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Nick Saban and his 3-1 Crimson Tide head to Jacksonville this weekend for a neutral-site game against Bobby Bowden's Florida State Seminoles. With a new coach and a strong start, Alabama looks to be a team on the rise...

Alabama-Florida State: A Battle of the Rising and Falling

by Ryan Blanchfield (Analyst)

9

1,597 reads

Sports

September 25, 2007

John Parke Wilson

IconNick Saban and his 3-1 Crimson Tide head to Jacksonville this weekend for a neutral-site game against Bobby Bowden's Florida State Seminoles.

With a new coach and a strong start, Alabama looks to be a team on the rise. FSU, on the other hand, has fallen from the heights it once occupied as a national title contender.

When 'Bama has the ball...

RB Terry Grant is second in the league and top-20 in the nation with 120 rushing yards per game.

D.J. Hall, Alabama's leading receiver, will be getting his 18th-consecutive start Saturday alongside split end Keith Brown. John Parker Wilson can throw to those two and Matt Caddell, making for a high-octane passing game.

Wilson must make good decisions, as FSU notched two interceptions against Colorado last week, both of them by Tony Carter.

When FSU has the ball...

The 'Bama defense, led by Wallace Gilberry, hasn't produced spectacular statistics, but the unit has come through when needed.
 
Alabama would do well to watch out for FSU WR Greg Carr, who's averaged a TD once every 3 RECEPTIONS in his career.

Drew Weatherford's statistics are decent (to say the least), but he's yet to deliver in the clutch.

RB Preston Parker has accounted for 25 percent of the Seminoles' total yards this season. If 'Bama can stop him, they'll essentially stop the entire FSU offense.

The PKs are Leigh Tiffin for 'Bama and Gary Cismesia for FSU.

Prediction: Alabama picks apart a weak FSU D for a 38-21 win.

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9 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment

  1. Shawn Allen about 1 year ago

    if anything the fsu d is the part of the team with the most talent and experience. they almost pitched a shut out against colorado their last game. i think if bama scores 38 it will be on fumble and int returns for touchdowns.
    typically the fsu d plays great the first half and becomes warn out the in the second due to the inability of the fsu offense to stay on the field.

    i agree with bama winning, but i say with more fieldgoals and less td's. 24-20.

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  2. Ryan Blanchfield about 1 year ago

    we have a difference of opinions my friend

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  3. David Williams about 1 year ago

    I agree with Shawn here. If anything, FSU has a solid defense, now that they've worked their kinks out. I don't see them winning but the score should be no more than the Georgia score a week ago. Something like 24-17 Bama sounds about right....maybe 24-10

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  4. Jonathan Shmit about 1 year ago

    FSU's defense is good. There is no doubt about that. The fact is, Major Applewhite saw last week that a pass happy game plan isn't going to work right now. If we 'Bama comes out running, I can see them scoring in the high twenties, low thirties.

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  5. Anonymous about 1 year ago

    First Preston Parker is a WR not a RB. Second he has only produced 167 yards receiving and running that is significantly less then 25% of the offense. Third even if it was 25% of the offense and bama shut him down that would not stop all of FSU's offense. That would stop 25% of it, what happened to the other 75%? Fourth FSU has a really good D this year, where are you seeing that they have a weak one? This Blog/article is very ill informed.

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  6. Anonymous about 1 year ago

    If you don't know much about FSU then why are you making a prediction about them? Going by your resources? How much effort does it take to go to espn.com and look up the stats? Plus when you make a statement like 25% of the offense being shut down then the whole offense will be stopped, how does this add up? You still have 75% of the offense left. Come on not only was your Blog/article ill informed it was also ill logical just use a little bit of work and you could have had a descent article.

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  7. Anonymous about 1 year ago

    Wow this guy could not have been more wrong with his prediction. FSU's weak D? wow someone didn't do their homework.

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  8. Ryan Blanchfield about 1 year ago

    i did look up the stats on sportsline

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