The Auburn Tigers are looking to win their second national championship in four
seasons, while the Florida State Seminoles are trying to stop the SEC from winning
their eighth straight national championship and the state of Alabama their fifth
consecutive.
The Seminoles have been the most balanced and complete football team in college
football all season. However, no team is hotter than the Auburn Tigers, who have
defeated back-to-back Top Five nationally ranked teams in their past two games.
Will the Seminoles win their first national championship since 1999, or will Auburn make
sure the Southeastern Conference rises again?
Why Florida State can win this game
The Florida State Seminoles are loaded on both sides of the football, and for all the talk
about the Auburn offense, the Seminoles have averaged 24 more yards and 12.8 more
points per game.
The Seminoles are well-balanced, and their dynamic
passing game is problematic for the Auburn Tigers. The
Tigers rank 102nd in pass defense, and it's safe to assume
Jameis Winston and Co. are going to have a big day if
adjustments are not made prior to the BCS National
Championship Game.
However, it is the Seminoles’ running game that could be
the deciding factor for this game. The Seminoles have a stable of running backs that
they would love to use for long, clock-killing drives that would keep the potent Tigers
offense off the field.
On defense, the Seminoles will be the best defense Auburn has faced. Florida State
has the No. 1-ranked pass defense (152.0 yards per game) and the No. 13-ranked rush
defense (116.5 yards per game).
People have criticized the Florida State schedule, but the Seminoles manhandled
everyone put in their path and beat an SEC team by 30 points on the road. There is a
reason they have the nation’s No. 6-ranked offense and No. 3-ranked defense.
Why Auburn can win this game
The Seminoles will face something in their game against Auburn that they have not
faced all season: a team that is not the least bit intimidated by them. I have been
covering college football for many years, and I have never seen a program gain so
much swagger in such a short period.