By James Call
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wfsu/local-wfsu-986597.mp3
Tallahassee, FL – Oklahoma meets Florida State in Tallahassee Saturday night in a matchup of two- top-five-ranked teams. Florida State University professor Mark Bonn says all the attention the game is generating could mean more than $10 million in direct spending for the local economy. James Call reports this is the biggest game played in Tallahassee in 15 years.
Tallahassee hasn't seen so much media attention since George W. Bush and Al Gore competed to be president. ESPN's College Game Day is in town for the first time since 2003, FSU received more than 450 media requests for credentials to cover the game and it's a sell out. More than 83 thousand people will be in the stadium at kick off. A Florida State victory will propel the Seminoles into contention for a national championship. Head Coach Jimbo Fisher.
"Heck if you don't want to do this you need to go home; need to find something else to do. Dadgum, this is what it is all about; to go and compete and play in the big game and lay it on the line. I mean this is the fun time. This ain't time to get nervous now. This is the time to go and have fun. And, I mean compete you want to win and all that. Now is the time to lay it on the line and have fun."
FSU is looking to avenge last season's loss to Oklahoma when the Sooners handed Fisher his first defeat as a head coach. Oklahoma exposed the Seminoles as not ready for prime time. The Sooners gained more yards, 480, than any other Seminole opponent and the Oklahoma defense badgered Seminole quarterbacks who completed just 41-percent of their passes and threw one touchdown pass. EJ Manuel, FSU's junior quarterback has waited 53 weeks for a second shot at Oklahoma.
"You know they are a great team. I watched our game from last year. Not ever to forget that feeling and that taste. You know I didn't start but still I play for this team and I was a part of it. We will be ready for them."
Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops says it is hard to quantify the significance of Saturday's showdown because there is so much of the season left to play. However, it is a significant game for the Seminoles. Their fans and some national commentators say an upset of number one Oklahoma sets up the Seminoles for an undefeated season and a shot at the national title. Manuel says he and his teammates know what they have to do to keep those hopes alive.
"You just got to execute. You know when you play a big team or a great team they are not going to make mistakes so you can't make mistakes. You know what I mean? Obviously you can't play perfect but you can't do anything to kill yourself. You can't you know turn the ball over. You can't you know not score in the red zone and things like that. You know you got to capitalize on all those situations."
In the series between the two schools, Oklahoma has a five-to-one edge over Florida State. The last time the number one ranked team in the nation visited Tallahassee was in 1996. It was arch rival Florida, and the Seminoles scored an upset.