Florida State vs. Wake Forest Complete Game Preview
After a shutout road victory over Boston College in its ACC opener, No. 11 Florida State took Week 4 off and recharged its batteries ahead of Saturday's conference matchup at Wake Forest.
The Seminoles defense will hope the momentum from its hot start to the season didn't cool off in the bye week, as it sits in the top 10 nationally for scoring defense, pass defense and total defense through the first three wins of 2015.
Florida State's offense, on the other hand, will look for improvement out of the bye week after only putting up a single touchdown in the Friday night win against Boston College. Star running back Dalvin Cook has led the way so far for the undefeated Seminoles, who would love to see a big game from starting quarterback Everett Golson.
Wake Forest is 2-2 after dropping a close home game against Indiana last weekend in which the offense rallied late in the fourth quarter. The Demon Deacons, fighting for their first winning season since 2008, love to throw the ball and have one of the most underrated defensive fronts in the ACC.
Before we break down Florida State's road trip to Wake Forest, here is all the basic info for the matchup:
Date: Saturday, October 3
Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
Location: BB&T Field (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)
TV: ESPN
Radio: Seminole IMG Sports Network
Line: Florida State -19.5, according to Odds Shark
Florida State Keys to Victory
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Pressure the quarterback...
Wake Forest's offense is one of the pass-happiest in college football—it has the sixth-most attempts nationally through four weeks—but it has thrown more interceptions than touchdowns so far in 2015.
A key reason behind the Demon Deacons' inefficiency through the air is their offensive line, which has given up the second-most sacks in the FBS. Both quarterbacks, John Wolford and Kendall Hinton, have spent a lot of time under constant pressure, and it's led to a 54 percent completion rate.
Florida State is averaging two sacks per game after only recording 17 in 14 contests last season. There's plenty of time for that number to improve, and the Seminoles can cut out the heart of the Wake Forest attack by stepping up its pass rush this weekend.
...but make sure to contain him
But while Wake Forest quarterbacks have spent a lot of time getting up from sacks this season, they've also done a good job of taking off with the ball.
Hinton, who started in place of injured the sophomore Wolford last weekend, is Wake Forest's leading rusher. The vast majority of Hinton's 170 rushing yards—and all four of his touchdowns—have come in the last two weeks.
Whoever starts at quarterback between Wolford and Hinton will provide escapability in addition to a busy arm Saturday afternoon. If the Seminoles overpursue, Wake Forest's mobile quarterback can tuck it and make things happen on the ground.
Don't get frustrated on offense
While the Seminoles have done a great job of taking care of the ball, their only offensive touchdown against BC came on the first drive of the game. The pressure is on for Golson and the rest of the first-team offense to start creating bigger plays as FSU heads into the meat of its ACC schedule.
But the Wake Forest defense, led by an experienced front seven, isn't exactly prone to giving up those explosive plays. The Demon Deacons are tied for 12th nationally in fewest allowed plays of 10 or more yards.
Florida State can't afford to stay down on the offensive side of the ball, even if the big plays are coming against the Demon Deacons. If the Seminoles focus on consistently moving the chains, they'll wear down a team that had some tackling woes against Indiana last week.
Wake Forest Keys to Victory
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End the turnover streaks
While Florida State hasn't had an offensive turnover so far in 2015, Wake Forest is just one of two FBS teams that haven't forced a turnover of any kind this season.
The Demon Deacons have come close to several interceptions in their last few games, but they haven't been able to make the big breakthrough. Wake Forest can't allow both turnover-less streaks—Florida State's and its own—to continue if it wants to have a chance Saturday.
The hosts will need big defensive plays in order to flip momentum, especially considering their inefficient offense is going up against a top-10 defense in Florida State. Without them, they could be in for a long day.
Avoid the third-quarter slump
In its two losses this season, Wake Forest has been shut out in the third quarter. That's a big issue heading into a matchup against Florida State, which outscored its first two opponents of the season 31-0 in the third quarter before a scoreless effort against Boston College.
Against Syracuse, the third-quarter slump allowed the Orange to take the lead on Wake Forest. Last weekend against Indiana, the Hoosiers scored in the third quarter and later opened up a 21-point lead over the Demon Deacons.
If Florida State's offense comes out of the halftime locker room hot like it did in its home wins this season, Wake Forest can wave goodbye to any hopes of pulling off an upset. The Deacons need more consistency on both sides of the ball in the second half.
Tighten up the tackling
Although Wake Forest has limited big plays for the most part this season, tackling was a problem against hard-running Indiana. Now the Demon Deacons, who allowed 211 rushing yards to the Hoosiers, have to face Dalvin Cook and FSU's cast of running back talent.
"[Wake Forest had] far too many arm tackles, and far too many missed tackles [against Indiana]," Robert Reinhard of SB Nation's Blogger So Dear wrote. "This led to too many third-down and manageable situations for Indiana. The technique has to get better."
This Wake Forest defense has done well for the most part this season, but poor tackling like it displayed against Indiana could be deadly against a team with as many athletes as Florida State has.
Florida State Players to Watch
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The running backs
Dalvin Cook will once again lead the way for Florida State's offense this weekend—he's No. 4 nationally in rushing yards per game—but keep an eye on how the reps are divided behind him. With Mario Pender out for Saturday's game with a collapsed lung, Johnathan Vickers and Jacques Patrick are the next ones up for FSU.
"They’re ready to get (carries)," Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher said, per Tim Linafelt of Seminoles.com. "(They have) size, speed, knowledge of what’s going on, strength. … (They’re) big, physical, fast guys that bring it downhill and are hard to tackle. (They) catch the ball well and pass-protect well. … Like I said all along, I really like those guys."
According to Brendan Sonnone of the Orlando Sentinel, the true freshman Patrick brings size and plenty of hype after his early enrollment this year. Vickers, on the other hand, is quicker and could get some receptions Saturday.
DE Lorenzo Featherston
Florida State's improving pass rush could get a big boost this weekend as 6'7" defensive end Lorenzo Featherston returned to practice last week. There's a possibility the sophomore could make his 2015 debut at Wake Forest.
"He'll get back in [practice], keep him in the mix and hopefully be able to play this weekend," Fisher said, per Sonnone. "But I don't know, we'll just keep playing, play it by ear on how he's doing, but he keeps progressing right where he thought."
With its struggling offensive line, Wake Forest would be the perfect matchup for Florida State to unleash Featherston for the first time this season. He finished sixth on the team last season with five tackles for loss and has the potential to be an elite pass-rusher.
CB Jalen Ramsey
Saturday is looking like it will be a busy day for the Florida State secondary after the Seminoles faced the eighth-fewest passing attempts of any defense for the first few weeks of 2015.
The spotlight will once again fall on star defensive back Jalen Ramsey, who recorded a crucial scoop-and-score in Florida State's most recent win over Boston College. He leads the team with five pass breakups and will be active all day against Wake Forest's pass-heavy attack.
If the Florida State defensive front can put good pressure on a mistake-prone Wake Forest offense, Ramsey will also have a good shot at recording his first interception of the season. If that happens, he's a serious threat to score.
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Wake Forest Players to Watch
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The starting quarterback
Wake Forest hasn't yet made a decision on who will start between Wolford and Hinton this weekend. While both quarterbacks have found the end zone multiple times with their rushing ability this season, each brings a unique challenge to the Florida State defense.
Wolford threw for more than 300 yards in his first two starts of the season before his injury in Week 3 against Army, while Hinton had more than 300 yards of total offense as the starter against Indiana.
"I think part of it is John's ability to read coverages quicker—the ball gets out quicker with him," coach David Clawson said, per the Associated Press via the Daily Journal. "Our rushing totals are up. ... Some of that is by design, and some of that is Kendall's creativity."
WR K.J. Brent
No matter who starts at quarterback for Wake Forest this weekend, he definitely will be able to rely on the presence of senior wide receiver K.J. Brent.
The South Carolina transfer is leading the Demon Deacons in receiving this season, and he's made at least four catches in every game. He almost made a game-tying touchdown reception last weekend against Indiana that would have sealed a crazy fourth-quarter comeback.
At 6'4", Brent has good size and will test the Florida State defense vertically Saturday. The Demon Deacons like to spread the ball around—five receivers have at least 12 receptions this season—but Brent is the go-to man in this unit.
CB Brad Watson
Brad Watson has been quite a busy man in the secondary for Wake Forest this season.
Watson is second on the team in tackles with 25, and he also has broken up four passes—three more than anyone else on the defense. The junior has played in every game of his career at Wake Forest and is already a veteran presence.
Before the season started, David Hale of ESPN.com picked Watson as a potential breakout player at cornerback in the ACC. Through the first four games of the season, Watson has delivered in his new starting role and will be a key figure against Florida State.
What They're Saying
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Florida State
Head coach Jimbo Fisher on Wake Forest, per WTXL-TV:
"Offensively, they are throwing the heck out of the ball. Running it some, too, but really throwing it, spreading it out, making plays, getting yards, kicking game...all kind of different formations, fake punts, will do anything. A very well‐coached football team, play very hard, very fundamentally sound. Great leverage on defense. Like I say, account for everybody on offense, you can see they have a great plan.
"
Defensive back Jalen Ramsey on Wake Forest's receivers, per Tim Linafelt of Seminoles.com:
"They have nice sized receivers, as far as (being) tall. They use their body well to shield off the defenders, the defensive backs. They’re going to try to lure us to sleep, then hit us over the top with double-moves.
"
Fisher on Florida State's offensive start to 2015, per Brendan Sonnone of the Orlando Sentinel:
"There’s not a lot of adjustments as far what you’re going to do, it’s more how you’re going to do it. You have to execute better. You teach, you learn. As coaches, we’ve got to do a better job at teaching and getting our point across, how we want it done. And they have to take it to the field. What we’re trying to do is refine what we’re doing and get better at it.
"
Wake Forest
Head coach Dave Clawson on his team's progress this season, per the program's Twitter account: "We're a better football team. I know we are. It's clear that we're a better football team."
Wide receiver K.J. Brent on Wake Forest's offensive consistency issues, per Conor O'Neill of the Gaston Gazette:
"We’ve got to answer, and we have to keep playing consistent and make the big plays that we made in the fourth quarter throughout the whole game. We have the players to do it. We have the scheme to do it. We just have to execute it and go out there and play like we know how to play.
"
Linebacker Brandon Chubb on the Demon Deacons' lack of turnovers, per Dan Collins of the Winston-Salem Journal:
""We just have to keep going for the ball. The reason other teams have turnovers and we don't, it's because when they get those opportunities they capitalize on it. We haven't capitalized on any. And like I said we had two in our hands today that we just dropped. I think when we get one, we'll get rolling. It will be kind of the icebreaker. But we need to get turnovers.
Prediction
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In the last three seasons, Wake Forest has scored only six points on Florida State. And while the Seminoles defense is looking strong through the first few games of the season, this isn't the same Wake Forest offense that recorded a horrendous 1.25 yards per carry in 2015.
Wake Forest's passing game against a relatively untested FSU secondary and the threat of Hinton—if he starts—on the ground should be enough for the Demon Deacons to find the end zone this year. But don't expect a points explosion, as this Wake Forest attack is quite prone to mistakes.
Florida State will offer Wake Forest's defense its toughest test yet, even though the Golson-led attack hasn't been overly impressive since the Week 1 win over Texas State. Cook could be in for another huge day if the Demon Deacons continue to have the tackling woes they had against Indiana last weekend.
FSU will be able to move the ball much more efficiently in its second road game against a defense that isn't quite as stout as the one up at Boston College. The Seminoles defense should get some opportunities to give the offense shorter fields with turnovers and quick three-and-outs.
Florida State comes out with a stronger offensive start after the off week and makes the defensive adjustments needed to shut the Demon Deacons down at home. The Seminoles get a big confidence-building win on the road.
Prediction: Florida State 37, Wake Forest 13
Unless otherwise noted, stats courtesy of CFBStats.com.
Justin Ferguson is a college football writer at Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter @JFergusonBR.
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