Florida State’s defense is absolutely on fire right now, seriously! These guys just held Central Arkansas and Virginia to a ridiculous seven points each. Remember how they were giving up over 31 points per game at the start of the season? Yeah, that’s gone. They even racked up an unbelievable TEN sacks against Virginia last week, which is wild considering they only had seven total in their first four games. This defense has found its groove, but Louisville’s offense is a whole different beast.
Louisville’s Run Game is The First Test
First up, stopping Louisville’s ground attack is huge. Those dudes, Keyjuan Brown and Issac Brown, are both super capable running backs. FSU cannot let them gash the defense on a consistent basis. If they can shut down the run, it forces Louisville into longer third-down situations, which means Florida State’s D-line can just pin their ears back and go after quarterback Lincoln Kienholz. You want to see that energy!
Unleashing the Pass Rush on Kienholz
Speaking of Kienholz, FSU absolutely cannot let him just sit back there untouched. He’s got receivers Tre Richardson and Lawayne McCoy, plus tight end Jaleel Skinner, who can all make plays if given time. This is where guys like Kevin Wynn, Deante McCray, Mandrell Desir, and Rylan Kennedy gotta step up big time. That 10-sack performance against Virginia wasn’t a fluke, and they need to bring that same energy to make Kienholz uncomfortable all game long. No comfy pockets for this guy!
Turnovers and Red Zone Shutdowns Are Game Changers
Louisville’s offense is a beast, putting up over 38 points per game, so FSU’s defense *has* to keep being lights out on third down, just like they have been, getting off the field quickly. Getting turnovers is gonna be tough, Louisville’s only coughed it up four times in five games (one interception, three fumbles). But get this: they’ve put the ball on the ground EIGHT times, so they can be careless. If FSU can snatch a couple, it would be HUGE.
And then there’s the red zone. Louisville has been in there 18 times already this season and scored points on 15 of those, including 12 touchdowns. That’s an 83.3% conversion rate, man! Florida State’s defense has to focus on getting off the field to limit those long drives that end up in their red zone. No freebies in the scoring zone!
This is it, folks. Florida State’s defense has found its rhythm, but Louisville’s offense is a whole different animal. If the Seminoles can stick to these keys, stop the run, pressure Kienholz, force turnovers, and absolutely lock down the red zone, they are going to make a massive statement. Every snap is going to matter big time when these two teams face off.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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