For Florida State, the important thing is that it should not, for a moment, be Oklahoma.
Or LSU. Or Notre Dame. Or Southern Cal. Or any of the other first-week disappointments around the country.
When the Seminoles open their season tonight, that’s the main thing. Avoid disaster. Stay out of the way of trouble. Ole Miss, the opponent of the Seminoles, is a dangerous team with quarterback Chad Kelly. Don’t lose.
FSU is favored in tonight’s game because it is a team that is solid in all areas…with the possible exception of quarterback, where first-timer Deondre Francois gets the start. But FSU has powerful running Dalvin Cook, a group of strong receivers and an admired defense.
It would help if Francois could play like Louisville’s Lamar Jackson or Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett, who each threw six touchdown passes, or like Houston’s Greg Ward, Jr., who threw for 321 yards, or Florida’s Luke Del Rio, who threw for 256 yards in his first start. He needs to play like Tyrone Swoops of Texas, who ran for three scores.
But stardom isn’t required. Steadiness is.
A quarterback can be ordinary if he’s surrounded with excellence. Going in, that would probably be FSU’s game plan. Ride a strong defense and a great running game, and let Francois make plays when needed.
If FSU is going to kick-start its football season, it’s a simple enough game-plan.
Still, Seminole nation will be watching to see just what the kid has to offer.
