ESPN Analyst Thinks Wake Forest Could Upset No. 4 Florida State This Weekend

Could the 'Noles be heading into a trap game in Winston-Salem?

Tommy Mire | Oct 26, 2023

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Florida State Seminoles

Just a little past the halfway mark of the 2023 season, No. 4 Florida State has remained undefeated with two top 20 wins and rivalry sod to boast as they continue to push their charge in conference play. FSU is coming off a 38-20 slugfest against the Duke Blue Devils and will go on the road this Saturday to face the Wake Forest Demon Deacons for their first away game of October.

With all the hype surrounding the Seminoles, hot takes run rampant, and ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit hesitated during a playoff preview panel when speaking about whether or not the 'Noles will return to Tallahassee with a victory.

“I just think Florida State, going to Wake. It’s always sleepy at Wake, and Wake has a good team, well coached, and if you don’t show up with the right attitude, you’re going to be in the fourth quarter looking up, and it’s a three-point game," Herbstreit said. "It has that kind of feel this week for Florida State."

FSU is a heavy 20.5-point favorite and has shown resiliency under head coach Mike Norvell, dominating most of their schedule in the second half.

The Seminoles have yet to beat the Demon Deacons under Norvell's tenure largely due to quarterback Sam Hartman's grasp of their trademark "slow-mesh" offense, but things have changed. Hartman transferred to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the offseason, and there remain question marks for the Deacons, who are on their third quarterback, Santonio Marucci, due to midseason injuries.

Still, the sleepy town of Winston-Salem, although unlikely, could prove to be a stumbling block, and the 'Noles have struggled against Wake in recent years.

Florida State holds a 30-9-1 lead in the series and is 9-5 on the road against the Deacons.

Stick with NoleGameday for more coverage of Florida State football throughout the 2023 season.

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Published Oct 26, 2023

TOMMY MIRE

Tommy Mire joined NoleGameday in 2023 as a writer and editor. He initially worked as lead voice at SBNation's Tomahawk Nation and contributes to football, NFL and recruiting coverage. Connect with Tommy on Twitter at @TommyM3III