Virginia Tech @ Florida State preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 8, 2012 ) Florida State 28, Virginia Tech 22

Two ranked teams with high hopes meet in the season opener when No. 19 Florida State begins the Willie Taggart era with a visit from No. 17 Virginia Tech for an ACC showdown Monday night. Taggart coaches his third team in three years as he comes over from Oregon to replace Jimbo Fisher and he will hand the quarterback reins to junior Deondre Francois, who beat out sophomore James Blackman for the job after missing most of 2017 with a knee injury.

“Just looking at the body of work since we’ve been here, I will say it was a really tight battle,” Taggart told reporters. “I thought our offense worked a lot more efficient when Deondre was in there. He did a great job of taking care of the football, which is the most important thing. I think a lot of that just goes with experience.” The Seminoles look to build off a four-game winning streak that ended 2017 and extended their streak of winning seasons to 41 while Virginia Tech begins play after going 19-8 in the first two years under coach Justin Fuente. The Hokies will lean on talented quarterback Josh Jackson, who threw for a freshman school record 2,991 yards along with 20 touchdowns last year, and boast a load of talent that they are excited to test on the big stage early on. “There’s no better way than to open up against Florida State, at their place,” Virginia Tech senior defensive tackle Ricky Walker, who had 4.5 sacks in 2017, told the Roanoke Times. “Playing on the road is a little different. It’s more special.”

TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Florida State -7.5

ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (2017: 9-4): Jackson looks to take a step forward after registering 3,315 yards of total offense while completing 59.6 percent of his passes last year and will have plenty of weapons at his disposal. Sophomore Deshawn McClease (530 yards, three TDs) is the leading rusher returning and junior Eric Kumah along with sophomore Sean Savoy combined for 67 catches for 778 yards in 2017. Long-time defensive coordinator Bud Foster must introduce seven new starters on his unit, but Walker and junior defensive back Reggie Floyd (72 tackles, three interceptions) return to lead the way.

ABOUT FLORIDA STATE (2017: 7-6): Sophomore running back Cam Akers told reporters of the Seminoles’ offense: “A lot of weapons, a lot of big plays, a lot of touchdowns, and a lot of points. That’s all you can expect.” Akers is back after rushing for 1,024 yards - the most ever by a Florida State freshman - along with seven touchdowns in 2017 and the Seminoles are experienced along the offensive line. Francois, who threw for 210 yards against Alabama in last year’s opener before going down with the injury, will look to senior receiver Nyqwan Murray (40 catches, 604 yards) and junior Keith Gavin (27, 278).

EXTRA POINTS

1. The two coaches and former QBs met on the field in 1998 as Fuente’s Murray State edged Taggart’s Western Kentucky 36-31.

2. The Seminoles have reached 36 consecutive bowl games, although the NCAA does not recognize one of them, while Tech is next with 25 straight.

3. Florida State leads the all-time series 23-12-1, including 13-5 at home, and beat the Hokies 30-20 in their last visit to Tallahassee in 2008.

PREDICTION: Florida State 34, Virginia Tech 27