Florida State is hitting the road to take on the Louisville Cardinals this Friday night. For the Seminoles, not only is it a chance to win their third consecutive game, but it's an opportunity to end a 10-game road losing streak.
Their last victory on the road came in Gainesville against the arch-rival Florida Gators in November of 2023. They need to show they can win away from Doak Campbell Stadium, and they also need to keep pace in the race for the ACC title.
Louisville might be 2-3, but they are explosive on offense and can make this a very difficult game for FSU to win. With that said, here are five reasons why Florida State will improve to 4-2.
Running game will have a big day
Louisville's defense is ranked 90th against the run nationally. This is the perfect opportunity
for Ousmane Kromah, Quintrevion Wisner, and even quarterback Ashton Daniels to control the pace of the game by keeping the chains moving and eating up the clock. With Louisville having such an explosive offense, keeping them on the sidelines as much as possible will be key.
Ashton Daniels should have a big game throwing the ball
As bad as Louisville is against the run, they're even worse against the pass. They rank 130th in that department. So, this means wide receivers Duce Robinson, Micahi Danzy, and Jayvan Boggs are primed to have huge games. Daniels needs to take advantage of this flaw in Louisville's defense early and often.
FSU's defense will get critical stops
Louisville averages over 38 points per game. They will make plays in this one because they're too talented to be held down for four quarters with wide receivers Tre Richardson and Lawayne McCoy, tight end Jaleel Skinner, plus running backs Keyjuan Brown and Issac Brown. However, in crucial moments in the second half, Florida State's defense will make a few big plays.
Florida State's red zone offense will flourish
Points will be critical in this one for FSU, with Louisville being so good offensively. When they get in the red zone, they have to score touchdowns. I believe that will be the case as the Seminoles will take advantage of the Cardinals' defensive woes. They will have to if they want to win.
The road losing streak has to end at some point
It's been almost three years since Florida State won away from home. They've been playing good football the last two games, and I believe they will carry the momentum over from those games to pull out a tough win away from home. With the Miami Hurricanes up next on the road, FSU needs to gain some confidence playing away from Doak Campbell Stadium.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: Five reasons FSU will beat Louisville
