Seven of Eight Florida State Writers Give Cal The Nod Saturday Night

The team's 0-3 start has caused the staff at FSU Seminoles on SI to lose faith in the reigning ACC champions

Florida State has opened its season with three defeats / Melina Myers-Imagn Images

One of the hazards of covering a team on a daily basis is that familiarity can provide a greater awareness of that squad’s shortcomings. 

There have been shortcomings everywhere you look with the Florida State football team this fall. The Seminoles, 13-1 a year ago and ranked No. 10 in the preseason AP Top-25, are winless in three games heading into Saturday’s matchup vs. Cal at Tallahassee.

FSU is a 2.5-point favorite even though the Bears bring a 3-0 record into their first-ever Atlantic Coast Conference game. In a move designed to shake things up a bit, the Seminoles apparently have tweaked their water breaks at practice. But so far, no change at quarterback.

*** Cal defensive lineman Aidan Keanaaina talks in the video above on the Bears' approach this week.

So, how does this matchup look from the Florida State end of things?

FSU Seminoles on SI’s staff of eight publishers and writers made game predictions earlier today and seven of them project a Cal victory.

One of them labeled this game as Cal’s Super Bowl, which suggests the Bears don’t have goals beyond Saturday night. But the common theme in the writers’ remarks is a consistent lack of confidence at this point in the Seminoles.

Here are their picks and some of what they had to say: 

Dustin Lewis: Cal 21, FSU 10

Cal, like Memphis, wants to come into Tallahassee and make a statement. It would certainly be something if the Golden Bears took down Florida State less than a year after it was revealed that FSU was among the teams to vote 'no' to the ACC's new additions.

Publisher Logan Robinson: FSU 21, Cal 20

Better water break energy and the potential of Mike Norvell putting in a different quarterback is what is going to be my Disney magical miracle that gives me the reasoning to pick FSU. I’m expecting DJ Uiagalelei to be the starter but at some point, we’ll see Brock Glenn. But like I said, it will have to be a miracle to happen. I believe in miracles. FSU gets their first win of the season.

Austin Veazy: Cal 23, FSU 15

As I said last week, picking Florida State is futile until they prove they're worth picking. . . I’m assuming this will be similar to the Georgia Tech and Boston College games, with Cal controlling the ball on the ground with limited possessions.

Dillon Riera: Cal 28, FSU 13

I'm finding it hard to hang my hat on anything positive as of late. Even with the increased water break energy at practice (which gives FSU at least an extra Fitzgerald FG in my book), I think Cal is just playing cleaner, consistent football right now, and sometimes it's just that simple. 

Tommy Mire: Cal 24, FSU 20

I can’t predict a Florida State win until they prove it on the field.

Kade Kimble: Cal 24, FSU 17

Another disappointment is brewing in Tallahassee.

Robert Malcom: Cal 24, FSU 17

If you had told me a month ago that I would be picking Cal to beat FSU I would have laughed, but here we are. . . . This is going to be Cal's Super Bowl, and they have all the momentum they need to come in and upset the Seminoles.

Jackson Bakich: Cal 34, FSU 20

Florida State’s offense has been abysmal. I’m not the greatest evaluator of talent; maybe DJ Uiagalelei is performing better in practice than Brock Glenn or Luke Kromenhoek, but if things start going south against Cal, what do you have to lose? At some point, there needs to be a change to see if the offense can gain a spark.If things come to that point, the game will likely be out of reach anyway.