Season Overview
Florida State advanced from 3-6 in Coach Norvell’s first season in Tallahassee back in 2020 to 13-1 and a conference championship last season. The Seminoles played perfectly through 13 games last year, then became one of the bigger snubs in the history of the College Football Playoff.
Heading into this season, FSU aimed to use the portal to fill its many holes at the top of the depth chart. Additionally, the schedule is tougher than last season. Perfection is probably a pipe dream for the ‘Noles this season, but a return trip to the ACC championship game might be enough for a berth in the expanded CFP.
Betting Odds
- Odds to win national championship (Bet365): +2200
- Odds to make CFP: +160
- Odds to win ACC: +350
- Wins over/under: 9.5
Florida State returns only 10 “starters” this season—starters plus players who started somewhere else last year—from a team that finished 13-1 last season. The Seminoles played a perfect 12-0 through the regular season, with wins over LSU, Clemson, Duke (ranked at the time), Miami, and Florida, then beat Louisville in the ACC championship game. However, thanks to a weak schedule and an injured quarterback, the ‘Noles got snubbed when the CFP was handing out invitations.
Florida State then faced a mass player defection going into the Orange Bowl against Georgia and lost, badly.
Just five “starters” are back on an offense that averaged 402 yards per game last season, but four of them play along the offensive line. FSU also brought in transfer quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, who has already started 40 games for Clemson and Oregon State. Meanwhile, only five starters are back on a defense that allowed 332 YPG last year, including just three of last season’s top nine tacklers.
The Seminoles should be 4-0 heading into a game at SMU (now an ACC rival) in late September, although a meeting with Memphis a couple of weeks prior won’t be a walk in the park. Florida State later hosts Clemson, which seems primed for a bounce-back season, then plays at Miami and at Notre Dame.
FSU led a bit of a charmed existence last season, at least until the end. Heading into this season, with a number of holes to fill on both sides of the ball and a tougher schedule, we see four or five decent chances for Florida State defeats.
Pick
Florida State under 9.5 wins
