Florida State entered 2013 with some uncertainty surrounding it because of the key starters it needed to replace, but if the Seminoles' season opener was any clue, it doesn't look like the program is in the midst of taking a step back. The Seminoles have definitely answered at least one question -- freshman quarterback Jameis Winston can handle the starting job. He completely picked apart Pittsburgh in Week 1.
How to watch Nevada vs. Florida State 2013: Preview, TV schedule, odds and more
The Seminoles host the Wolf Pack in their home opener.
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Nevada is in the first year of the post-Chris Ault era, and so far the results are mixed. Defense was not the team’s strong suit in 2012, and it looks like it’s going to be a problem again this season. The Wolf Pack provided little resistance to UCLA’s offense in Week 1, and it is probably going to struggle against FSU as well.
The numbers
Rankings and records: Florida State comes in at 1-0, while Nevada is 1-1. The Seminoles are No. 9 in the Coaches Poll and No. 10 in the AP Poll. These two teams have never met before.
Vegas: Florida State opened as a 31-point favorite, while the over/under opened at 64.
Weather: The high is expected to hit 90, and some scattered thunderstorms in the area could bring some rain.
Three names to know
Jameis Winston -- For all the hype surrounding Winston, I’m not sure anyone could have seen his debut coming. He completed 25 of 27 passes for 356 yards, four scores and no interceptions, making the game of football look pretty easy. Pittsburgh appeared almost hopeless in its efforts to slow him down, and that is by no means a bad team.
Cody Fajardo -- Nevada has a talented quarterback of its own in Fajardo, who has been the trigger man of the pistol offense in Reno since 2011. Last year he ran for more than 1,100 yards and threw for more than 2,700. He likely will need to be spectacular if Nevada is going to keep pace with FSU. Unfortunately for the Wolf Pack, his effectiveness may be limited by injury, assuming he plays at all. A knee injury had him listed as day-to-day throughout the week, and if he can't go, Nevada's outlook becomes considerably dimmer.
Rashad Greene -- The Seminoles' leading returning receiver picked up where he left off, grabbing eight passes for 126 yards and a score in the opener. That suggests he's already got a solid rapport with Winston, which is bad news for defenses.
Two things at stake
The Pittsburgh game aside, it’s a light month for Florida State, which follows Nevada with Bethune-Cookman and Boston College. So the Seminoles aren’t playing games with high stakes at this point, but obviously any slip-ups would be costly for a team that is aiming big. And every little bit of experience for Winston helps, even if he isn’t truly tested before the Clemson game next month.
Nevada would get a huge boost for the rest of its season with a win in Tallahassee, which would stand as one of the year’s biggest upsets. The Wolf Pack have been one of the most consistent mid-majors in college football, winning at least six games in each of the last eight years; beating FSU would have them in good shape for a ninth consecutive bowl trip.
How to witness
TV: ESPN (3:30 p.m. ET)
Further reading
For complete coverage and analysis of Florida State football, visit Tomahawk Nation. For a Nevada perspective, check out Mountain West Connection. Those two sites had a Q-and-A session about the game.
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