The Florida State Seminoles haven't particularly experienced what most people would call a typical Orange Bowl-type season. Before their win against Virginia Tech in the ACC championship game, the Noles suffered through a three-game losing streak.

The team was decimated by injuries in key positions, most notably along the offensive line, where most coaches say games are won and lost. Then this week, its leading tackler, linebacker A.J. Nicholson, was sent home by head coach Bobby Bowden after breaking team curfew and being accused of sexual assault at the team hotel.

The Seminoles were also last in the conference in rushing offense, and their freshman quarterback, Drew Weatherford, has thrown just as many touchdowns -- 17 -- as interceptions.

It seems as if their confidence hasn't been shaken at all, though, and a pair of Seminoles running backs believes that Penn State's defense is identical, at best, to the competition they regularly face in the ACC.

“We've faced a lot of teams with faster linebackers like Miami and Clemson,” Florida State running back Lorenzo Booker said. “I don't think they are speed demons, but they can still get to the ball. We don't feel like they are as agile or as fast as a lot of the linebackers we've played.”

They know about Paul Posluszny and his Butkus award, an honor bestowed on the nation's best linebacker. They know about cornerback Alan Zemaitis capturing the ball while tackling Michigan quarterback Chad Henne and returning it for a touchdown. They know Nittany Lions defenders are rarely out of place.

“They've got great athletes, don't get me wrong, but I feel like we've faced teams with more athletic ability,” Booker said. “Very rarely on film do I see someone capitalize on something that they did wrong.”

The interesting part about the Lions linebackers is their recognition as considerably fast, at least in the Big Ten. The group even has a converted running back, Tim Shaw, who early in the season was practicing on offense in certain packages.

But Posluszny, who's known for making plays, running from one side of the field to the other, said the Seminoles rotation of backs presents a challenge the Lions haven't seen.

“I don't think we've faced backs like that all year,” Posluszny said. “They can just flat out fly.”

Much has been made of the notion that the ACC is a faster conference overall when compared to the Big Ten as well as the myth that there's a difference between the speed of athletes from the state of Florida opposed to everywhere else.

“It could be, but there's only one way to find out,” said Seminoles running back Leon Washington, who splits time with Booker. “We'll find out in a couple days whether it's true or not.”