Florida State’s starting lineup has changed drastically in the last year, with 13 starters moving on to the NFL and new players joining the team through the transfer portal. That presents a challenge for Georgia Tech, as this is the first time that FSU team has taken the field. However, Key doesn’t see that as a major problem, noting that this is still a Mike Norvell-led team.

“Mike has been calling offensive plays for a long time, his offense is his offense as far as what they do. It’s different week to week what personnel groups, what packages, what shifts, motions and things they use in there, so those things haven’t changed,” Key said. “There’s footage of him from many, many years ago and it’s always the same. He believes in running the football, making plays, spreading the field not only vertically but horizontally, working sideline to sideline and getting the ball in the playmaker’s hands. Sounds pretty familiar to me. That’s what our defense sees every day here, so there’s a lot of similarities between the two teams, at least offensively in what they do.

This will be the first time in three years that Jordan Travis isn’t playing quarterback for FSU, and with DJ Uiagalalei having a much different style of play than Travis, it will be interesting to see what the offense looks like on Saturday. Key knows his team has to be ready for anything, but it’s important to stick to the basics before trying to predict what the Seminoles will do.

“We obviously know the quarterback is the most important thing and they have DJ (Uiagalelei) there. He’s experienced in this league and had a good season last year. So how he adjusts to the quarterback position, we’ll only see when we get out of the gate,” Key said. “The biggest thing in the first game is everyone talks about the opponent, the opponent, the opponent. But the unknowns are what you can’t predict. So it’s really about your team, how good you are with your basic offense, your defense, your kicking game and how quickly your coaches can make adjustments during the game.”

Florida State and Georgia Tech have been battling it out on the football field since the 1950s, but this is the first time the two teams will face off on an international stage. Key sees this as an exciting opportunity not only for the players and coaches, but also for the communities surrounding both programs. He also emphasized that this is a chance for these schools to show the world what American football is all about.

“It’s not just another game, we’re going to another country to showcase our football and be ambassadors for American football in another country. I mean, what an incredible opportunity these kids and these coaches have and how they can really showcase our sport,” Key said. “When you go there – I was there earlier this year to do some groundwork – it’s really overwhelming when you see that because for us, it’s everyday life.”

“Being over there and seeing the passion of the people, how much they enjoy the game and how much they’re still learning about the game,” Key continued. “I played there 10 years ago when I was at UCF and have seen the evolution of the sport there over the last 10 years. So it’s a really cool opportunity to be on that stage, be the first game of the year and play the opponent we get to play in Florida State. So it’s fun.”

The Seminoles and Yellow Jackets will face off in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic at Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday, August 24. Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. EST and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.

READ MORE: Former Florida State quarterback fails to secure starting spot at third school

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