Florida State: College Football’s Sith?

In honor of the new “Star Wars” previews, I thought I’d combine one of my favorite movie series with a post about college football.  As you could guess from the title, I thought I’d take a look at the “dark side of the force”.

As is the case with many defending champions, particularly those with long winning streaks, it’s easy to see the Seminoles  as the enemy.  Alabama’s been there, USC’s been there…heck, even Boise State was among the hated just a few short years ago.  Currently on a 28-game winning streak, the boys from Tallahassee have certainly earned their “dark side” status.

Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine were two of my favorite characters from the saga.  And what better tandem than QB Jameis Winston and Head Coach Jimbo Fisher to symbolize the Dark Lords of the Sith?  

One could liken Jameis’s antics to Episodes 2/3 emo-Anakin, in need of better decision making and more impulse control.  Walking out of a store without paying for crab legs?  Compare Anakin’s mindless charge toward Count Dooku in “Attack of the Clones”.  Jumping up on a table and screaming a profane web meme?  Compare Anakin's leap toward Obi-Wan's "high ground".

Others might see Jameis as a more straight-up antagonist, akin to the Original Trilogy.  For those folks, it doesn’t matter who beats Florida State, just as long someone does.  A person can only be rooted for so much when he’s shoplifting, shouting profane memes in the wake of a Title IX investigation, and moving a referee with little to no consequence (though I do agree with the full-game suspension for the profanity, given the greater context).  

And if Jameis is the Darth Vader of college football, then Jimbo Fisher must be Emperor Palpatine!  Some would call Jimbo an enabler, completely refusing to acknowledge the need for Jameis to improve his decision making.  Others, a tactical mastermind or a mercenary who will do whatever it takes to win.  Just as a team starts to think they could knock off the Noles, in comes Order 66 – starting with last year’s BCS Championship Game against Auburn.  Clemson… NC State… Notre Dame…Louisville… Miami… Florida… all victims of Jimbo’s Order 66.

Eventually, the Sith were taken down, thanks in large part to Luke Skywalker.  Could Georgia Tech be the Luke Skywalker everyone’s waiting for?  Remember, Florida State’s streak started in the 2012 ACC Championship Game – a 21-15 victory over a 6-6 Yellow Jackets squad.  Perhaps that was the “Empire Strikes Back” battle, where Luke/Paul Johnson left that first battle in defeat after a valiant effort.  Might the 2014 tilt in Charlotte (with an improved and 10-2 GT) be the “Return of the Jedi” battle – the one that finally sees the dark side go down?  We’ll find out this Saturday night!