For the second time in the last three weeks, Florida State will take the field in the marquee game of the weekend. The No. 3-ranked Seminoles will play host to the No. 7-ranked Miami Hurricanes on Saturday night. In this week's edition of 5 to watch, I've identified one key player for the 'Noles and the Canes. Here are the five players I'll be focused on this weekend:
Florida State WR Rashad Greene vs. Miami (Fla.)
Greene has emerged as the No. 1 target for quarterback Jameis Winston. He has already hauled in 39 balls for 690 yards and eight scores. His combination of deep speed and elusiveness has led to several big plays over the last few weeks. He's surpassed the 100-yard mark in each of the last three games. The Seminoles have a surplus of weapons in both the pass and run game, which prevents defenses from playing a safety over the top of Greene. He should have another big game this weekend.
Michigan State RB Jeremy Langford vs. Michigan
Michigan State is an old school football team that relies on a stingy defense and a very physical running game. Langford has been an outstanding replacement for current Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell. He leads the team with 655 rushing yards to go along with nine touchdowns. He lacks the same bulk as Bell (6-foot-0 205 pounds), but he runs just as hard and has excellent balance. The Spartans' passing game is very limited (106th in passing yards), and they'll need a huge game from Langford in order to beat Michigan on Saturday afternoon.
South Carolina QB Connor Shaw vs. Mississippi State
Last week, Shaw came off the bench and calmly led South Carolina to a come-from-behind win over previously unbeaten Missouri. The Gamecocks still have their sights set on the SEC Championship Game, and they'll need to avoid a letdown against Mississippi State to keep those hopes alive. Shaw's senior leadership, timely playmaking and wise decision-making (only one interception this season) should eliminate a flat performance from the Gamecocks.
Miami (Fla.) LB Denzel Perryman vs. Florida State
Perryman has been a tackling machine for the Hurricanes. He leads the team with 52 stops, and he was just announced as a semifinalist for the Butkus Award. He has the speed to make plays sideline to sideline, and he is a sure tackler in space. I'd like to see him be more consistent getting off blocks, but he has a knack for shooting gaps and disrupting the path of the running back. I'm really looking forward to watching him in coverage against a very explosive Florida State passing attack.
USC RB Tre Madden vs. Oregon State
Because of the offseason injury to Silas Redd, Madden took over the starting role at the beginning of the season. He has been very impressive, racking up 671 rushing yards and three scores, averaging 5.3 yards per carry. He is very quick to and through the hole, and he's a violent runner that breaks a ton of tackles. Now that Redd is healthy, Madden is sharing carries with the senior running back. In my opinion, that is a big mistake. Madden is bigger, stronger, faster and more instinctive than the Penn State transfer. The Trojans need to control the ball Friday night matching up against Oregon State's offensive juggernaut. Madden should to be the focal point of their offensive gameplan.
Follow Daniel Jeremiah on Twitter @MoveTheSticks.
