No. 5 LSU Vs. No. 8 Florida State: Yes, QBs Could Stage Classic Duel, But Keep An Eye On These 2 Ace Defenders

ORLANDO, Florida - The NFL is off on Sunday before the opening weekend starts Thursday with Super Bowl champion Kansas City hosting Detroit (8:20 p.m., NBC).

But No. 5 LSU and No. 8 Florida State play Sunday (7:30 p.m., ABC) here in THE game of the early season as a world of NFL personnel executives and draft scouts will likely be glued to the television. So will a nation of college football-starved fans as the first full weekend comes to a close.

LSU is a 2-point favorite.

Two of the top Heisman Trophy contending quarterbacks will be in action with Jayden Daniels of LSU and Jordan Travis of Florida State, a pair of seniors coming off excellent seasons.

LSU And Florida State Feature Play-Making Defenders

Keep an eye on the players chasing both of them, though. That would be Florida State junior defensive end Jared Verse and LSU sophomore linebacker Harold Perkins.

A first team All-American last season, Verse (6-foot-4, 253 pounds) collected nine sacks and 48 tackles in 2022 with 17 stops behind the line.

LSU's Harold Perkins Jr. (40 ) will be free to roam at linebacker when the No. 5 Tigers play No. 8 Florida State Sunday night in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Perkins was a freshman All-American and first team All-Southeastern Conference player in 2022. He sacked quarterbacks 7.5 times along with 13 tackles behind the line in all. Against Arkansas, he set the school record for sacks in a game with four and forced two fumbles.

All Eyes Will Be On Harold Perkins And Jared Verse

"Harold Perkins and Jared Verse - you're going to see two elite defensive players," LSU coach Brian Kelly said. "You're going to have to account for Harold just like we're going to have to account for Jared Verse. We're going to have to have many different ways to handle Jared Verse. Slides, tight ends, chips and double teams and all kinds of things. He's that good of a player. They're going to have to find Harold Perkins as well. You have to game plan for players like that."

Verse can single-handedly ruin plays and game plans, Kelly said. He could even bring about huddles, which do not happen as much in football now with quick offenses featuring plays called at the line.

"He is a game wrecker," Kelly said of Verse. "You're going to have to be more specific with him. If that means we have to slow things down, we will. If that means we have to huddle, yes, we know how to huddle. If we have to do that to to know where their guys are, we certainly will do that."

Florida State coach Mike Norvell's Seminoles beat LSU last season in New Orleans. (Getty Images).

Florida State coach Mike Norvell sees Verse improving on his breakout season of a year ago after transferring from Football Championship Subdivision school Albany.

"He plays the game with tremendous passion," he said. "To see where he was a year ago and the impact he made in this program. Expecting big things from him this year. If his actions speak louder than his words, then we're going to be in great shape here. He likes to talk."

Florida State Seminoles Have High Expectations

Verse discussed the magnitude of the first top 10 matchup of the season with On3 recently.

"You think about it the whole off-season," he said. "Everybody’s been talking about what we’re able to do, what we’re capable of doing. A lot of people are expecting us to go all the way, to go the distance. But our main focus has always been, ‘What can we do?' Now, we finally have a chance to showcase it."

Florida State defeated LSU, 24-23, last season in New Orleans.

LSU Will Have Revenge On Its Mind Vs. Seminoles

"LSU is a very good team,” Verse said. "They want to come back and get us for what happened last year. We want to prove that they got better, but we got better, too. It’s a big game in all factors, but what I’m excited about is just to see how much I’ve grown as a player."

LSU coach Brian Kelly expects more out of linebacker Harold Perkins this season. (Photo by Brandon Sumrall/Getty Images)

HAROLD PERKINS REALLY NEEDED WITH DT STAR MAASON SMITH OUT

Kelly foresees an even better season for Perkins as well.

"You're going to see him make plays all over the field," he said. "You're going to see a linebacker, not just a pass rusher specialist. He's still going to get after the quarterback, but he's going to get after running backs and tight ends. I'm excited to watch the development of Harold Perkins into that player who can impact all facets."