I do not want to sound too much like a guy with a cardboard sign around my neck, but I am going to say it anyway: it's Judgment Day for NC State football. After the collapse against Virginia Tech and the embarrassment in Greenville, you cannot help but look at the showdown in Carter Finley between the Pack and the resurgent Seminoles of Florida State in that kind of apocalyptic tone.
The Seminoles have been getting a lot of pub lately from the ESPN types about how they are back, and now the premier program in the state of Florida. While this is a fairly laughable thing to say - let's see them beat Florida ONCE before we crown them the new Sunshine Kings please? - they are none the less stocked with talent and playing some great football right now. However, somebody's got to ask this, just who have they beat? If you exclude the Miami game, all of of Florida State's wins have come against teams with a combined record of 13-27. I'm sorry, I'm not about to start blaring Nirvana and start declaring FSU back to it's 90's form. This is a team that has one win against a credible opponent, and that Miami team has a walking joke at quarterback. And again, lest we forget, they got DESTROYED by Oklahoma. Beating the dregs of the conference doesn't turn you into goliath.
All of that assumes, however, that NC State deserves to be treated like a real team though. The jury is still out on that assumption. Regardless of whether Florida State should be seen as able to stand against the Alabama, Oregon or Boise this season, they are more than capable of holding the gavel on the Wolfpack season. They have an experienced quarterback, a stout core of receivers, and a defense that has a lot of confidence. NC State could barely keep ECU from torching them, how on earth are they going to keep the Seminoles in check?
But if Russell can find that old magic, he can still exploit that defense. If he can avoid the interceptions that have plagued him this season, NC State can very easily turn this thing into a shootout. But as we saw in ECU, when your team can only win in a shootout, all kinds of things can happen to derail a victory. NC State has a prayer on Thursday night, and maybe if the congregation makes enough noise, and somebody up there decides to smile, State might just prevail.
But don't bet your soul on it.
Prediction: Florida State 42 NC State 28
