Florida State's defensive keys vs Central Arkansas
· Yahoo Sports
Florida State's defense had a very rough time against the Alabama Crimson Tide last week. They surrendered 50 points, which included letting them score on nine consecutive possessions with six touchdowns.
Visit saltysenoritaaz.com for more information.
It was also the second straight game that FSU allowed nearly 600 yards of offense. Although they won their first game, Florida State has struggled defensively all year, and it's time for Tony White’s unit to step up and have a big performance, something they are primed to do with the Central Arkansas Bears coming to town.
FSU defense will be facing some tough ACC opponents over the next month, and they could use a confidence booster heading into that stretch. Here are five defensive keys for them this Saturday.
Neutralize quarterback Donovyn Omolo
Omolo is a dual-threat quarterback who has thrown for 671 yards and rushed for another 360 yards, which leads Central Arkansas. It will be essential for them to get pressure on him and keep him in the pocket, and also make sure they have a spy on him for when he takes off running.
Defensive line needs to dominate
This has been something Florida State has not done yet in 2026 despite having talented players on their defensive line. It's time for this unit to establish themselves early and control a game. That means stopping the run, getting pressure against the pass, and getting a few turnovers.
Make Central Arkansas one-dimensional on offense
Central Arkansas has a balanced attack in the running game with five players that have at least 55 yards rushing. If FSU can neutralize this part of their attack, it wil force third-and-long situations and allow their defensive front to pin their ears back and rush the passer. That formula will lead to a ton of quick drives and short fields for Florida State's offense.
Get off the field on third down
The numbers say that FSU did a good job against Alabama by only allowing four conversions on 12 attempts on third down, but they scored so much without having to convert those types of situations. Florida State had given up 18 conversions on 31 opportunities in the two games before that, which means it's been a glaring issue. They need to fix that this Saturday.
Create turnovers
FSU did an excellent job in their loss to the SMU Mustangs by getting four turnovers, but against Alabama, they didn't get any. They need to get back to that in this game and put Central Arkansas in their rearview early.
Contact/Follow us @FSUWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes and opinions. You can also follow Matthew on X @StarConscience
This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: Florida State's defensive keys vs Central Arkansas