The last time Florida State went into Carter-Finley Stadium and beat the North Carolina State Wolfpack was Oct. 16, 2008. Bobby Bowden was still the Seminoles' head coach, Christian Ponder was the team's starting quarterback and Barack Obama hadn't yet been elected president.
Florida State has lost two in a row in Raleigh and is 6-5 on NC State's home field since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference. They're 49-11 all-time against the rest of the conference on the road.
The Seminoles came close in their last trip in 2012 but eventually lost to the Wolfpack 17-16 after NC State quarterback Mike Glennon orchestrated a last-second scoring drive. The loss knocked FSU out of national championship contention, resulting in the Seminoles accepting an Orange Bowl invitation as consolation.
"It was very tough, very frustrating, and very point blank," Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher said. "It was another thing we had to go through to make us the team we are now."
Saturday's matchup highlights the two remaining undefeated teams in the ACC Atlantic Division as well as two of the conference's most talented quarterbacks -- FSU's Jameis Winston and NC State's Jacoby Brissett.
Brissett, a redshirt junior and University of Florida transfer, is the ACC leader in touchdown passes (10) and passer rating (166.7). The Wolfpack quarterback hasn't thrown an interception in his past 108 pass attempts and is proving to be a dynamic, dual-threat player -- the kind of quarterback that has given FSU's defense trouble this season (e.g. Oklahoma State's J.W. Walsh and Clemson's Deshaun Watson).
"He's got a strong arm, physical guy, great competitor," Fisher said of Brissett. "He can reach all the throws across the field, deep, short, intermediate and moves around well for a big guy. ... He's the difference in their offense in one year."
Winston returns as the Seminoles' starter after serving a one-game suspension. Backup Sean Maguire played well enough in place of Winston to get the win over Clemson, but with only a few days of practice before having to travel to NC State, FSU had to quickly transfer back to an offense run by Winston.
"Jameis and the other guys, we had to get our timing back," senior wide receiver Rashad Greene said. "I think it's already back, but it just goes to show you that missing that little time can throw you off."
Last season Winston and the Seminoles torched the Wolfpack 49-17 inside of Doak Campbell Stadium. Winston completed 16 of 26 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns and sat out most of the second half due to the blowout.
But this game is not being played at Doak Campbell and this is a much-improved NC State team.
"On the road, [Carter-Finley] is always a very tough place to play," Fisher said. "They are 4-0 and playing well. I am anxious to see how we do this."
With a win, Florida State will extend its win streak to 20 games.
"The last time we went there I was a freshman," Seminoles defensive end Chris Casher said. "I kind of keep that in the back of my head, that's why I'm preparing and why I'm practicing. When we get down there, I want them to feel the way we felt."
MATCHUP TO WATCH
NC State running backs Shadrach Thornton and Matt Dayes vs. Seminoles injury-riddled defensive line.
Thornton has yet to lose yards on 42 rushing attempts this season and set a career high in rushing yards (174) last year against FSU. Dayes has started the season with four straight games of gaining at least 100 all-purpose yards and also leads the Wolfpack with six touchdowns -- three rushing and three receiving.
"They can run it, they're running it very well," Fisher said. "Shadrach Thorton is physical and they have other backs that can really run the ball."
With tackle Nile Lawrence-Stample out for the year with a torn pectoral muscle and end Mario Edwards Jr. missing this game with a concussion, the Seminoles will lean heavily on last week's ACC Defensive Player of the Week -- tackle Eddie Goldman.
The 320-pound junior must play the way he did against Clemson, which means clogging up running lanes, shedding blockers to disrupt plays in the backfield and demanding double teams so linebackers Reggie Northrup and Terrance Smith can make tackles.
Florida State's other starting defensive linemen, Derrick Mitchell and Chris Casher, must contain the edges and play smart, lane-controlled defense so Brissett, Thornton and Dayes can't run outside.
If NC State can get a running game going, it will allow for play-action passing and read options with Brissett. But if Goldman, Mitchell, Casher and the rest of the defensive line can thwart the Wolfpack ground attack, then it will force the NC State offense to become one-dimensional and require the unproven Brissett to beat FSU with his arm.
TRENDING UP
NC State: The Wolfpack have scored at least 40 points in three straight games for the first time in school history.
Florida State: The Seminoles have not allowed a single opposing quarterback to throw for 300 yards in three years -- a span of 40 games.
TRENDING DOWN
NC State: The Wolfpack have lost eight straight games versus ACC competition.
Florida State: The Seminoles have lost two straight games at NC State (2010, 2012).
INJURY REPORT
NC State: Out for Game -- LB Coult Culler (undisclosed), LB Ty Linton (knee), LB M.J. Salahuddin (knee).
Florida State: Out for Game -- DE Mario Edwards Jr. (concussion), LB Ukeme Eligwe (foot), RB Mario Pender (concussion); Out for Season -- DB Colin Blake (shoulder), DT Nile Lawrence-Stample (pectoral muscle), LB Delving Purifoy (ankle).
QUOTE BOARD
"Last year, they kicked our butts. I hope it's a better matchup, for our sake, but I still see first-round draft picks all over the field for them." -- NC State head coach Dave Doeren on playing Florida State.
"The field sits close to you, it's down in a pit, so it's a little different and they have a passionate fan base and they have very good players and they're coached well. You combine all those things it makes for a tough venue." -- Florida State head coach Jimbo Fisher on what makes Carter-Finley a tough place to play.
"I remember scoring in the first half and then not scoring in the second half." -- FSU wide receiver Rashad Greene on the last time the Seminoles played at NC State in 2012
"We did tweak his schedule. And part of that is to take a load off of him, let him focus on being a good student, which he does a great job. Keep being a good guy and work on ball and take a little load off and let him decompress. After games he will still be available." -- Fisher on the change to Jameis Winston's media availability after his suspension
DID YOU KNOW?
Since their 2012 loss at NC State, FSU is 24-1 and has outscored opponents 1,099-362.
LOOKING AHEAD
Florida State welcomes Wake Forest into Doak Campbell Stadium on Oct. 4 at 3:30 p.m.
