Gameday Central: FSU Seminoles vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish preview, predictions, how to watch

The Florida State Seminoles host the 10th-ranked Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-1) in South Bend tonight for a prime-time preseason top-10 showdown for a possible spot in expanded college football -to contest playoffs.

Instead, the Seminoles (1-8, 1-8 ACC) operate as 25.5-point underdogs and are on the verge of their worst season in 49 years (3-8 in 1975). Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and will be televised on NBC.

The Seminoles average less than 14.5 points per game and have not scored more than 16 points in a game since the season opener against Georgia Tech, when they scored a season-high 21 points. Only Kent State (133rd) is worse in total offense in the FBS than FSU (132nd). Through 9 games, FSU’s QBs rank 130th in completion percentage, hit on less than 50% of their passes (138 of 278 attempts), and have been sacked 30 times, tied for 125th in the FBS. In rushing offense, the Noles rank second to last in the nation, averaging 2.67 yards/rush and just 76 rushing yards per game.

Notre Dame ranks 4th in the FBS in scoring defense (12.1), third in team pass efficiency defense, fourth in pass defense, fifth in redline Zone defense, fifth in first downs allowed, sixth in turnovers (18) and sixth in defensive touchdowns (3), seventh in turnovers fumbles recovered (8), eighth in total defense (282.9), 11th in third-down defense and 14th in fourth-down defense.

FSU’s hopes of pulling off an upset depend on the Noles’ defense being able to contain the Irish offense more often than not. While the Noles rank a respectable 18th nationally in sack percentage, their rush defense is the 20th worst at 191 yards per game. The Seminoles have forced just 3 turnovers in their 9 games, which ranks last in the nation.

The same FSU defense that sacked Miami Heisman candidate Cam Ward four times will face a weak Irish passing offense that ranks 105th in passing yards and averages just 190 yards per game, which is still slightly better than FSU’s ranking of 108. Averaged 188 yards per game. The Irish rank 29th in sacks allowed with just 10 sacks in their 8 games played.

When comparing special teams, FSU’s kicking game has the advantage of punter Alex Mastromanno, who ranks No. 1 in the country in punts over 50 yards with 24, and kicker Ryan Fitzgerald, the only kicker in the country, including five field goals from at least 52 yards. Notre Dame ranks 114th in FG percentage and averages just 38.6 yards per punt.

Both teams are similarly penalized, with the Irish ranking 78th in fewest penalties per game (50 penalties for 437 yards in 8 games), while the Seminoles rank 79th in fewest penalties per game (57 penalties for 474 yards). in 9 games). .

Everything that could possibly have gone wrong has gone wrong for the Seminoles this season. Players are left with little to nothing to play for except perhaps their ego, self-respect and pride. Few of those qualities have been on display so far this season, and the body chemistry of the FSU football team is that of a depleted and beaten team that has given up. Hopefully that doesn’t continue tonight and the Seminoles can keep the game interesting without further embarrassing the program.

This is only the fourth time in their history and the first time in the last 30 years that FSU has been an underdog by more than 23 points and the Noles have failed to score in the last three years. FSU’s largest win in this series was 37-0 in 2003, while Notre Dame’s largest margin of victory was 42-13 in 2018.

According to FanDuel The Seminoles are 25.5 point underdogs against the Fighting Irish, with the over/under ratio at 42.5.

For the latest updates and other news and information about the game, stay tuned to Space Tomahawk Nation’s pregame coverage is linked below.

Florida State Seminoles vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish Game Threads

Florida State Seminoles vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Pregame coverage from Tomahawk Nation

Florida State Seminoles vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish: How to watch

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Florida State vs. Notre Dame: Game Notes

» Florida State hits the road this week for the final time in 2024, traveling to Notre Dame for a Saturday night contest.

» The Seminoles rank No. 1 in the nation with five blocked kicks this season, thanks to four field goals and a punt block, after blocking a field goal against Cal, one at SMU and two against Clemson and adding a punt block at Duke . Florida State is one of only two teams in the country to have blocked at least one kick in four different games against FBS opponents, and its four-game streak with at least one blocked kick between the SMU and Duke games is the longest in the nation this season. FSU’s 14 blocked kicks under Mike Norvell rank 6th nationally and 2nd among P4 conference programs since the start of the 2020 season.

» Florida State ranks first in the nation with a net punting average of 46.23 yards per punt. Alex Mastromanno’s average of 49.3 yards per punt ranks No. 1 in the country, and Mastromanno also leads the country in punts over 50 yards with 24. He has by far the most 50-yard punts with one or fewer touchbacks this season and is the second closest punter has 15.

» Ryan Fitzgerald is the only kicker in the country to make five field goals from at least 52 yards – he converted from 59, 56, 54, 53 and 52 yards this season – and the only kicker in FSU history to do so in his Career three field goals scored at least 54 yards. He tied FSU’s single-season record with five 50-yard field goals and is one of three kickers nationally with five 50-yard field goals in 2024. He is one of three kickers in the country and the only one in the ACC. Still perfect on field goals with at least 10 attempts this season.

» Florida State ranks 1st in the country with 18 successful fourth-down conversions this season. The Seminoles have converted at least one fourth down in eight games this year, including a 28-yard touchdown pass from Brock Glenn to Ja’Khi Douglas on 4th-and-3 against North Carolina. FSU converted four 4th-down attempts against both Clemson and Miami and is the only P4 conference team with at least four 4th-down conversions in multiple games this season.

» Florida State is the only team in the ACC and one of two nationally to score a kickoff return touchdown in each of the last three seasons. Samuel Singleton Jr. extended FSU’s streak to three straight with a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown to open the second half at Duke. Last year, Deuce Spann scored a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown at home against the Blue Devils, and in 2022, Trey Benson recorded FSU’s first kickoff return touchdown since the 2013 season when he scored the opening kickoff return. Returned a 93-yard touchdown for a score against Boston College.

» FSU has started eight different offensive line combinations in nine games this season, the most in the country in 2024 and the most in the state of Florida since 2019. Ten offensive linemen have made at least one start, also the most for FSU since then in a 2019 season. Last year, Florida State started four offensive line combinations and eight different offensive linemen in 14 games.

» Florida State held Duke to 70 passing yards and recorded a season-high eight pass breakdowns and 180 yards of total offense. The total number of passing yards is the fewest an ACC team has allowed against a P4 conference opponent this season, and the Seminoles’ total number of pass breakups was the most since registering 10 in the win in the 2023 ACC Championship Game.

» The Seminoles registered 7.0 sacks in the win over Cal, the most in a game since 7.0 in the 2023 ACC Championship Game and the most the Bears have allowed in a game since Oct. 19, 2019. This sack total is also the 2-most by an ACC team against an FBS opponent this season and the 10th-highest single-game sacks total nationally in 2024.

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