Florida State and LSU meet in Orlando. Are playoffs at stake? Here's our prediction
ORLANDO − The No. 8 Florida State Seminoles (0-0) open their season against the No. 5 LSU Tigers (0-0) in a matchup with potential College Football Playoff implications down the line Sunday at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. on ABC.
The Seminoles are entering Year 4 under head coach Mike Norvell and are coming off a 10-win season and Cheez-It Bowl victory over Oklahoma. Last season marked the first winning season under Norvell, as he trekked ahead with a slow, complete overhaul of the program.
Brian Kelly enters Year 2 with LSU, coming off a 10-win season, SEC West championship and a dominant Cheez-It Citrus Bowl win over Purdue.
This marks the fourth straight year Norvell and Kelly will face off, as Kelly coached at Notre Dame prior to taking the LSU job. Kelly has won two of the three matchups.
Norvell and the Seminoles got the better of Kelly in a 24-23 victory on a Shyheim Brown blocked extra point last season in New Orleans in Week 1.
'He's absolutely crazy': Inside Mike Norvell's rebuild of Florida State football
Why FSU will win
The Seminoles have elite weapons on offense and enough on defense to get enough stops.
FSU's offense has too much firepower for an LSU defense with many unknowns, especially with top defensive lineman Maason Smith serving a one-game ban after the NCAA determined he received an "improper benefit."
Quarterback Jordan Travis has two tall, lanky wide receivers on the outside in Johnny Wilson and Keon Coleman and then speedsters Winston Wright and Destyn Hill sharing co-starter duties in the slot. Transfer tight ends Jaheim Bell (South Carolina) and Kyle Morlock (Shorter) are two more options in the starting lineup as go-to options.
Trey Benson was the most elusive running back in college football last season and Lawrance Toafili is one of the best receiving running backs in college football.
If the Seminoles don't put up a ton of points, it would be a major disappointment.
ACC expansion: Atlantic Coast Conference announces Stanford, Cal, SMU will join
It will be up to the FSU defense - led by defensive end Jared Verse, defensive tackle Fabien Lovett and cornerback Fentrell Cypress II - to come up with key stops for FSU.
The Seminoles have had an increased attention to creating turnovers since the spring and forcing one or two could end up being the difference in what is expected to be a tight game.
Why LSU will win
The Tigers have as much firepower as the Seminoles, but also more depth. Jayden Daniels, like Travis, is a Heisman Trophy candidate this season. He improved as a passer as the season went on last season and has always been a threat with his legs.
LSU also boasts an impressive trio of running backs, even with John Emery (suspension) out. Notre Dame transfers Logan Diggs and Josh Williams lead the group. Diggs was second on the Irish with 165 carries, 820 yards and four touchdowns, while Williams led all running backs with 532 yards on 97 carries (5.5 yards per carry) with six touchdowns.
Receiver Malik Nabers and tight end Mason Taylor provide Daniels with two difference makers on offense. As a freshman, Taylor finished with 38 catches for 414 yards and three touchdowns.
Nabers is expected to once again be one of the top receivers in the country, coming off a season where he posted 72 catches for 1,017 yards and three scores.
Mekhi Wingo remains one of the best defensive linemen in the country and will provide the FSU offensive line with a major challenge. If he can make his way into the backfield often and make Travis uncomfortable or allow him time to find his playmakers.
At linebacker, the Tigers have Harold Perkins, who could be argued as the top player on the field Sunday, despite only being a sophomore. Greg Penn is also another playmaker at linebacker.
After last year's game where LSU's special teams had two kicks blocked and fumbled two kickoffs, head coach Brian Kelly has made it a point of emphasis that the unit won't cost them games this season.
FSU vs. LSU prediction
The Tigers have a ton of transfers in the secondary, as they did last season. I'd expect Travis to come out and attempt a deep shot to Wilson off the bat, leading to an early FSU lead.
FSU takes the lead early and after a strip sack by Patrick Payton, it goes up two scores at halftime.
The Tigers come storming back in the second half, but fall a field goal short and drop their sixth straight to the Seminoles.
Ehsan Kassim's score prediction: Florida State 34, LSU 31.
Jack William's score prediction: Florida State 31, LSU 28.
GAME INFORMATION
Who: AP No. 8 FSU (0-0) vs. No. 5 LSU (0-0)
When/where: Sunday, Sept. 3, 7:30 p.m.; Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Fla.
TV/Radio: ABC/94.9 FM
Live game updates: www.Tallahassee.com; @JackGWilliams on Twitter; @Ehsan_Kassim on Twitter; @JimHenryTALLY on Twitter
Reach Ehsan Kassim at ekassim@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports) and Instagram (tlhnolesports).
No one covers the ‘Noles like the Tallahassee Democrat. Subscribe using the link at the top of the page and never miss a moment.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football prediction, preview for 2023 opener vs. LSU
