Michigan defense to test Noles
FSU feels prepared after succeeding vs. other top units.
TALLAHASSEE — Every season has a theme, and for Florida State, the 2016 campaign has been about the c hal l e nge s of a r i go rous schedule.
Sagarin rates No. 11 FSU (9-3) as having played the 11th-toughest schedule in the nation, and No. 6 Michigan will represent the latest and final chapter in the Dec. 30 Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. The Wolverines (10-2) are very strong in several areas, but particularly on defense, a unit that ranks No. 2 nationally.
L e d b y He i s ma n T r o - phy finalist Jabrill Peppers, they’ve limited opponents to an average of 252.7 yards a game and 18 touchdowns.
“They play very hard and that’s the thing about seniorladen teams,” Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher said of the Wolverines. “They don’t give you anything. You’re going to have to make contested catches. You’re going to have to break t ackles. You’re going to have to make blocks.”
Michigan runs a 4-3 base defense and returns six starters from last season. Of those six starters, five are either fourth- or fifth-year seniors. The lone non-senior in that group is Peppers, a junior.
Seven of the team’s eight leading tacklers are seniors. Linebacker Ben Gedeon has a team-high 104 tackles, and he’s not even one of the team’s perceived stars.
Peppers logged 726 snaps bet ween l i nebacker a nd defensive back this season. He’s second on the team with 72 tackles, and has 16 tackles for loss and four sacks. Peppers also has eight quarter- back hurries and one interception.
He is the third Heisman Tro p hy f i n a l i s t F S U wi l l play this season. The Seminoles also faced quarterbacks Deshaun Watson of Clemson and Lamar Jackson of Louisville, who won the award.
“Peppers, hats off to him. I knew about him since high school and played in the All-American game against him,” FSU junior receiver Travis Rudolph said. “Peppers, he’s a dog. He’s a dog, really, to be honest with you. We’re going to be ready for him.”
Another senior, defensive back Jourdan Lewis, also has caught Rudolph’s attention. Lewis is one of few players who can challenge for the title of the nation’s best cornerback.
He held opposing receivers to 10 catches for 107 yards in all games this season, while recording 23 tackles, t wo interceptions and 10 pass breakups.
“Jourdan is a great player,” said Rudolph, a former Cardinal Newman standout. “I feel like going up against him, you have to come with it because he’s going to come with it.”
Ru d o l p h s a i d Jo u rd a n reminds him of going against former FSU cornerback Jalen Ramsey “every day in practice. You know you’re going up against the best, so you have to be at your best.”
Michigan also has senior defensive end Taco Charlton. The 6-foot-6, 272-pound end anchors the Wolverines’ defensive line. He led Michigan with 8.5 sacks and had 11 tackles for loss.
Charlton, Lewis and Peppers have all played a role in making Michigan the nation’s top passing defense and 13th-best rushing defense.
“They’ve got guys that are experienced and know what they’re doing,” Seminoles junior tailback Dalvin Cook said. “We’re going to play our football. That’s run the football and pass the football. I think we do a good job of that and got better down the stretch in November, and we’re going to end it good in December.”
Cook has a point. FSU is ranked 24th in total offense despite already playing three top-10 ranked defenses. The Seminoles went 2-1 in those games, averaging 417.3 yards and totaling 16 touchdowns.
Clemson, which ranks ninth in defense, gave up 449 yards and five touchdowns in beating FSU 37-34.
Ranked eighth nationally, Boston College allowed 416 yards and seven touchdowns as FSU cruised to a 45-7 win.
FSU’s most recent game against a top-10 defense was its 31-13 win over Florida to end the regular season. UF is sixth in defense yet FSU, which did not allow a sack, gained 387 yards and scored four touchdowns.
“The big thing about the end of our season was that we wanted to finish strong, and it helped us with bowl season getting good momentum,” sophomore center Alec Eberle said. “I think we did a good job with that. The Florida game was the offensive line’s best game.
“I think having that gives us confidence going into this game against one of the top defenses in the country.”
For more FSU football coverage, visit Warchant.com.