Florida State Seminoles vs. Maryland Terrapins Preview and Pick

The Noles know that they need to win this game, or they’ll be eliminated from contention for a second ACC Atlantic Division title in school history. FSU needs to win this and have the Wolfpack drop to either the UNC Tar Heels or these Terps over the course of the next two weeks to head to the league’s title game. There is a big question as to who is leading this team this week, as QB Christian Ponder appears to be ready to go once again, while backup QB EJ Manuel is sitting and waiting in the wings. According to HC Jimbo Fisher, both could see reps, though Ponder is going to get the starting nod after sitting out last week’s win over the Clemson Tigers. FSU needs to be awfully careful in this game though, as this is a pretty big look ahead spot as well. The Florida Gators, a team which it hasn’t beaten in years, is waiting on deck a week from Saturday. The defense is going to have to be at its best, something that finally came up again last week after dreadful games against both the aforementioned Wolfpack and Tar Heels.

For Maryland, the equation is significantly easier than that of the Noles. It needs to win these next two games to win the ACC Atlantic Division for the first time. A win this week parlayed with a loss next week to NC State with a Wolfpack loss to the Tar Heels this week could still make the equation a possibility, but it seems clear that the Terps are going to have to play their way into the ACC title game. HC Ralph Friedgen should be proud of the effort of his men this year, as they went from the gutter in this conference to challenging for a conference crown in just one year. As a result, the Terrapins are a perfect 5-0 SU at home, and Friedgen has had his contract extended once again. A finally fully healthy team has rolled off four straight covers, including last week’s big time 42-23 win in Charlottesville over the Virginia Cavaliers. The play of QB Danny O’Brien hasn’t been spectacular this year, but all the man does is continue to throw TD passes, and that’s about all you can ask of your signal caller. O’Brien has 16 scores on just 121 completions, one of the highest ratios of completions to TDs in the country.

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It’s hard to buck the NCAA football trends in this one, but we have to go with the team that has failed to cover four straight over the team that has successfully covered four straight. Florida State knows that this game is significantly bigger to it than it is to Maryland. The Noles have to win the ACC to keep their fans happy, while the Terps’ faithful already know that this year has been a thing of beauty. Go with the garnet and gold.