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Noles Look To Snap 8-Game Atlantic Division Losing Streak

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By The Tampa Tribune | The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 4, 2007

TALLAHASSEE - Once upon a time, the entire Atlantic Coast Conference was a pushover for Florida State. But the days of FSU showing up to play an ACC foe and expecting to win by 30 points are long gone, which leads to this telling streak: the Seminoles have lost eight consecutive games against ACC Atlantic Division opponents.

"It's gotten so much tougher in our conference," FSU coach Bobby Bowden said.

FSU gets a chance to end the streak Saturday at home against N.C. State, which is seeking to become the second ACC team (Clemson became the first in the season opener) to defeat the Noles three consecutive times. The Wolfpack have given the Noles as much trouble as any team in the ACC, winning four of six.

"They're some of the greatest wins that university ever had," said FSU assistant Chuck Amato, back in Tallahassee after going 4-3 against FSU in his seven years as N.C. State's head coach.

FSU's once-unimaginable streak against Atlantic Division foes N.C. State, Clemson, Boston College, Maryland and Wake Forest began with a 20-15 home loss to the Wolfpack on Nov. 5, 2005.

DT Letroy Guion is well aware of N.C. State's and the ACC's recent success against the Noles.

"We have talked about it," Guion said after practice Thursday. "What [N.C. State] has been able to do over the last six years says a lot right there. They are not scared of us. I know they are going to give it their all."

READY TO ROLL: QB Xavier Lee will make his fourth career start Saturday after coming off the bench to ignite the Noles' offense in last week's 21-14 win against Alabama. Lee plans to keep it simple and not read any newspapers, Web sites or fan message boards prior to the game.

"The game plan is the only thing I'm worrying about now," Lee said Thursday. "Now that I'm the starter, I just have to play the game in my head play-by-play, and just go through the situations, think about them, and have fun."

NAME GAME: During FSU's win at Colorado on Sept. 15, sophomore OL/TE Caz Piurowski guesses he changed from his season-opening No. 77 jersey to his new No. 87 jersey "about seven times." In last week's win against Alabama, Piurowski played only TE and wore No. 87 the entire game - without his name on back.

"They told me about Friday of last week that I wasn't going to have a name," Piurowski said. "Hopefully they are going to get that on there this week."

Name or no name, Piurowski is expected to make his second consecutive start at TE after taking the majority of the first-team snaps this week in practice.

RUN FOR COVER: For the fifth time since fall camp opened, the Noles were forced to alter their normal practice schedule and move inside Doak Campbell Stadium's turf room to get some work in.

Bowden, who is urging the school to build an indoor practice facility, remains hopeful that one is getting closer to being built following recent talks with FSU President T.K. Wetherell and members of the school's board of trustees.

"The one thing you can't dodge is lightning. You can't gamble on it," Bowden said earlier in the week. "Once it starts lightning, you go inside until the all-clear comes. It might be three hours before that comes. [An indoor facility] is our next big need."

NOLE NUGGETS: N.C. State QB Harrison Beck, a former star at Countryside, separated his shoulder in last week's loss to Louisville and will not play. ... FSU junior OL Dumaka Atkins, who has been unable to play this season because of a knee injury, is not expected to play Saturday despite the team's shortage on the offensive line due to injuries. ... LB Anthony Kelly, recently cleared academically, is expected to be in uniform Saturday for the first time this season.

>Scott Carter

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