PREMIUM
Rogers' EARLY Afternoon ANNIHILATION (Weds)!
(NCAAF) Southern Miss vs. Florida State,
Point Spread: -15.00 | -106.00 Florida State (Home)
Result: Win
Point Spread: -15.00 | -106.00 Florida State (Home)
Result: Win
The set-up: The 8-4 Southern Miss Golden Eagles will take on the 6-6 Florida State Seminoles in Wednesday's Independence Bowl. Florida State needed to win its last three games, including a 38-22 victory at Florida on Nov. 25, to become bowl-eligible for the 36th straight season. The Seminoles erupted for 157 points (52.3 PPG) during that span with wins over Delaware State 77-6 on Nov. 18 and Louisiana Monroe 42-10 on Dec. 2, after scoring 163 in their first nine games (18.1 PPG). Southern Miss also finished strong, winning its final three games while a scoring 137 points (45.7 PPG), including a 66-21 rout of Charlotte. The two schools have met 22 times (FSU leads 13-8-1) but this 23rd meeting is the first time that Florida State and Southern Miss have met in a bowl.
Southern Miss:The Golden Eagles are led by QB Kwadra Griggs,with 1,793 yards, 15 TDs and just two INTs. Second-year head coach Jay Hopson effectively alternated QBs (Keon Howard had 1,199 passing yards with 8 TDs and 5 INTs) but Griggs is the established starter now. RB Ito Smith is the team's leading rusher with 1321 yards (5.7 YPC) and 13 TDs. WR Korey Robertson has 72 receptions for 1,070 yards and 11 scores. The offense is well-balanced, passing for 249.3 YPG (48th) and 189.0 rushing YPG (39) to average 30.5 YPG (50th). The defense is good, allowing 23.0 PPG (39th) on just 321.9 YPG (17th).
Florida State: The Seminoles were No. 3 in the AP's preseason poll but as No. 11 Alabama pulled away for a 24-7 win on Sep. 2, Heisman hopeful QB Deondre Francois was lost in the 4th0quarter with a season-ending knee injury. True freshman QB James Blackman didn't get an immediate chance, as subsequent games vs. ULM (which would have been a good tuneup) and Miami were postponed due to Hurricane Irma. That three-week layoff hurt , as the season never got back on course, disrupted irreparably by injuries and the weather in September. At 3-5, the Seminoles had to win four of five (including theri last three), to reach bowl-eligibility. The final win Oover ULM) came after Jimbo Fisher left to take the Texas A&M job. Interim head coach Odell Haggins will coach in Shreveport before Florida native Willie Taggart, hired away from Oregon in mid-December, takes over. It's hard to judge FSU by its season stats, as he Seminoles' winning streak coincides with the improved play of Blackman (57.2 percent completion rate, 15 touchdowns, 11 interceptions), who has thrown six TDs and three INTs while completing 60.3 percent of his passes during that span. Running back Cam Akers (930 yards, seven TDs) needs 79 yards to break the school record for rushing yards by a true freshman set by Dalvin Cook in 2014. Junior running back Jacques Patrick (687 yards, six TDs), who rushed for a season-high 155 yards and two touchdowns versus ULM, is another strong threat out of the backfield.
The pick: This is Southern Miss' third appearance in the Independence Bowl and the Golden Eagles won their other two appearances. However, even though it's a "down year," for the Seminoles, this is still a game against Florida State for Southern Miss, which faces one of the nation's top programs for the last 30 years. This C-USA school is stepping up in class here vs. FSU and was handled by a combined 48-27 score vs. modest SEC East foes Kentucky and Tennessee. The Golden Eagles were also easily outclassed by Washington two years ago at Dallas in its last bowl vs. a "Power 5" foe, 44-31. Make FSU an 8* play.
Southern Miss:The Golden Eagles are led by QB Kwadra Griggs,with 1,793 yards, 15 TDs and just two INTs. Second-year head coach Jay Hopson effectively alternated QBs (Keon Howard had 1,199 passing yards with 8 TDs and 5 INTs) but Griggs is the established starter now. RB Ito Smith is the team's leading rusher with 1321 yards (5.7 YPC) and 13 TDs. WR Korey Robertson has 72 receptions for 1,070 yards and 11 scores. The offense is well-balanced, passing for 249.3 YPG (48th) and 189.0 rushing YPG (39) to average 30.5 YPG (50th). The defense is good, allowing 23.0 PPG (39th) on just 321.9 YPG (17th).
Florida State: The Seminoles were No. 3 in the AP's preseason poll but as No. 11 Alabama pulled away for a 24-7 win on Sep. 2, Heisman hopeful QB Deondre Francois was lost in the 4th0quarter with a season-ending knee injury. True freshman QB James Blackman didn't get an immediate chance, as subsequent games vs. ULM (which would have been a good tuneup) and Miami were postponed due to Hurricane Irma. That three-week layoff hurt , as the season never got back on course, disrupted irreparably by injuries and the weather in September. At 3-5, the Seminoles had to win four of five (including theri last three), to reach bowl-eligibility. The final win Oover ULM) came after Jimbo Fisher left to take the Texas A&M job. Interim head coach Odell Haggins will coach in Shreveport before Florida native Willie Taggart, hired away from Oregon in mid-December, takes over. It's hard to judge FSU by its season stats, as he Seminoles' winning streak coincides with the improved play of Blackman (57.2 percent completion rate, 15 touchdowns, 11 interceptions), who has thrown six TDs and three INTs while completing 60.3 percent of his passes during that span. Running back Cam Akers (930 yards, seven TDs) needs 79 yards to break the school record for rushing yards by a true freshman set by Dalvin Cook in 2014. Junior running back Jacques Patrick (687 yards, six TDs), who rushed for a season-high 155 yards and two touchdowns versus ULM, is another strong threat out of the backfield.
The pick: This is Southern Miss' third appearance in the Independence Bowl and the Golden Eagles won their other two appearances. However, even though it's a "down year," for the Seminoles, this is still a game against Florida State for Southern Miss, which faces one of the nation's top programs for the last 30 years. This C-USA school is stepping up in class here vs. FSU and was handled by a combined 48-27 score vs. modest SEC East foes Kentucky and Tennessee. The Golden Eagles were also easily outclassed by Washington two years ago at Dallas in its last bowl vs. a "Power 5" foe, 44-31. Make FSU an 8* play.
