in this team.
