Part 1 in a 10-part online-only series … Game 1, Aug. 30, Cowboys Kickoff at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, ABC, 7 p.m. CDT — A showcase game for the defending national champions against a member of the Big 12 Conference in the fifth all-time meeting between the teams with FSU leading 3-1. … Participate in #FSUTrivia on Twitter, follow Brad Milner @PCNHBradMilner for your chance to win one of 10 BCS Championship commemorative editions …
Florida State’s “Dallas to Dallas” battle cry begins in earnest this August.
The Seminoles open in Big D against Oklahoma State in the home of the National Football League’s Cowboys. The aim is to return to Dallas next January for the national championship and culmination of the inaugural College Football Playoff. That, of course, is far, far away in the scheme.
FSU coach Jimbo Fisher preaches preparation for “the now” and you can bet there won’t be any looking ahead to another potential unbeaten season. The Seminoles won 14 games in 2013 and went largely unchallenged in most of those, save Boston College in a scare early on and Auburn in the title game that required several rallies. This year’s slate is favorable, especially with seven winnable home games.
The Seminoles must forge through summer and fall workouts before worrying about Oklahoma State. This year has proved to be difficult at times with more trouble for quarterback Jameis Winston. The Heisman Trophy winner was cited for stealing crab legs from a Publix and performed community service while serving a suspension from FSU’s baseball team.
One of his receiving targets, tight end Nick O’Leary, was involved in another two-wheel vehicle accident that left him with an injured ankle and a skinned hide. FSU also dealt with code of conduct hearings for Ronald Darby and Chris Casher in the wake of Winston’s sexual assault allegation. Darby was found not responsible and Casher was cited for two violations of the code, according to USA Today.
This is in addition to several spring injuries, most notably running back Dalvin Cook, who injured his shoulder after tripping on stairs. He’s expected to be ready in the fall to lend another dangerous option in the backfield.
However, those items have little to do with play on the field. That’s the focus now and FSU is expected to do well in that regard.
Winston returns off one of the best freshman seasons of all time with many FSU passing records, the award as the best college player in the nation and a crystal ball to his credit. Matching his 40 touchdowns and more than 4,000 passing yards will be a chore with three targets departing Tallahassee along with 130 receptions, 2,300 yards and 22 scores. He will be protected well, however, behind an offensive line with four returning starters.
Rashad Greene and Karlos Williams are poised for big seasons and will pick up some of the slack. Greene is expected to improve on his 76 catches (second all-time for a season) and 1,128 yards, which is scary to ponder. Williams was the team’s second-leading rusher with 730 yards in his first season as a collegiate running back and could match or better Devonta Freeman’s production (1,016 yards, 14 TDs).
Defensively, FSU must find a replacement for defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan, who dealt with constant double teams while still putting up good numbers. His ability to draw blocking focus freed up turf for others to roam and his departure will force a few other linemen to increase production.
Mario Edwards Jr. returns to anchor the defensive end position. Edwards started slowly but had a stronger push to finish his sophomore campaign. He will be counted on for even more this season.
FSU will need to find two starters at linebacker, a position that perennially hasn’t been the deepest on the roster but has yielded breakout performances. The strength of the Seminoles’ defense resides in the backfield with three starters returning and a slew of reserves that will see ample time in making this one of the best units in the country.
FSU enters as the more experienced team, with Oklahoma State losing much of its offensive punch from a 10-3 team. Five starters are back on offense and a sixth projected for this season, Austin Hays, didn’t play last year due to injury. Oklahoma State returns four on a defense that gave up 22 points per game and yielded more than 30 in five contests last season.
Only six players on the incoming Oklahoma State roster have started 10 or more games in their career. The list is led by defensive tackle James Castleman (24) and offensive lineman Daniel Koenig (22). The Cowboys had six early enrollees this spring, including two junior college transfers at linebacker and wide receiver expected to log a lot of time.
There is some hope on offense behind quarterback J.W. Walsh. The rising junior has steadily improved and made five starts last season while finishing last season as one of five sophomore signal-callers with 20 or more passing scores and 10 or more rushing touchdowns in their careers.
Walsh will need to find chemistry with a new group of receivers. Three of the team’s top four pass catchers are gone and no WR on the roster has more than 40 career receptions.
Winston will take aim at an Oklahoma State defense that lost all three starters at linebacker and two safeties that combined for 62 career starts. The Cowboys also lost All-American cornerback Justin Gilbert, which doesn’t bode well for the unit. The sometimes embattled defense gave up 30, 33 and 41 points in the losses and 34 and 35 in two of 10 victories.
You can be sure Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy wished he had last year’s roster for this matchup. FSU will be ranked No. 1 and should open as a heavy favorite given how it demolished opponents in 2013. An early loss for either team might not be too damaging in the long run with the BCS a thing of the past.
- FSU’s top returning players: QB Jameis Winston (4,057 yards, 40 touchdowns, 10 interceptions, 219 yards rushing, four TDs), RB Karlos Williams (730 yards, 11 TDs), WR Rashad Greene (1,128 yards, nine TDs), TE Nick O’Leary (557 yards, seven TDs), WR Kermit Whitfield (two rushing TDs, 619 kickoff return yards, two TDs), OL Josue Matias (29 starts), OL Cameron Erving (28 starts), PK Roberto Aguayo (21-22 FGs, 53 long, 94-94 XP), LB Terrance Smith (59 tackles, two sacks), DB Jalen Ramsey (49 tackles, one INT, one fumble recovery), DE Mario Edwards Jr. (28 tackles, 9½ for loss, 3½ sacks), DB P.J. Williams (35 tackles, three INTs), DB Ronald Darby (14 tackles, two INTs), DB Nate Andrews (35 tackles, four INts), LB Reggie Northrup (46 tackles).
- Oklahoma State’s top returning players: QB J.W. Walsh (1,333 yards, nine TDs, five INTs), RB Desmond Roland (811 yards, 13 TDs), OL Daniel Koenig (24 starts), WR Jhajuan Seales (571 yards, three TDs), LB Ryan Simmons (67 tackles, nine for loss, one INT), DE Jimmy Bean (34 tackles, 9½ for loss, 4½ sacks), DL James Castleman (33 tackles, five for loss, one sack), DB Kevin Peterson (24 tackles, two INTs).
- First-glance prediction: This game will receive a lot of coverage and a lot of hype and rightfully so being the nation’s kickoff showcase. There should be plenty of fan support for both sides in the expansive stadium and a young Oklahoma State may be boosted early. Any momentum will be quelled by FSU, which will have too much firepower for an inferior Big 12 defense to contend with, as the Seminoles win by two scores or more.
- Next week: A look at the Sept. 20 matchup against Clemson in Tallahassee. It’s a rematch of the Seminoles’ 51-14 rout of the Tigers on the road in asserting their dominance in the conference and nation.
2014 FSU Football Preview story schedule:
- June 11: Oklahoma State
- June 18: Clemson
- June 25: The Citadel/Boston College
- July 2: North Carolina State/Wake Forest
- July 9: Syracuse
- July 16: Notre Dame
- July 23: Louisville
- July 30: Virginia
- Aug. 6: Miami
- Aug. 13: Florida