FSU Looks To Ground Golden Eagles
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. (CBSMiami.com) – The Florida State Seminoles are coming off a home thrashing of North Carolina State, but now head to Massachusetts as they look to push their record on the season to 6-3.
Florida State's offense, led by junior quarterback E.J. Manuel, is ranked 25th in the nation scoring 35.6 points per game, according to cfbstats.com. The Seminoles have been especially deadly through the air.
Manuel is directing an offense that is averaging 306.4 yards per game passing, which is tops in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Where FSU is continuing to struggle is running the football.
The Noles were supposed to have a solid running game with a running back by committee approach. But injuries along the offensive line and to running backs have crippled the Noles.
FSU is ranked ninth in the ACC in rushing offense, averaging just 126.4 yards per game, according to cfbstats.com.
Luckily for FSU, the Boston College defense has been abysmal this season. BC is allowing 25 points per game and is ranked next to last in the ACC in total yards allowed per game, giving up 421.8 yars per game.
On the flip side, Boston College's offense has been, well, offensive. The Golden Eagles are averaging just 19.9 points per game and have scored just 19 touchdowns on the season.
BC's passing offense is next to last in the conference and the running game is ranked just seventh out of 12 teams in the ACC.
The Noles defense won't help the Eagles at all during Thursday night's game. FSU has the second-best scoring defense in the ACC, giving up just 16.9 points per game, according to cfbstats.com.
FSU is especially stout in stopping the run. For the season, FSU is allowing just 77 yards per game with opponents having to run 35.8 times per game to get those yards.
Those numbers translate to FSU giving up just 2.15 yards per run in 2011.
Florida State shouldn't have much of a problem with BC during Thursday night's game. The Golden Eagles are just 2-6 on the season and their only conference win came last weekend against Maryland.
If FSU can take care of business in Chestnut Hill Thursday night, the Noles could be in line to return to the top 25.
FSU would be the only Florida team ranked in the top 25 if the team can pull out a win against BC.
