Florida State vs. Pittsburgh: 10 Things We Learned from the Seminoles' Win

The Florida State Seminoles looked like one of the top teams in the nation, beating Pittsburgh 41-13 in the season opener on Monday night.

It was the first ACC game for Pittsburgh. The game started off just as the Panthers had planned, but after leading 7-0 it was all downhill.

The story of the night was Florida State freshman quarterback Jameis Winston. He was dynamic in his college debut.

While one game certainly does not tell a full story, we did learn a lot during the Seminoles' victory.

Jameis Winston Lived Up to the Hype

In this day and age, there is more hype and media scrutiny than there has ever been. It is not very often that a player lives up to that hype.

On Monday night in Pittsburgh, Florida State freshman quarterback Jameis Winston did just that.

He finished the game 25-of-27 on passes for 356 yards and four touchdowns. He also carried the ball eight times for 25 yards and another score.

If this is a sign of things to come, Winston will be in the Heisman conversation all season long.

Florida State Might Not Rely on Its Running Backs as Much as Originally Thought

Coming into the game, the Seminoles were expected to run the ball, particularly with how much rain had fallen on the field before the game.

After watching Jameis Winston on a few drives, it became apparent that was not the case.

Junior running backs James Wilder Jr. and Devonta Freeman only combined for 19 carries and 110 yards. While those are impressive numbers, it is evident that Winston is going to be the main man on offense for this team.

Tom Savage Has Potential If He Can Get the Rust off

Tom Savage threw two interceptions and only completed 15 of 28 passes for 201 yards, but he did have a nice touchdown pass and showed signs of the talent he possesses.

Savage had not played in nearly three years, having transferred from Rutgers to Arizona and then to Pittsburgh.

He has always been a talented quarterback, but he showed signs of rust in the opener.

The good news for Pittsburgh fans is the Florida State defense is one of the best it will face. Savage will improve as the season progresses.

The Florida State Receivers Are Very Talented

One of the strengths of the Florida State team will likely be the wide receiver position.

After watching the group dominate the Pittsburgh secondary in the season opener, it is obvious that is the case.

Junior Rashad Greene hauled in eight passes for 126 yards a touchdown. Kenny Shaw caught four balls for 94 yards. Sophomore Kelvin Benjamin hauled in five passes for 73 yards.

This group has a chance to be one of the best receiving corps in the ACC. That was certainly not expected by many heading into the season.

The Florida State Defensive Line Is Not on the Same Level as the 2012 Group

With as much talent as Florida State lost on the defensive side of the ball, it was evident before the season that the defensive line would need some time.

That clearly appears to be the case after the win over Pittsburgh.

The Seminoles' strength along the line will likely fall on the inside with tackles Timmy Jernigan and Nile Lawrence-Stample.

There is some young, developing talent at end, including sophomore Mario Edwards, but it is going to take some time to get to the point the group was at in 2012.

Devin Street Is a Monster

Despite how much Pittsburgh struggled on both sides of the ball, one bright spot was wide receiver Devin Street. Street caught six passes for 141 yards. He accounted for nearly half of the Pittsburgh offense. 

He was one of the few players on the Panthers roster who had the skill set to compete with the talented Florida State defense.

Look for another huge season from Street. He has the talent to be an all-ACC performer in 2013.

The Florida State Coaching Staff Knows How to Handle Jameis Winston

Jimbo Fisher and his coaching staff had the perfect game plan for how to handle freshman quarterback Jameis Winston.

For the most part, the Seminoles worked backwards. They passed on running downs and ran on passing downs, constantly keeping Pittsburgh off-balance. Florida State passed 29 times and ran the ball 34 times. That is a perfect combination for a season opener. Nearly every play it called worked to perfection.

If the staff can continue its excellent play-calling, this could be a national title contender by the end of the season.

Nick O'Leary Is More Than Just Jack Nicklaus' Grandson

Florida State junior tight end Nick O'Leary only caught three touchdown passes all of last season.

On Monday night against Pittsburgh, the grandson of famous golfer Jack Nicklaus hauled in four passes for 47 yards, with three of them going for touchdowns. He appeared to be one of the favorite targets of quarterback Jameis Winston.

Look for a huge year from O'Leary in 2013.

Pittsburgh Is Going to Have Trouble Winning Games in the ACC

With the exception of Devin Street, Pittsburgh lost virtually all of its skill-position players from last season.

That is not good news for a team entering a new league.

Pittsburgh only managed to go 6-7 last season. It is hard to imagine this team getting anywhere close to six wins in 2013.

It could be a long rebuilding year for the Panthers.

Florida State and Clemson Appear to Be the Class of the ACC

Coming into the season, Florida State and Clemson were the only two ranked teams from the ACC in the preseason polls.

The experts appear to have been correct. The Seminoles and Tigers seem to be the class of the league.

Week 1 of the college football season is now complete, and these two teams have already started to separate themselves from the rest of the pack in the ACC.

While Miami might have something to say about it, there is little doubt that the Oct. 19 game at Clemson will decide who represents the Atlantic Division in the ACC title game.

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