Forget The Hype, Tide And Seminoles Want To Play

Nick Saban knows his Alabama squad faces a major hurdle in Florida State (NY Times)

 Alabama coach Nick Saban was never going to make any grand proclamations about his team as it heads into its opener against No. 3 Florida State, preferring instead to toe the company line.

 He would just as soon leave the bulletin board material to the Seminoles and let his team worry about doing what it does best -- pound opponents into submission with meticulous preparation and all-world talent.

 The top-ranked Crimson Tide face off against a young but hungry FSU squad in a game that is the first-ever season opener to match a pair of top three teams. The hype has been off the charts, deservedly, but both coaches are simply looking to get their teams ready and play the game.

"I think this is a great opportunity for our team to play in a great environment, a new stadium in Atlanta against one of the top teams, no doubt, in the country," Saban said. "Both of these teams are going to be well-prepared to play this game. I'm pleased with the progress we've been able to make with a lot of players, and we've had a good couple of days of work in Florida State prep."

 Fisher sounded like a man who almost relished the stakes, someone who isn't going to be awed by the magnitude of the moment and won't let his players be, either.

 “If you’re here at Florida State playing in these games, you’re going to be in hyped games,” he said. “Every year, we play Clemson, Miami, Florida, Louisville – whoever we play, what conference, what big bowl, play Michigan, (play) in the National Championship game, that’s part of being at Florida State.”

 Both teams have jaw-dropping athleticism, especially on defense, and each is vying for "best secondary in the nation" honors.

 Bama has ballhawk Minkah Fitzpatrick, who is a safety by title but who will line up just about anywhere, hard hitting safety Ronnie Harrison and veteran corner Tony Brown, and a host of guys just waiting to be "next man up."

 The Seminoles counter with safety Derwin James, who missed all but two games last year and has been welcomed back with open arms. James can cover, can play the ball, is a leader and is maybe the most aggressive defensive player in America. Teamed with corner Tarvarus McFadden, they form a great double dare for quarterbacks to face.

 Bama seems to have a slight edge in experience in the front seven, but it's paper-thin.

 Both quarterbacks -- Bama's Jalen Hurts and FSU's Deondre Francois -- were thrust into starting roles and combined to go 24-4 as freshmen a season ago. Hurts is more of a dual threat, but has reportedly worked on his pocket passing in the offseason, while Francois has more than a little Jameis Winston in him -- big arm, unflappable demeanor, ability to take punishment.

 Hurts and Francois will both be under the microscope, and whoever plays the cleaner game will likely be the one helping his team to victory.

 Alabama can overpower opposing offenses with its base defense, and Florida State did have a propensity for allowing Francois to get hit last year. He cannot continue to absorb these kinds of hits if the Seminoles have any kind of design on vying for a berth in the College Football Playoff.

Fisher likes what he has seen from his trench men thus far in fall camp.

Jimbo Fisher leads his young and hungry Florida State team into battle

“I do. I think our lines had a really good camp,” he said. “We ran the football, we pass-blocked and did the things we had assignment-wise, and worked hard on blitz pickups and different things – the running game, the pass game, all the different scenarios.”

Even if it means an early season setback, Saban likes games such as this one because it can prove to be a measuring stick for his team.

"A game like this shows where your team is," Saban said. "You could really play a lesser opponent, not play really well, not really find out exactly where you are and who you are and what you need to do to fix it. When you play a challenging team, I think you find out most of those things about your team in terms of their ability to execute, their psychological disposition."

 Saban and Fisher go back a bit and admit to being friends -- well, as friendly as anyone can be when Saban is involved. Fisher served as Saban's quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at LSU and often gave the Bayou Bengals defense fits when designing plays. Both coaches have fertile minds and come up with little wrinkles at the proper time, but at their core both win a ton of games because they have the best players.

 They will laugh and joke a bit in the pregame, pat each other on the back and give firm handshakes and congratulations after the contest.

 But during the game? Don't look for many pleasantries.

“When it’s time to keep score, we’ll keep score,” Fisher said. “Until then, we’ll be nice.”

WHAT
No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 3 Florida State
WHEN AND WHERE
Sept. 2nd, 8 pm, Mercedes Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Ga.
WHO TO WATCH
ALABAMA -- QB Jalen Hurts stirs the drink with his ability to extend plays. He has very good accuracy with the ball but tends to use the passing attack as an extension of the ground game. Alabama uses short, controlled passes to move the chains and grind opponents down. When it does challenge a defense, it's usually in the form of wonderful Calvin Ridley, the latest in a line of blue-chip receivers in Tuscaloosa. The front seven is, as usual, stout, and the secondary is marvelous. The two (or three) headed monster of Bo Scarbrough, Damien Harris and Josh Jacobs (or freshman Najee Harris, who might play if Jacobs can't answer the bell) might be Alabama's most talented backfield of the Saban era, which is saying something.
FLORIDA STATE -- S Derwin James will be all over the place, and if Alabama doesn't account for him with an extra tight end or a blocking back, he will in the backfield as much as Hurts. James is excellent tracking the ball and is a fearless tackler, and will add some swagger to an FSU defense that at times last season looked average. LB Matthew Thomas is nicked up but should play, and the defensive front is wondrous, led by Derrick Nnadi, Brian Burns and Josh Sweat. Deondre Francois must play a mistake-free game, and will use the running of freshman Cam Akers to pound out the tough yardage. FSU cannot get behind the chains because Alabama feasts on teams in third and long.
WHAT DECIDES THE OUTCOME 
 It would be easy to say the team that scores more, but getting in position to score is nearly as important, and neither team is very likely to put up huge rushing numbers. That means whichever quarterback plays mistake-free football will come out on top. Hurts could get loose for a big play with his feet, while Francois' cannon of an arm could test the vaunted Tide secondary. A close second is third down conversions. Alabama was successful on just two of 15 tries in the national title game against Clemson, and Florida State's defense can be on that level, especially up front. Hurts is not polished enough in the passing game to really win the thing with his arm, so if Alabama faces adversity and is put into a lot of second- and third-and-long situations, Florida State could gain an advantage.