Five Ways USF can Win or Lose this Game to FSU

This is one of the biggest games of the season for the Bulls and with a home crowd and a national audience tuning, there are a lot of factors that could spell victory or defeat in this game. FSU vs. USF, let's see how they can try to win this game and how they can lose this one.

Five Ways USF Wins this Game 

1. Home Game – The Bulls are back home and if the ticket sales are any indication of what type of crowd there will be, it should be a loud one. With student tickets all sold out, lower and upper bowl tickets becoming harder to find (unless you’re willing to sell your arm for one), the crowd should be huge, have the players energized and help add fuel to them to get the big win. 
2. B.J. Daniels – Remember Daniels’ freshman season, his first start of his career, when he returned home to Tallahassee and led the Bulls to one of the best wins in program history? Well, now 15 years later (seriously, Daniels feels like he has been here at least a decade) will take the field in his senior season as the Noles now come to his new home. It would be fitting if Daniels was able to close out his senior season with a win over FSU. Daniels has the talent to make it happen. If Daniels eliminates the mistakes and plays the big game like he has done in the past, he could do it. 
3. Tight End Size – The Bulls have a stable of tight ends (Landi, Shields, Price, McFarland) that have the big time size advantage against the FSU defense (maybe not speed, but height at least). Daniels needs to find his tall targets, hit them down the middle of the field, and open up the offense to take the pressure off of him and keep the FSU defense honest and not allow them to crowd the box. 
4. Swarming Defense – The Bulls defense, with its speed, will be able to keep up with the FSU skill players all over the field and this will be key if the team wants to hang in this game. USF tends to play a soft zone coverage and if this is the path they take against the Noles, they have to swarm to the ball carrier and take them down in the open field and not allow the yards after the catch that keep drives alive. 
5. Pressure on E.J. Manuel - The best way to stop the FSU offense is to get Manuel on the ground. Manuel, a strong, accurate quarterback doesn’t throw the ball deep too often, but instead stays in the pocket, hits underneath routes and allows his receivers to catch the ball and create with their speed. The USF front 7 will need to pressure him, force him to move, and throw off his timing so he can’t pick apart the defense and be forced into bad and off-target throws. 

Five Ways We Lose to FSU 

1. Depth on FSU Roster – The Bulls have a lot of quality depth on the roster, but the Noles have more on theirs. Credit to Coach Fisher and his staff for putting together some of the most decorated recruiting classes together over the past few seasons and the depth and hard work is showing. The Noles are able to roll out star after star and the Bulls have to be ready and get off the field and execute to their best ability. 
2. E.J. Manuel - Manuel is a huge quarterback that now has a ton of talent around him, a better offensive line, and now has the confidence to take the Noles to the promised land. He is running a bit more as well, so if he is able to escape, continue to get the ball to all his athletes, it could be a long day if the Bulls are not able to get pressure and get him off the field. 
3. B.J. Daniels - Daniels didn't have a great week last week, throwing 2 interceptions and really making some bad decisions late in the game. Now he is facing the FSU defense that is arguably the best in the nation. He will have to have his best game of his career if he wants to get the win in this one. Trust me, this is not going to be easy and Daniels could be in for a long day. 
4. Speed - USF is known for his speed, but the Noles are just as fast if not even faster. The Bulls will have to sure up their tackles and not play such a soft zone on the Noles. Allowing them to get the ball in space where they can create with their feet, it could be an ugly game for the Bulls defence that has been giving up quite a few yards and points the last two weeks. 
5. Lines for USF - The USF defensive line has not gotten any pressure the last two weeks. Against FSU, a team that will kill you if you don't get any heat on them, will have to do something to get Manuel off his spot or it could mean the Noles will have a field day. The offensive line as well, allowing people to get pressure the last two weeks, are now facing a huge defence that will be living in the backfield. They have to figure out how to protect Daniels or it will be a nightmare.