How Did ESPN's College GameDay Pick Florida State vs. Louisville For The ACC Championship?
The Florida State Seminoles have one last game to take care of. They haven't won an ACC Championship since 2014, and they've got their first chance in the last nine years to do so against the Louisville Cardinals.
With this game, though, the Seminoles are also protecting their chance to make the College Football Playoffs. As the No. 4 ranked team, they essentially need to win to get in.
Still, the Seminoles are playing without Jordan Travis, who suffered a season-ending injury late in the regular season. Tate Rodemaker is a game-time decision, so either he or Brock Glenn will be starting under center in the championship game.
While the Seminoles have a plethora of talent with their skill positions and a defense capable of controlling a game, they'll have to put it all together to take down the Cardinals for the ACC title.
Here is how ESPN's College GameDay Crew selected the Florida State vs. Louisville matchup.
Demond Howard: Louisville
Pat McAfee: Louisville
Theo Von: Florida State
Lee Corso: Florida State
Kirk Herbstreit: Florida State
The Seminoles opened as 4.5-point favorites. The spread has since shrunk and they're now just 1.5-point favorites. This game is expected to be a close one, and the title won't be an easy feat either way.
For the Seminoles, making sound plays on both sides of the field and not doing anything to kill their momentum will be huge.
The offensive line will be crucial for the Seminoles, as allowing the quarterback time to make plays and letting Trey Benson get in space will both be key for the offense.
Defensively, the Seminoles have to get off the field. Allowing big plays on third and long -- or even fourth down conversions -- puts the Seminoles in a very tough position in this one.
With the Seminoles competing for both an ACC Championship and a spot in the College Football Playoffs, this game is incredibly important and will take both sides of the ball to win.
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