NIU QB Calls Out Seminoles Defense

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Most college football fans believe Florida State will demolish Northern Illinois in the Discover Orange Bowl next week, but don't tell that to Huskies quarterback Jordan Lynch.

The do-it-all quarterback is not backing down from the challenge of the Seminoles' vaunted defense and team speed. In fact, if Florida State needed some motivation to take out its frustration on Northern Illinois, Lynch may have given the Noles the perfect bulletin board material.

"They're fast, they're physical, but they haven't seen anything like our offense," Lynch told the Sporting News. "We play an uptempo pace. We play really fast, a lot of shifting, guy going back and forth each way. It causes a lot of confusion. We plan on wearing them down. In the fourth quarter, we plan to have them on their knees – and then just keep pounding away."

Lynch said that about a Seminoles team that has ranked in the top 10 in recruiting for the last several years and had one of the top ranked defenses in the country in 2012.

Specifically, Florida State ranked fifth in the country in rushing defense, allowing just 96.6 yards per game, according to cfbstats.com. Overall, FSU ranked second in the country in total defense, allowing just 253.4 yards per game on 3.88 yards per play, which was tops in the country.

Still, Lynch and his teammates believe they are in perfect position to spring the upset of FSU on New Year's Day. Currently, the Huskies are two touchdown underdogs to the Seminoles.

This season, FSU has shown a tendency to play to the level of their competition. If FSU plays a complete game, Northern Illinois doesn't have a shot of staying on the field with the Noles. But if the Noles stumble early and NIU can stay in the game into the second half, anything is possible in the BCS.

Just ask Oklahoma and Boise State.