Rivalry weekend is here, which means the chaos can truly begin.
The stakes are high for many teams going into the final week of college football, but the Florida State Seminoles are fighting for more than just a win over an in-state rival.
FSU was placed at No. 5 in the College Football Playoff rankings this week and are slated to visit the Florida Gators on Saturday, who’s a single victory away from gaining bowl eligibility.
ESPN senior writer Heather Dinich broke down each rivalry matchup and ranked them in regard to importance in College Football Playoff implications. The Florida and Florida State showdown is ranked at No. 2.
If FSU loses on Saturday night, the program will walk into the 2023 ACC championship with what the committee would consider a “bad loss,” and the results from the battle between Michigan and Ohio State is just another variable in a long equation for the Seminoles’ playoff hopes.
Dinich explains a little further in her article about what would happen if the Florida Gators win on Saturday.
“If the Noles fall, they would need multiple upsets in other Power 5 conference title games for the ACC to remain in the debate,” Dinich said. “It also would give some more credence to the possibility of a Georgia team that doesn’t win the SEC or the loser of Ohio State-Michigan.”
If the Gators manage to topple FSU, then the program will likely punch a ticket to a bowl game, something Florida head coach Billy Napier would like to accomplish before the conclusion of his second year. It may not be a New Year’s Six game, but a post-season appearance alone will keep future recruits interested in UF.
The Florida Gators and Florida State Seminoles are set to kick off at 7 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.
Follow us @GatorsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.