Saturday's game between No. 2 Florida State and No. 5 Notre Dame at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Fla., is about as big as they come.
A clash of two undefeated teams, the loser will find itself teetering on the "in-out line" of playoff inclusion, while the victor will be thrust directly into the driver's seat in the chase for a spot among the nation's final four teams.
"What a challenge it's going to be to go down there and take on the defending national champs," Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said Wednesday. "That's why you play these games. You want to be part of them."
It will be the eighth time the two teams have shared the same field, with Florida State leading the all-time series 5-2.
While both programs are off to 6-0 starts this season, neither has been without a fair share of bad press. An academic scandal at Notre Dame has kept five players -- Eilar Hardy, DaVaris Daniels, Ishaq Williams, Kendall Moore and KeiVarae Russell -- off the field (some for good at ND) and Florida State continues to deal with controversy surrounding star quarterback Jameis Winston.
"I've got so much to worry about in my own program; I can't even fathom to think about other people's issues," Kelly said of Winston. "I've got to handle what I handle, so that is so far from my radar that I have to really focus on my group. There is enough here for me, trust me, every day."
Winston is facing a hearing on possible FSU Student Code of Conduct violations, as well as a university investigation into whether or not he accepted money in exchange for autographed memorabilia.
"He's never taken a dime for anything," Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher said. "He's signed thousands of things. I mean, the guy sits for an hour and a half before a baseball game and signed and an hour and a half after a baseball game -- I mean, there are thousands of things out there with his name on it."
On the field, Saturday's matchup features two of college football's most electric and game-changing quarterbacks.
Winston, the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, comes into the game with 1,605 passing yards and 11 touchdowns in five games of work, while the Irish's Everett Golson has already combined for 20 total touchdowns -- 16 passing and four rushing. The two quarterbacks are also a combined 35-1 as starters.
"They both were winners back then and they are both winners now," Fisher said. "Everett Golson is a tremendous player and a winner, and so is Jameis [Winston]."
A series rich in history, the Seminoles and the Irish have produced terrific games over the decades and are always in the spotlight when matched up against each other.
"The kids know when you come to Florida State and we keep winning and doing the things we do, these are the kind of prime-time games we are in," Fisher said. "That is why you want to go to major universities -- to have a chance to win championships and to be in these marquee matchups."
Bobby Bowden and Lou Holtz no longer roam the sidelines, but Fisher and Kelly have the two teams back on top and once again the main focus of the college football faithful.
"It will be an excellent game this week," Fisher said. "They've got a very good team. We've got a very good team. We're both undefeated and that's what college football is all about."
MATCHUP TO WATCH: Notre Dame QB Everett Golson against the Florida State front seven
The Florida State defensive line and linebackers have struggled containing dual-threat quarterbacks this season. Oklahoma State's J.W. Walsh put up 254 total yards (201 passing, 51 rushing) and three touchdowns in the opener, Clemson's Deshaun Watson totaled 296 yards (266 passing, 30 rushing) and a touchdown and NC State's Jacoby Brissett torched the Seminoles for 397 yards (359 through the air, 38 on the ground) and three touchdowns.
"Our D-linemen and everybody has to stay in their rush lanes against mobile quarterbacks," FSU linebacker Terrance Smith said. "If you give them a seam, and the way our DBs cover, they'll take off. We learned that we got to stay in our rush lanes and be sound up front."
Golson has accounted for 122 points this year, which ranks him sixth in the nation. His ability to evade rushers and keep plays alive by scrambling out of the pocket puts serious strains on defenses.
"We'll always adjust to a running quarterback and have a plan," Fisher said. "Running quarterbacks are always a problem and he (Everett Golson) is a good player."
Golson has shown that he can be prone to turnovers if kept in the pocket. In his last four games, he has thrown four interceptions and fumbled five times.
If FSU edge rushers Mario Edwards Jr. and Chris Casher can keep Golson from getting outside, then it is defensive tackle Eddie Goldman and linebackers Terrance Smith and Reggie Northrup's job to fill the remaining lanes and apply pressure.
If Golson is able to move around freely in the backfield it could make for a long day for Florida State's defense. They have a terrific secondary, but by extending plays, Golson makes it easier for his wide receivers to break from coverage and pick up large chunks of yardage.
TRENDING UP
Florida State: Florida State has won its last seven games against AP Top 25 ranked opponents
Notre Dame: The Irish are riding a seven-game win streak heading into Saturday's matchup
TRENDING DOWN
Florida State: The Seminoles have allowed 17 or more points four times this season. Including the national championship game, that only occurred three times in 2013.
Notre Dame: The Irish have committed 11 turnovers in their last four games. They didn't turn the ball over once in their first two games.
INJURY REPORT
Florida State: Out for Game -- OL Austin Barron (arm), DT Demarcus Christmas (ankle), LB Ukeme Eligwe (foot), QB Sean Maguire (hand), RB Mario Pender (ankle), TE Mavin Saunders (hamstring); Out for Season -- DB Colin Blake (shoulder), DT Nile Lawrence-Stample (pectoral muscle), LB Delvin Purifoy (ankle).
Notre Dame: Out for Game -- LB Jarrett Grace (knee), S Eilar Hardy (suspension), LB Kendall Moore (suspension), CB KeiVarae Russell (suspension), LB Ishaq Williams (suspension); Out for Season -- S Nicky Baratti (shoulder), WR DaVaris Daniels (suspension)
QUOTEBOARD
"Players today do not know the tradition of Notre Dame like my generation does. When I was growing up they dominated college football... We played Notre Dame six times during my career at FSU, we won four and they won two." -- Hall of Fame coach Bobby Bowden
"I think we've got to be very careful in today's society to convict people in public before the actual due in court or anywhere else. That's happened in recent history and we saw that we've made a huge mistake and ruined a lot of lives. I think we need to be more responsible in our reporting and our opinions and base the facts and not write articles that are half true or not all the way true and put things out there that are truthful before they ruin someone's career based on facts, and not everyone's opinion of what they think it is." -- Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher on the Jameis Winston investigations
"I do not. I have zero recollection of that game, I'm sorry." -- Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly on whether he remembered the 1993 matchup between No. 1 ranked FSU and No. 2 Notre Dame
DID YOU KNOW?
Saturday's matchup will mark the second time the Seminoles and Irish have played while ranked in the top five. FSU was ranked No. 1 and Notre Dame No. 2 when they clashed in the famed "Game of the Century" on Nov. 13, 1993. The host Irish prevailed 31-24.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Seminoles head into a bye week preparing for their Oct. 30 matchup against the Louisville Cardinals.
