Florida State Football: 5 Reasons FSU Will End the Season in the AP Top Five

Florida State’s football teams had a house at the corner of Associated Press and Top Five from 1987-2000.

Those teams were some of the best each year, and the pollsters recognized their season accomplishments at the end of the season with the reward of a Top Five ranking.

Since 2000, the AP Top Five has only been a distant dream for Seminole players.

The ‘Noles are loaded with talent and hype coming into this season. Some analysts think the hype is warranted, while the others believe the buildup is nothing but hot air.

Florida State had Top Five positioning in the preseason Coaches’ Poll, but they weren’t granted as much in the AP preseason poll.

Despite the cliché, FSU controls its own destiny, and the players and coaches are the only ones who determine how this season goes, but the pollsters are the ones who control the choice of the five best teams in college football.

The task of making the AP Top Five is a difficult one for the Seminoles, but here are five reasons they will be at season’s end.

1. Defense

The defense in Tallahassee went from being the stuff of legend to raw mediocrity near the end of Mickey Andrews’ career as defensive coordinator.

For years, ‘Nole defenders ranked among the best in the land and helped lead Florida State to two national championships in the Nineties.

Under the leadership of Mark Stoops, Florida State looks to be returning to a similar level of dominance on the defensive side of the ball. This will immensely help Jimbo Fisher’s squad have a sustained level of success through the season.

The defense is highlighted with stars like Greg Reid, Brandon Jenkins and Nigel Bradham.

The success of the defense is an imperative for the Seminoles to win games this season.

2. E.J. Manuel

E.J. Manuel is the star of the offense. He was Fisher’s first quarterback recruit and has proven that his rank as a 5-star quarterback recruit was well warranted.

He sat behind first-round pick Christian Ponder for two years before getting his shot.

His prowess for making big plays in big games cannot be understated, as he already has two bowl wins, one of which was an MVP performance.

Manuel has been declared as a determinant to FSU success this season, and this couldn’t be closer to the truth.

The Seminole offense will go as far as this dark horse Heisman pick goes.

3. The Schedule

To call a schedule with a visit from Oklahoma and a visit to The Swamp easy would be silly, but not a stretch.

Outside of those two monster games, the schedule lines up favorably for the Seminoles.

It starts off with a couple of cupcakes in University of Louisiana-Monroe and Charleston Southern.

The competition from the Coastal Division might provide the easiest part of the conference schedule, with Duke, Virginia and a downtrodden Miami.

The schedule will only help the ‘Noles, with seven home games and five on the road.

4. Running Back Corps

The stable of running backs wearing the Garnet and Gold will likely be the strongest aspect of the 2011 version of the Seminoles.

Jermaine Thomas headlines the group, followed closely by veterans Ty Jones and Chris Thompson.

Chris Thompson recently suffered an injury that has some in Seminole nation worrying, but the depth in the backfield goes beyond the three guys previously mentioned.

James Wilder, Jr. and Devonta Freeman will be looking for some snaps this season and will prove themselves as viable options at running back if needed.

Freeman and Wilder, Jr. offer little drop off in ability, giving the ‘Noles quite possibly the best depth at tailback in the entire country.

5. Experience

The combination of the four previous reasons should be enough to keep the Seminoles in strong position with the polls throughout the season.

However, the main factor that will contribute to the success of Florida State will be the experience of this year’s squad.

Eight starters returning on both sides of the ball will only serve to aid the Seminoles this fall. Recruits and other rookies are making an impact in summer scrimmages, which will provide support in the case of injuries.

Another year under the coaching staff will provide cohesiveness to this team through the season.

The return of the special teams, with return specialist Greg Reid, place kicker Dustin Hopkins and punter Shawn Powell, will be another strong point for this year’s team.