North Carolina State @ Florida State preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 27, 2014 ) Florida State 56, North Carolina State 41

Florida State is coming off a loss but managed not to slip at all in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, staying at No. 16. The Seminoles will try to bounce back from a loss to No. 1 Clemson when they host North Carolina State on Saturday.

Florida State, which is tied for 18th in the USA Today Coaches' poll, dropped two of its last three games and is currently trying to sort out its quarterback situation. Everett Golson was the starter until suffering a concussion against Georgia Tech on Oct. 24 and Sean Maguire took over in the last two games, even though Golson had been cleared to play against Clemson last week. The Wolfpack became bowl eligible with a 24-8 win over Boston College last week but are just 2-3 in ACC play. N.C. State is playing out the remainder of its schedule without leading rusher Matthew Dayes, who sat out last week with a foot injury and watched as the team ran for 139 yards on 33 carries.

TV: 12:30 p.m. ET, ACC Network, ESPN3. LINE: Florida State -10

ABOUT NORTH CAROLINA STATE (6-3, 2-3 ACC): Dayes’ absence puts more of the load on quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who threw for 212 yards and one touchdown while committing just his second interception of the season at Boston College. The senior has yet to complete 60 percent of his passes in an ACC contest this season but he had his best game against the toughest competition with 254 yards and three touchdowns against Clemson on Oct. 31. Brissett’s finest performance since transferring to N.C. State came against Florida State last season, when he passed for 359 yards and three touchdowns in a 56-41 setback.

ABOUT FLORIDA STATE (7-2, 5-2): Golson is completing 67.2 percent of his passes and has 11 touchdowns against one interception this season, but coach Jimbo Fisher is still not ready to declare him the starter again. “We’ll evaluate what we do like we do every week in practice, and whatever our game plan is (will determine) which way we go with it,” Fisher told reporters. “I feel comfortable with Sean and I feel comfortable with Everett.” Maguire had a strong game against Syracuse in his first start on Oct. 31 but was limited to 164 yards with one interception and no touchdown passes last week.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Florida State RB Dalvin Cook (1,231) needs 12 yards to break Warrick Dunn’s single-season school record (1995).

2. The Wolfpack can match a school record with their fifth road win of the season on Saturday.

3. The Seminoles have won 19 straight home games.

PREDICTION: Florida State 38, Wake Forest 10