Who has the edge at quarterback, Florida State or Alabama?

Teams that field a better signal caller usually have a substantial advantage over their opponents, which is why comparing quarterbacks is a worthwhile exercise despite the fact they do not directly go head-to-head.

For Florida State’s opener against Alabama, it can be difficult to measure Deondre Francois vs. Jalen Hurts because both quarterbacks played in distinctly different offenses last season. The Crimson Tide utilized Hurts’ athleticism and running ability in a spread attack while the Seminoles went with a pro-style attack with some spread concepts sprinkled in.

Both QBs did well in their first respective seasons as starters: Francois, a redshirt freshman, threw for 3,350 yards, 20 TDs and 7 INTs while leading the Seminoles to a 10-3 record that included an Orange Bowl win over Michigan. Hurts, as a true freshman, threw for 2,780 yards, 23 TDs and 9 INTs while also rushing for 954 yards and 13 TDs en route to helping Alabama go 14-1 with its lone loss occurring in the national championship game against Clemson.

So which signal caller gives his team an edge heading into Saturday’s matchup? Let’s take a closer look at how the compare in six categories.