More than a trap game, this is a MUST game.
Florida State and Carolina find themselves in a unique juxtaposition for different reasons heading into Saturday’s game in expected inclement weather.
Following the Willie Taggart debacle, FSU is no more patient with football coaches after long regimes of Bobby Bowden and Jimbo Fisher. Mike Norvell was a big winner at Memphis, but in Tallahassee is very close to detonating his own coaching career after two years.
The Seminoles are supposed to be much improved from going 3-6 last season.
After an overtime loss to Notre Dame, a horrendous upset by Jacksonville State and routed at Wake Forest, followed by losing a third home game to Louisville, their only “W” is against Syracuse, which does not have a major college victory.
Statistically, the Noles have the worst quarterbacking and receivers in the ACC. They have one decent running back and, defensively, the fifth-most sacks, an ongoing problem for Carolina.
It is no understatement to say that beating the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill is a last chance to save the season and probably Norvell’s job.
After UNC, Florida State has an off week and then a home game against a bad mid-major UMass. Then comes ACC division rivals Clemson and NC State, recruiting rival Miami and 4-1 Boston College before finishing against archrival Florida.
At best, that is somewhere between 4-8 and 2-10, a definite danger zone for Norvell’s future. FSU has the money and a football priority to change coaches for a second time in the last three years.
Conversely, UNC cannot afford to lose a third game of the season against an underdog opponent on its home field. The Heels need to beat the Seminoles and Miami and go to Notre Dame at 5-2 to avoid a 6-6 or 7-5 finish, which would take the luster off Mack Brown’s second rebuilding program here after much higher expectations.
To be clear, Florida State (1-4) may have a worse record than Duke (3-2) but overall is more talented than the Blue Devils. Carolina must counter an opponent’s desperation and perhaps overcome pass-hampering weather to stay on track for a big bowl.
For all the reasons above, this makes it a must game for the home team as well as the visitors.
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