Florida State @ South Florida preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 12, 2015 ) South Florida 14, Florida State 34

USF is off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2011 and takes on its biggest challenge in the national spotlight Saturday when 14th-ranked Florida State pays a visit to Raymond James Stadium. The Bulls rallied to win 45-20 at Syracuse last week and could not be facing their Sunshine State rival at a worse time as Florida State arrives angry and focused after being embarrassed 63-20 at Louisville.

“I think it will be big, just from a respect (standpoint) and getting national attention,” USF coach Willie Taggart told reporters. “. … We don’t want anyone to give it to us, we want to earn it, and it’s a hell of an opportunity for us to go out and do that this weekend.” The Bulls averaged almost 50 points in the first three games and lean on running back Marlon Mack, along with quarterback Quinton Flowers and receiver Rodney Adams. The Seminoles will have to be much better defensively than last Saturday, when they allowed 314 yards rushing, if they are to avoid consecutive losses for the first time since 2011. “You know, we say ‘That’s not us, that’s not us.’ Well, that was us,” Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher told reporters. “That’s how we played and that’s how we coached. Now we have to do a better job of fixing those issues and moving on.”

TV: Noon ET, ABC. LINE: Florida State –5.5

ABOUT FLORIDA STATE (2-1): Junior running back Dalvin Cook came into the season as a Heisman Trophy candidate, but has not been as dominant as expected with 228 yards rushing in three games. Freshman quarterback Deondre Francois has thrown for 782 yards and six scores in the early going and has solid veteran receiving threats in Travis Rudolph (15 catches, 219 yards, three TDs) and Jesus “Bobo” Wilson (14, 186). The underachieving defense is without one of its top performers as safety Derwin James is lost for five to seven weeks after knee surgery.

ABOUT USF (3-0): The Bulls showed character last week by digging out of an early 17-0 hole with a big day from Adams, who ran for two scores and caught a touchdown pass. Flowers has been outstanding the last two weeks while completing 33-for-57 passes for five TDs and no interceptions, and has run for 150 yards in three games. Mack returned last week after missing a game with concussion symptoms to rush for 115 yards with a pair of touchdowns, and leads a ground attack averaging 247 yards (5.9 per attempt) with 10 total TDs from four different players.

EXTRA POINTS

1. The Seminoles are 2-1 all time against USF and Fisher is 14-1 versus in-state competition.

2. Mack needs 137 yards to pass Andre Hall (2,731) and become the school’s all-time leading rusher.

3. Cook needs 27 yards rushing to pass Larry Key (2,953) for fourth on Florida State’s all-time list and 73 to reach 3,000.

PREDICTION: Florida State 34, USF 28