2010 Florida State Seminoles Football: Florida State @ Oklahoma

Saturday's meeting between the No. 17 Florida State Seminoles and the No. 10 Oklahoma Sooners will be the sixth all-time meeting of the two programs. The Sooners hold a commanding 4-1 lead, including a win in their latest meeting during the 2000 BCS National Championship Game which the Sooners took, 13–2. While the 2000 game saw FSU fans hoping for a national championship, the 2010 matchup sees FSU fans hoping for national recognition.

Last week's Seminole win over Samford brought attention from all corners of the country. While some schools began their season struggling against FCS opponents, the Noles proved that the offseason hype surrounding the program wasn't just white noise. Sports personalities were impressed by the Noles, including ESPN College Gameday's Craig James who tweeted, "Felt like I was watching title contenders in FSU Noles yesterday! Regardless of opponent they were flying around like old times!" Even Lebron James was in attendance at Doak Campbell Stadium and commented, "Them Fla.St boys under Jimbo Fisher looking real good today!!"

Despite how good the Noles looked against Samford, the true test of their team will come against the #10 ranked Oklahoma Sooners.

The Sooners come into Saturday's game one week after a disappointing 31-24 win over Utah State. OU's offense couldn't find its rhythm all game and quarterback Landry Jones completed just 17 of 36 passes for 217 yards and 2 TDs. But while the Sooners' passing game struggled, their running game excelled. Running back DeMarco Murray carried the ball 35 times for 208 yards and 2 TDs, averaging six yards per carry. Even with a struggling Sooner offense, the Noles should take special note of Murray and the run game. (Stopping the run is a facet of FSU's defense that still has weaknesses.)

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While the Seminoles looked good against Samford, their defense is still spotty in areas. The defensive line struggles getting into the backfield for quarterback hurries and the run defense can break down at times. Perhaps in no other game this year will the run defense matter as much as against Oklahoma.

If OU's Landry Jones can showcase the talent he's capable of, expect Saturday's game to be a shootout between two strong offenses. The Noles showed last year that they can score 30 points in a game, and their first game this season reaffirmed that. Christian Ponder will be key in this game; he will truly prove his Heisman worthiness or be knocked out of the race in week two of the season. The Noles' run game saw life last week, but it will be vital in the attempt to take pressure off Ponder this coming week. Look for running back Chris Thompson to carry most of the load, but fullback Lonnie Pryor has shown that he's as much of a threat from the backfield as he is in the flat (as a pass catcher).

Amidst the many high-profile games this weekend, the Oklahoma-Florida State game is set up to be a major test for both sides. Is the new Seminole team a legitimate contender this year? Were the Sooners' first-game mistakes simply nerves or a sign of deeper weaknesses? After Saturday's game, one team will move higher in the national rankings while the other will be left rethinking its future.

Florida State Seminoles @ Oklahoma Sooners Football Preview