The Final Countdown: Liucci previews the Gator Bowl matchup

Key notes from The Final Countdown:

• Big picture, this game does not register nationally. Losing doesn’t even register. I think Jace, Trayveon, and McCoy will leave. That’s my guess. I don’t know where it stands today for them. Maybe one of the three will return. A lot of guys think they’re going to go, but then reality starts to set in. This game helps just within your walls. It helps Kellen Mond. If these young receivers go out and make plays tonight, it helps them go into the offseason confident. It helps Jimbo and his message. You want to win a bowl game. It’s just a culture and momentum thing. I’d like to see a top 15 finish. I don’t know that it means much. You don’t want to finish unranked, and a loss could do that. A win adds to the feeling that next year could be special. You get that in your head, and if you believe that, it’s easier to work hard toward something special.
   
• I’m glad A&M got that win over LSU. If they could get one tonight, that’d be great. That LSU game was a moment for the team, the fan base, and any future success. You can go back to that game and think that was the night it all changed. It becomes even more so if you go out and win a bowl game.
   
• I don’t think LaCamera will be on the team next year. I don’t expect it. His path may be to try to make an NFL team. He is in his home state, maybe he gets a chance to kick a late one. Seth Small is the guy. He’s a true freshman. He’s made some and missed some. The more play he gets the better. The LaCamera injury was sad to see. You lost him for the year on a missed kick in a two-point game against Clemson. I think Seth is going to be a really good kicker. He has a big leg. He had some struggles, but LaCamera had that his freshman year as well.
   
• I like what Jimbo was saying about Ryan Finley. You have to get him to get rid of the ball quickly. The thing about NC State is they’re a tough football team. They’re a bit overachieving this year. Last year was their year. If you look at their schedule and results, name an outcome that was impressive.
   
• You watch the games, and you see Finley throw it around. You see NC State run the ball. This is a capable football team. In these bowl games, you don’t know who’s going to show up. There are a lot of distractions. For every college coach, you don’t know how your team is going to look when they take the field. Can NC State win? Yeah. Should they win? No. There is nothing in their body of work that jumps off the page. Wake Forest had one or two games that jumped off the page last year. If this NC State team wins, they’re a ten-win team. I think several of our pickers picked NC State to cover the spread against Clemson.
   
• This has been a very familiar year for Jimbo. It started with Dabo to Saban to Muschamp to Mark Stoops. Then it ended with LSU and now a very familiar foe in NC State.