Is FSU a Wise College Football Lines Pick this Season?
Posted by D.Zamzack on Saturday,July 25, 2015 9:46, EDT in
Betting on the Seminoles over the past few years has been safe and profitable business in the NCAA Football betting lines, given they have been consistent winners. As defending champions of an epic season 2013, bettors were high on their college betting odds as they entered the 2014 season, their fifth year under the leadership of Jimbo Fisher. Seemingly picking up from where they left off in 2013, they ended the 2014 regular season as the only unbeaten team from a power conference, being crowned the division champions in the ACC Atlantic Division for the sixth time. From the ACC title game win over Georgia Tech, they marched on to the inaugural college football playoffs. It was in the NCAAF National Semifinals that they lost to Oregon in the Rose Bowl, ending a remarkable 29-game winning streak, with their season tallying at 13-1 mark. So what’s next for FSU and Fisher in the 2015 NCAA Football season?
Let’s Review if FSU a Wise College Football Lines Pick this Season?
Value of All-ACC Preseason Football Team
The Seminoles might have lost their starting quarterback and 2013 Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston during the NFL draft, but they are still pretty much good as they were last season. Recently, four of their players were named in the 2015 All-ACC Preseason Football Team. Roberto Aguayo, Roderick Johnson, Jalen Ramsey and Terrance Smith all made it through a voting process that 163 media members participated in. Notably, all these players emerged top in their positions and FSU had the second-most players in the All-ACC Preseason Football Team, with only Clemson standing out better. In addition, Aguya emerged with more votes than any other player except reigning ACC Player of the Year James Conner, with 141 votes of the 163 cast. With such talent, bettors can be hopeful of a brighter future for the Seminoles.
Takeaways from the Spring game
The 2015 spring game brought some skepticism as to whether the Noles could still be the powerhouse how they were last season. After a rather shaky Spring showing, many were left to wonder if the team could climb the hill ahead of them in the new season when real competitions starts. For coach Fisher, however, the team performed exactly as he had expected hence FSU should be able to contend for the ACC title. Of course, he also mentioned that there were areas they need to work on, but having mastered a formula of success with the team, another memorable year looks likely.
Assessing the Offense
To ensure that the coach’s words are weighed carefully, it is important to note that the Seminoles will no longer have Jameis Winston, Rashad Greene and Mario Edwards Jr., just to mention a few of the teams stars who were drafted to the NFL. Right from the quarterback, there offense will not be the same. During the spring match, Sean Maguire showed some quality by making correct reads, but was inconsistent with ball delivery to his target. But the coach’s confidence is in the fact that he has one of the best running backs, whom he will not hesitate to call to help Maguire. Besides, they have other returning starters and new transfer QB Everett Golson is a solid upgrade in the offense, giving the team a chance to match up well against other ACC teams.
Assessing the Defense
FSU’s defense has been plagued by injuries over the recent few months, with big names such as Reggie Northrup and Josh Sweat getting injures. This makes it very hard to predict who is fully fit or not for the new season. The light at the end of the tunnel could, however, be that every player is expected to be ready for the preseason. Even better news is that they are returning seven starters in the defense, including Desmond Hollin, P.J. Williams, Mario Edwards, Jr., Ronald Darby and Eddie Goldman, offering experience and depth to the team.
What about the Freshmen?
Florida had one of the best recruiting exercises in the nation this year among Power Conference teams and the new recruits seem to be on a roll to an awesome season, as some of them have already begun drawing quality reviews from the coaching staff. Such is the five-star and no. 1 safety Derwin James. During spring practice, he showed what he is made of, making the most of the time he spent with the first team defense. At one point he broke in front of a receiver and intercepted Maguire, and capped it with a 41-yard touchdown. Another splendid newcomer is George Campbell who, at one point during a training session with the second team, broke a tackle and outran the defense for a for a 65-yard touchdown. These additions will go a long way to encourage good competition by Fisher’s boys this season.
Final Remarks: The NFL draft may have taken some edge out of the Seminoles, but their confidence seems to be fully in place. Betting on them will depend on how the team manages to put up its injury-plagued defense and how quickly the freshmen would live up to what they have shown so far. Despite these little uncertainties, their odds still look good on them, so it is warranted to be high on their divisional, conference and even national ambitions in the new season.
