QB Jameis Winston: Unless you have been in an isolated village, you probably know
who Famous Jameis Winston is. Despite having a less-than-ideal situation off the field,
the Heisman Trophy-winning redshirt freshman has been amazing on the field this
season. He has tallied over 4,000 offensive yards and 42 total touchdowns. Winston
could have a big day against a secondary that has been shaky all season.
WR Kelvin Benjamin: With all the hype surrounding Winston,
players like Benjamin get little fanfare. However, Winston does
not win a Heisman without the playmaking ability of his wide
receivers. Benjamin is a matchup nightmare and has compiled
50 receptions for 957 yards and 14 touchdowns. If the Auburn
offense continues to roll, the Seminoles will need to win a
shootout, and they will not be able to do that without a big
game from Benjamin.
DT Timmy Jernigan: To slow down the Auburn offense, opposing defenses need agile
big men. Fortunately for the Seminoles, Jernigan is just that type of player. On the
season he has 10.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. The 6'2", 298-pound defensive
tackle will need to get penetration into the backfield and cause havoc. If not, the
Seminoles linebackers are going to be in for a long night.
RB Devonta Freeman: Coming into the season, the Seminoles had a cluster of running
backs with little distinction. However, since that time, Devonta Freeman has emerged as
their best option. Florida State does not want to score in flashes as much as it would
like to run the ball and kill the clock. The more touches Freeman has in this game, the
more likely it is that Jimbo Fisher’s squad is going to win the BCS National
Championship.
CB Lamarcus Joyner: The Seminoles are going to trust that their corners can cover
Auburn’s receivers one-on-one and put eight in the box to try to stop the run. Alabama
did not have that option because of the vulnerability of the Tide secondary. If Joyner
and Co. can survive on an island by themselves in coverage, it will go a long way to
slowing sown the Auburn offense.