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FSU Hoping To Make Statement Against BC

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By SCOTT CARTER, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 3, 2007

Updated: 11/03/2007 12:45 am

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Florida State quarterback Drew Weatherford has no plans to deliver a motivational speech before tonight's game at No. 2-ranked Boston College. The last time FSU defeated a top-five team - a 27-22 victory against then-No. 5 Virginia Tech in the inaugural ACC Championship Game in 2005 - Weatherford showed a lot of moxie for a freshman by giving a passionate speech about the Noles proving people wrong.

FSU senior safety Roger Williams remembers Weatherford's speech well, and he also recalls the us-against-the-world mentality the Noles carried onto the field that night. Williams' career is down to four regular-season games and possibly a bowl game with one more victory. He'd like to leave with a bang, starting by spoiling the undefeated Eagles' national championship aspirations.

"It's a big game," Williams said. "It's basically a statement game. Right now, people see us as an underdog. Basically, this right here is somewhat like the 2005 ACC championship. Everybody had us down, saying Virginia Tech was going to blow us out. You can look at this game in the same aspect."

Boston College is a touchdown favorite against the up-and-down Noles, reversing late-season roles with FSU. A few years ago, teams were constantly trying to crush FSU's national title hopes every November. Nowadays, FSU enters November still not bowl eligible.

But don't tell Boston College first-year coach Jeff Jagodzinski his team is expected to roll over FSU.

"Florida State has been a national power for so long that when they wind up winning seven or eight games, everybody is ready to jump off a cliff," Jagodzinski said this week on a conference call. "The biggest difference between them and the teams we've been playing is the speed."

In the Noles' last visit to Boston College, Weatherford rallied FSU to a 28-17 victory, a game that featured the Atlantic Coast Conference debut for Eagles quarterback Matt Ryan, who came off the bench to replace injured starter Quenton Porter. Two years later, Ryan is a Heisman contender, while Weatherford is one game into getting his starting job back.

After Xavier Lee started three consecutive games, Weatherford regained the job and had a stellar outing against Duke last week, hitting 35 of 47 passes for 339 yards.

Weatherford has a different memory of that game than Ryan.

"It was the first time that I really felt comfortable running the offense in college," he said.

Meanwhile, Ryan hopes to avoid a repeat in order to keep Boston College's national title hopes alive.

"It was a tough loss, a very frustrating loss," the senior said. "I thought we played tough that night. They are always a tough team to play. They have so much talent and such a tough defense. Having played against them twice now, you really know what they are about."

FSU coach Bobby Bowden labeled Ryan his Heisman favorite after Ryan threw two touchdown passes late in the fourth quarter - the last to running back Andre Callender with 11 seconds left - to defeat Virginia Tech on the road nine days ago. Bowden doesn't subscribe to the theory that the Eagles are overrated and lack what it takes to win a national title.

"That was as adverse a situation as you could put a team in that plays like they do, and they passed the test," Bowden said. "Boston College has met every challenge they have faced. I think that quarterback is the best passer in college football."

FSU doesn't have history on its side. The Noles are 6-17-1 all-time against top-five opponents on the road, and FSU is 2-9 against top-five teams since winning its last national title in 1999.

"You're playing an excellent football team that does not beat itself," FSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher said.

The question is: Can FSU play well enough to beat Boston College?

Florida State (5-3, 2-3 ACC) at No. 2 Boston College (8-0, 4-0)

KICKOFF: 8 p.m.; Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, Mass.

TV/RADIO: WFTS, Channel 28/WHBO, 1470 AM

THE LINE: Boston College by 7

KEEP AN EYE ON
FSU - The Noles have been hurting up front since early in the season, but tonight both starting defensive tackles, Andre Fluellen and Budd Thacker, are expected to play together for the first time since the second game of the season. If Fluellen, Thacker and Co. can hold down the middle, sophomore DE Everette Brown could have a huge game rushing the passer.
Boston College - Senior QB Matt Ryan's late-game heroics against Virginia Tech nine days ago elevated his profile nationally to the point where some pundits see him as the favorite to win the Heisman if the Eagles keep winning. Ryan, playing on a broken foot, led Boston College to a victory against the Noles in Tallahassee last season, so they know to stop the Eagles, they must limit the damage done by Ryan.

KEY STAT
FSU - In two career starts against Boston College, FSU QB Drew Weatherford is 52-for-86 for 569 yards and three touchdowns.
Boston College - The last time the Eagles started a season 8-0 was in 1942. They haven't won their first nine games since going 11-0 in 1940.

INJURY UPDATE
FSU - RB Antone Smith (ankle), LG Rodney Hudson (knee), probable; LB Marcus Ball (ankle), DT Emmanuel Dunbar (concussion), questionable; WR Richard Goodman (broken fibula) and FB Marcus Sims (ankle), out.
Boston College - K Billy Bennett (back), LB James McCluskey (knee), S Wes Davis (head), questionable; OL Ryan Poles (Achilles'), LB Brian Toal (shoulder), out.

AT STAKE
FSU - The Noles haven't had a big-time win since ending the 2005 season by upsetting a heavily favored Virginia Tech team in the inaugural ACC Championship Game. FSU can begin to restore its winning reputation with a win tonight.
Boston College - The Eagles are one of five unbeaten Division I teams remaining and are the highest-ranked other than No. 1 Ohio State, so they have visions of playing for a national title dancing in their heads if they can win their final four games.

KEY MATCHUPS
When FSU has the ball - Boston College leads the nation in rushing defense, allowing 55.1 yards a game. That would appear to spell doom for a Noles rushing attack that has a hobbled Antone Smith (ankle) coming off back-to-back 100-yard games. But for FSU to win, Smith and the offensive line must help Weatherford keep Ryan off the field.
When Boston College has the ball - Ryan will certainly test FSU's secondary, but the Noles can't forget about running backs Andre Callender and L.V. Whitworth. The senior tandem has combined for nearly 1,000 yards, and Callender is a good receiver as well. Just ask Virginia Tech, who watched Callender catch the winning TD pass from Ryan with 11 seconds left.

PREDICTION
Since every other No. 2-ranked team seems to have fallen off a cliff recently, it seems time for Boston College to take its turn. The Eagles are good with Ryan at QB, but they don't have the talent to be great. Of course, we all know FSU is far from great, but the Noles have enough talent at key positions (the defensive front seven, specifically) to knock Ryan off his game and pull off what will likely be their biggest win of the season.

Score: FSU 27, Boston College 23

Reporter Scott Carter can be reached at (850) 294-3088 or scarter@tampatrib.com.

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