Since FSU stumbled through some weaker opponents at the end of last year, the chorus declaring their triumphant return has grown deafening. While ESPN pundits have been singing the Seminoles' praises, nobody, and I mean absolutely nobody, has belted out their accolades louder than the FSU team, their fervent fan base, and their dedicated media fanboys. If you listen to their YouTube mouthpieces, you'd think FSU was an unstoppable juggernaut! Nole fans reminisce about the Bowden era when winning big games was standard practice. It's as if they used the "Men in Black neuralyzer" on their entire fan base right after that narrow victory against Oklahoma in the bowl game, wiping away four consecutive losing seasons from their collective memory. They've reverted to their trademark tomahawk chopping, trash-talking, "we own the ACC" mentality.
But let's not even broach the subject of reaching the ACC Championship game; something they haven't accomplished since 2013 (while every team in the old Coastal Division has). No, in their minds, they've already clinched the ACC title. Never mind the daunting task of facing Clemson this year, a team that's had their number for a decade. They boldly proclaim they're bound for the College Football Playoff. That's their goal, fueled by their "FSU culture," a term that curiously includes a bunch of transfers who left their previous schools either because they couldn't crack the depth chart or believed they deserved compensation for their services. According to them, this culture is the magic ticket to the CFP.
Never mind LSU. Never mind Clemson. Nole Nation has booked non-refundable tickets to Houston.
Oh, and let's not forget the spectacle they've made of themselves about leaving the ACC. It's akin to a man publicly airing his marital grievances on Facebook before divorcing his wife, all to prove he's right and she's wrong.
So, tonight marks the beginning of FSU's march to Houston. For the next 13 weeks, everyone is expected to kneel in deference as they merrily skip their way to the playoffs. But a team and fan base brimming with this much confidence in their success should ask themselves a critical question: "What if you lose?"
What if, after all the offseason optimism and bombast, LSU actually wins the game? The blocked extra point doesn’t happen this year. I understand that's an unlikely scenario in the minds of many Noles, but what if it happens?
Here's a fun NCAA fact: No team has ever lost in week 1 and then made it to the CFP.
So, an 0-1 start would mean facing a must-win situation at Death Valley. In fact, it would mean a must-win every week for the rest of the season, wouldn't it? If the playoffs start to look like an unreachable dream, how will this "FSU culture" hold up without its primary objective? How will this motley crew of mercenaries focus on teams like Wake Forest and NC State when they know they're not in the running for college football's ultimate prize?
It appears that tonight's game has Nole Nation pushing all their chips into the pot without even glancing at their cards or seeing the blind.
As a famous sports color commentator once said, "Gutsy move, Cotton. Let's see how that works out."
But let's not even broach the subject of reaching the ACC Championship game; something they haven't accomplished since 2013 (while every team in the old Coastal Division has). No, in their minds, they've already clinched the ACC title. Never mind the daunting task of facing Clemson this year, a team that's had their number for a decade. They boldly proclaim they're bound for the College Football Playoff. That's their goal, fueled by their "FSU culture," a term that curiously includes a bunch of transfers who left their previous schools either because they couldn't crack the depth chart or believed they deserved compensation for their services. According to them, this culture is the magic ticket to the CFP.
Never mind LSU. Never mind Clemson. Nole Nation has booked non-refundable tickets to Houston.
Oh, and let's not forget the spectacle they've made of themselves about leaving the ACC. It's akin to a man publicly airing his marital grievances on Facebook before divorcing his wife, all to prove he's right and she's wrong.
So, tonight marks the beginning of FSU's march to Houston. For the next 13 weeks, everyone is expected to kneel in deference as they merrily skip their way to the playoffs. But a team and fan base brimming with this much confidence in their success should ask themselves a critical question: "What if you lose?"
What if, after all the offseason optimism and bombast, LSU actually wins the game? The blocked extra point doesn’t happen this year. I understand that's an unlikely scenario in the minds of many Noles, but what if it happens?
Here's a fun NCAA fact: No team has ever lost in week 1 and then made it to the CFP.
So, an 0-1 start would mean facing a must-win situation at Death Valley. In fact, it would mean a must-win every week for the rest of the season, wouldn't it? If the playoffs start to look like an unreachable dream, how will this "FSU culture" hold up without its primary objective? How will this motley crew of mercenaries focus on teams like Wake Forest and NC State when they know they're not in the running for college football's ultimate prize?
It appears that tonight's game has Nole Nation pushing all their chips into the pot without even glancing at their cards or seeing the blind.
As a famous sports color commentator once said, "Gutsy move, Cotton. Let's see how that works out."
