By BILL BURRUS
Sports Editor
By Florida State’s standards, it’s been a season to forget.
First, the Seminoles lost their starting quarterback in the first game of the season against Alabama. Then they went on to post an overall record of 6-6 and barely made it into a bowl game. And to top it off, head coach Jimbo Fisher departed to College Station to lead Texas A&M.
The Seminoles will get a chance to end a sour season with at least a good taste in their mouths Wednesday, when they clash with Southern Miss in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, Louisiana. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m.
Florida State is a 16.5-point favorite in the contest.
The Southern Miss Golden Eagles soar into this bowl game with a 6-2 conference record and 8-4 overall mark. They are currently riding a three-game win streak that placed them in the 2017 Independence Bowl. Southern Miss will be gunning for their second-straight bowl victory. Last season, they found themselves on the winning side of the New Orleans Bowl. In that game, they bested the Ragin’ Cajuns 28-21.
“Whoever wants it more, that’s who is going to be the winner,” USM quarterback Kwadra Griggs of Greenwood said.
FSU will have to keep a close eye on USM running back Ito Smith, who has 232 carries for 1,321 yards and 13 touchdowns.
The Golden Eagles also have a big weapon downfield in wide receiver Korey Robertson of Greenwood. He has tallied more than 100 receiving yards in three of his last four games. In all, he finished the year with 72 catches for 1,070 yards and 11 touchdowns
USM will face a familiar face on Wednesday in FSU running back Cam Akers, a freshman from Clinton who has made a strong impression in his first season with the Seminoles.
Many members of the USM coaching staff and team saw Akers play first-hand in high school.
Widely considered the nation’s top high school running back as a senior, Akers was the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year in 2016.
Akers is a great blend of power, speed and vision at 5-foot-11, 213 pounds. If he continues to progress, he will eventually put up numbers that dwarf those of his freshman season.
If the USM defense keeps Akers from hitting the 1,000-yard mark for the season on Wednesday, the Golden Eagles will have a chance to pull the upset.
