Florida State at North Carolina State
Where: Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, N.C.
When: 8 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Weather: 60 degrees, 20% rain chance
Favorite: Florida State by 3.5 points
Coaches: Mike Norvell is 38-32 at FSU, 76-47 overall; Dave Doeren is 92-70 at NC State, 115-74 overall
Quick slant: NC State has won five of the past six in the series, including three in a row in Raleigh. The Wolfpack have gone 5-1 at home this fall, while the Seminoles are 0-3 on the road this season. FSU’s defense has allowed just 16.3 points in the past four games.
About FSU (5-5, 2-5 ACC): The Seminoles are averaging 36.4 points per game (17th in the nation). QB Tommy Castellanos has 7,837 offensive yards in his college career, surpassing the 6,000-yard passing mark in last week’s win over Va. Tech. FSU has 11 interceptions, which ranks 23rd in the FBS. Earl Little Jr. has four interceptions.
About NC State (5-5, 2-4): The Wolfpack are the only Power Four school to have seven receivers with 20 or more catches, led by TE Justin Joly (37) and WR Terrell Anderson (32). Hollywood Smothers is the No. 2 rusher in the ACC with 823 yards, but he missed the Georgia Tech game due to injury and had just seven carries for -2 yards in the loss to Miami. Defensive coordinator DJ Eliot was an assistant coach at FSU from 2010-12 on Jimbo Fisher’s staff.
Three things to watch
1. Start fast, finish drives: In FSU’s three road losses, there have been common themes. Among them: No points in the first quarter at Virginia, Stanford and Clemson, coupled with falling short when in opposing territory, as FSU scored just 13 points vs. the Cardinal and 10 points vs. the Tigers. FSU can’t start slow and then be forced to rally, let alone try to win a shootout.
2. Smother Smothers: FSU defensive coordinator Tony White wasn’t happy with the physicality up front after Virginia Tech picked up 238 yards on 41 carries. Now the Seminoles face Smothers and an NC State ground attack that has been dangerous yet inconsistent (80th in FBS, 147 rushing yards per game).
Handling the intangibles: FSU hasn’t won on the road in two years. Now they play a spotlight Friday night game at Carter-Finley Stadium, which is notoriously difficult for opponents with its tight sideline and rowdy fans. All of FSU’s road games have been at night, and it will be another long day for the Seminoles to hang out at the hotel and wait for the bus ride to the stadium.
