Alabama and Florida State play in a heavyweight matchup on opening weekend. Let’s take a look at the 10 players and coaches that can have the biggest impact.
The Saturday night prime-time game on ABC is set up to be one of the best matchups in the country all season long.
Per the preseason coaches’ poll, Alabama comes in as the No. 1 ranked team, while Florida State isn’t far behind at No. 3. The game will take place at a neutral site at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
There are a few major storylines that will be worth watching heading into this game. Alabama had a heartbreaking loss in the National Championship game last year against Clemson, while Florida State looks to develop on an Orange Bowl victory from last season.
Both teams return their starting quarterbacks, while both look to take their play to the next level. The Seminoles and Tide are loaded with defensive playmakers that will play a huge role in the outcome of this heavyweight matchup.
Let’s take a look at the 10 biggest difference makers in this matchup.
10. WR Nyqwan Murray, Florida State
“Noonie,” as his teammates like to refer to him, should be the Seminoles’ best wide receiver this upcoming season. While WR Nyqwan Murray had an uneven start to the season, his final month in 2016 sealed his spot as the No. 1 receiver on the roster.
Then on Oct. 29 against Clemson, Murray went berserk, catching six passes for 96 yards. Then backed it up the following week with nine catches for 153 yards. Throw in a game-winning touchdown in the Orange Bowl game against Michigan and Murray’s one of the names to watch in this game. He finished the season with 27 catches for 441 yards, including five touchdowns. The junior should have an even better season — with a quicker start.
Minkah Fitzpatrick is likely to line up against Murray, which should be fascinating to watch all game long. The connection with the Seminoles’ wide receiver and quarterback Deondre Francois should be better this season, so expect them to start fast out of the gates. I expect Murray to get behind the Alabama defense and have a fantastic day — possibly even a 100-yard receiving day.