Florida State will crush Clemson

Why Seminoles will win by three TDs, plus more bold Week 4 predictions

Updated: September 20, 2012, 9:45 PM ET

By Phil Steele | Special to ESPN Insider

Last week I had some hits and misses with my bold predictions. While Cal Poly pulled yet another FCS upset over Wyoming, and Florida easily beat Tennessee to move my toss-up game record to 3-0, Arkansas could not recover from some key early mistakes and was blown out by Alabama, 52-0.

We'll try to rebound in a big way this week. Here are my bold predictions for Week 4:

1. Florida State will dominate the line of scrimmage against Clemson
This week's marquee game features some of the best skill-position talent in the country. While the Tigers have quarterback Tajh Boyd, running back Andre Ellington and wide receivers Sammy Watkins and DeAndre Hopkins, Florida State features quarterback EJ Manuel and a deep group of running backs and receivers, led by tailback Chris Thompson, who ran wild over Wake Forest last week with 197 rushing yards on only nine carries.

Deservedly so, the focus and media attention will surround these great skill players, and while I give the slight advantage to Clemson in the wide receiver department, I rate the quarterback and running back groups as toss-ups. However, I like to consider myself "old-school" in the sense that I love to watch offensive and defensive line play in every game. Three weeks ago, I predicted that Alabama would dominate both sides of the line against Michigan, and this week I think the Seminoles have that same advantage over the Tigers.

To read more from Phil Steele on Clemson-Florida State, plus get the rest of his bold predictions for Week 4 of the college football season, you must be an ESPN Insider.