Bowden a legend
The college football season just keeps slipping away from the Florida State Seminoles.
Already stuck at the bottom of the ACC’s Atlantic Division at 2-3 straight up (also going 2-3 ATS in conference action), the Seminoles have found out they’ll be without their leading receiver when they face the Maryland Terrapins this Saturday night at College Park. De’Cody Fagg has a sprained ankle and will be replaced in the starting lineup by junior Joslin Shaw.
The news isn’t as bad for FSU supporters as it may appear. Although Fagg does lead the ‘Noles with 25 catches, he’s just one of six players to grab at least 15 catches thus far, including Greg Carr, who has 17 receptions and seven touchdowns. Fagg has found the end zone just once, and there is arguably only a small drop-off in talent between Fagg and the promising Shaw.
While FSU has both the strength and the depth in the receiving corps to overcome Fagg’s absence, the real question with the club’s offense is in the running game. The ‘Noles are producing just 102.3 yards per game on the ground; in last week’s matchup against the visiting Boston College Eagles, FSU’s leading rusher was quarterback Drew Weatherford, with 12 yards on 13 carries. No wonder the Eagles scored the 24-19 upset as 7-point puppies.
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Weatherford ended up having a verbal exchange with QB coach Daryl Dickey during the second half of that loss. Coach Bobby Bowden followed up Monday by having his “unity council” check on Weatherford’s morale, as well as that of other players. Bowden’s report to the media was positive on the morale front; however, the reality on the ground is different. This is a team laden with injuries and freshmen players, not to mention a fan base that’s ready to run offensive coordinator Jeff Bowden out of town on a rail.
One more loss to the Terrapins will just about bury the Seminoles this season. Maryland has jumped out to a 5-2 overall record and 2-1 in ACC action; the Terps are also 2-4 ATS overall, but 2-1 ATS in the conference. A near-upset of impressive Georgia Tech speaks to Maryland’s strength. The Terps rebounded from that loss to beat Virginia and N.C. State, yet they’re pegged as 4.5-point home dogs against stumbling FSU. This simply does not compute. It might be a stretch to take Maryland on the moneyline at +165, but a SU win by the Terps this Saturday would surprise no one. The total is 44; the OVER has cashed in five times in a row for FSU and in four out of five for Maryland.
Kick-off from Byrd Stadium is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2.
