Seminoles Only Favored by 4 Points in Opening Odds for Boise State vs Florida State in Week 1
By Robert Duff in College Football
Updated: March 24, 2020 at 10:02 am EDTPublished:
- Florida State is four-point favorites over Boise State in their Aug. 31 season opener
- The Seminoles were a dismal 5-7 last year
- Boise State finished the 2018 NCAA season 10-3
Following a year to forget, the Florida State Seminoles will open the 2019 football season facing one of the most notorious giant killers in NCAA football. Willie Taggart’s second season will start with a stiff test against the Boise State Broncos on Aug. 31 in Jacksonville.
Although, it must be asked – is beating Florida State still considered a gigantic upset?
Evidently not, according to the odds on offer for this game listing the Seminoles as four-point favorites, even though they enjoy the technical home-field advantage of playing in nearby Jacksonville.
Boise State vs Florida State Opening Odds
| Team | Odds |
|---|---|
| Boise State | +4 (-110) |
| Florida State | -4 (-110) |
*Odds taken 06/11/19
Florida State was 5-7 last season and failed to qualify for a bowl game for the first time since 1981. Boise State went 10-3 and was invited to the First Responders Bowl, which was ultimately rained out.
Not Exactly A Seminal Season For Seminoles
If we ignore the NCAA-sanctioned punishment that the Seminoles faced when wins were vacated for violations in 2006 (2-11) and 2007 (0-10), then last season was the worst on-field performance by a Florida State team since the days of Darrell Mudra.
He coached them to a 3-8 campaign in 1975, hot on the heels of a 1-10 tumble in 1974. Mudra had replaced Larry Jones, who went 0-11 in 1973.
Last season’s top teams toyed with Florida State. Clemson crushed the Seminoles 59-10. Notre Dame drubbed them 42-13. Cross-state rival Florida put a 41-10 beating on the ‘Noles.
Broncos No Longer Bucking Trends
For years, Boise State was a square peg seeking to fit into a round hole. Between 2008-11, the Broncos went 50–3 to become the first FBS team to win 50 games over a four-year span.
They twice played in the BCS, the forerunner to the College Football Playoff. Boise State beat Oklahoma and TCU in bowl games.
This Broncos team is not that Broncos team. The only ranked team Boise State beat in 2018 was Fresno State. The Broncos were crushed 44-21 by Oklahoma State. The Cowboys went 7-6 last season and 3-6 in the Big 12.
A Florida State Of Mind
After last season’s debacle, which saw the Seminoles lose five games by 21 or more points, coach Willie Taggart replaced three offensive coaches and juggled responsibilities among his defensive staff.
Florida State is not without weapons. Receiver Tamorrion Terry averaged 21.3 yards per reception and caught eight touchdowns. Tailback Cam Akers broke the school’s freshman rushing record in 2017
Boise State Broncos vs Florida State Seminoles
| 10-3 | 2018 Record | 5-7 |
| 459.5 (21) | Total Offense | 361.2 (102) |
| 335.9 (39) | Total Defense | 416.3 (80) |
| 35.4 (20) | Scoring Offense | 21.9 (113) |
| 22.1 (30) | Scoring Defense | 31.5 (90) |
| 2-1 | Record vs Ranked Opponents | 0-4 |
| 7-5-1 | Against The Spread | 4-8-0 |
| 4-8-0 | Over/Under | 8-4-0 |
Boise State was gutted by graduation at the offensive skill positions. Defensive coordinator Andy Avalos left for Oregon.
The Broncos are still a solid team, likely a bowl team and a Mountain West Conference title contender. They aren’t the giant-killing, national championship-contending Boise State of old.
Boise State earned 17 selections to the @AthlonSports All @MountainWest Football Team for 2019. #BleedBlue https://t.co/h2ANKr77St pic.twitter.com/F9UzrYGNO8
— Boise State Football (@BroncoSportsFB) May 23, 2019
The line has shrunk from seven points to four, making the play even easier.
Take the Seminoles and give the points.
Sports Writer
An industry veteran, Bob literally taught the course on the history of sports at Elder College. He has worked as a Sports Columnist for Postmedia, appeared as a guest on several radio stations, was the Vice President of the Society For International Hockey Research in Ontario, and written 25 books.
