Tag: Florida State Seminoles

Tar Heels minimize turnovers in second half, down FSU behind 10-0 run

UNC was in trouble Saturday afternoon at Florida State, facing a halftime deficit. The Tar Heels rode a hot second half to a key victory.

Just like the Atlantic Coast Conference-opening matchup for both teams back in December, Saturday afternoon’s North Carolina-Florida State basketball game proved to be an instant classic.

The Tar Heels appeared to be pulling away with a 10-0 run midway through the second half, only for the Seminoles to punch right back and close their gap to two points late.

Even during a late stretch in which it missed six consecutive field goals, North Carolina held off a pesky FSU squad for a 75-68 victory.

RJ Davis made a clutch runner in the lane that extended UNC’s lead to four points, then sank two free throws to seal the win.

The win kept UNC (17-3, 9-0) atop the ACC standings ahead of Tuesday’s matchup at Georgia Tech.

Early on, the story was FSU’s defense. The Seminoles forced North Carolina into 13 first-half turnovers, which is a season-high, scoring nearly 20 points off those turnovers. FSU sped up the likes of Davis and Elliot Cadeau, as the Tar Heels’ two point guards made some uncharacteristic mistakes and faltered under the pressure.

UNC cleaned up its act big-time in half two, turning the ball over just four times. It took a while, but shots also started falling against the ‘Noles.

Cormac Ryan gave North Carolina its second-half scoring spark, hitting 3-pointers to score nine of his 10 points on the day. Cadeau grew up a little bit, looking extremely confident en route to a collegiate career-high 16 points.

Last year’s Tar Heels would’ve folded in a game like today’s.

This year’s Tar Heels are destined for something greater, though. They truly do look like one of the country’s best teams – it’ll be an exciting fight to the finish.

Player of the Game

It has to be freshman point guard Elliot Cadeau, who looked extremely confident in the biggest true road game of his career so far.

Cadeau scored a career-high 16 points on Saturday. He shot just 4-of-12 from the field, but led all players with eight made free throws.

Cadeau will only become a better scorer as he further develops. Look for a strong follow-up performance from him against Georgia Tech.

What’s Next 

UNC heads back to Chapel Hill for a couple days, then hits the road again on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. tip-off at Georgia Tech.

The Yellow Jackets don’t give the Tar Heels problems like they do in football, but this is easily another game North Carolina could lose if it’s not careful.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

10 players to watch on Reese’s Senior Bowl American team’s offense

Ten players to keep an eye on for the Reese’s Senior Bowl American team’s offense

The Reese’s Senior Bowl is here and Mobile is going to be rocking with the 100+ NFL draft prospects coming into South Alabama’s Hancock Whitney Stadium.

Vikings Wire will have boots on the ground as managing editor Tyler Forness will be there in person to watch these players duke it out in front of scouts and analysts alike.

On the American team, the biggest names are on the offense and we will analyze the top ten guys to watch from that side of the ball.

How to watch Saturday’s mid-afternoon UNC-FSU hoops clash

The biggest ACC basketball game on Saturday will be in the Florida Panhandle, with Florida State hosting a scorching-hot UNC squad at 2 p.m.

If you’re an ACC basketball fan, all eyes are going to be focused on UNC-Florida State Saturday afternoon.

The first-place Tar Heels (16-3, 8-0) head into one of the ACC’s tougher road environments, taking on a revamped Seminoles (12-7, 602) squad in Tallahassee, Fla. North Carolina will bring its high-scoring, up-tempo offense and a significantly-improved defense against a tall, paint-heavy Florida State team.

UNC guard RJ Davis will continue to try proving he should be National Player of the year, whether it be draining 3-pointers, driving to the basket or knocking down free throws. North Carolina big man Armando Bacot will try and remain effective against a deep forward rotation, as five Seminoles stand at least 6’10”.

If the Tar Heels win their 10th-consecutive game, they’ll remain undefeated atop the ACC. If the Seminoles pull off the upset, they’ll be just one game out of first place.

If you can’t make this highly-anticipated matchup in person, you might be wondering – will it be televised?

The answer is: yes.

UNC-FLORIDA STATE TV, RADIO AND STREAMING INFORMATION

WHAT: North Carolina (16-3, 8-0 ACC) vs. Florida State (12-7, 6-2)

WHEN: Saturday, Jan. 27 at 2 p.m. ET

LOCATION: Donald L. Tucker Civic Center in Tallahassee, Fla.

TV: ESPN (Watch and stream the game live on WatchESPN)

SATELLITE RADIO: SiriusXM (84 or 371)

WEBSITE: ESPN

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

UNC Basketball at Florida State: Game preview, info, prediction and more

UNC gets another tough road ACC test on Saturday afternoon, as it travels down to Florida State for a crucial men’s basketball matchup.

The UNC men’s basketball team is playing better than pretty much any other team in the country right now, making them a hot pick to win a seventh NCAA Title (and eighth overall championship) in April.

Because of the Tar Heels’ strong play, it also means they have a target on their back.

North Carolina is winners of its past nine games, with each victory by at least 10 points. UNC has added a tough defense to its already, high-flying offense, making it even more difficult for opponents to play their style of basketball.

The Tar Heels have their first ACC rematch coming up next, heading down to Tallahassee, Fla. for a rematch with a rejuvenated Florida State program. The Seminoles (12-7, 6-2), who currently hold second place in the conference, are just one season removed from their first losing campaign since 2004-2005.

First-place UNC’s (16-3, 8-0) closest conference matchup – so far – was when FSU came to Chapel Hill on Saturday, Dec. 2 last year. This game, which opened up ACC play, saw the Tar Heels emerge with a 78-70 victory behind RJ Davis’ 27 points. North Carolina’s defense withstood four Seminoles scoring in double-figures last contest, including a team-high 17 points from Jamir Watkins.

There’s a sense of extra satisfaction that comes from beating a team of UNC’s caliber, which the ‘Noles are hoping to achieve. I expect a packed Donald L. Tucker Civic Center for Saturday’s matchup, but I also expect the Tar Heels to win a tight battle.

Tar Heels climb one spot in latest NET rankings

What can’t the UNC men’s basketball team do? The Tar Heels are undefeated in ACC play, winners of their last nine and a legit title threat.

Monday night’s UNC-Wake Forest men’s basketball game was supposed to be a battle between two of the ACC’s best teams.

What resulted, however, was the ACC’ BEST team dominating another.

The Tar Heels trailed by one at halftime, then exploded offensively in the second half for an 85-64 victory, extending their winning streak to nine games and keeping themselves atop the conference.

It was the RJ Davis show inside the Dean Dome, with UNC’s (16-3, 8-0) senior shooting guard erupting for a career high 36 points. Davis drained 14 of his 23 field goal attempts and made 4-of-5 free throws.

With North Carolina’s dominating win, it climbed to sixth in the latest NET rankings.

NET rankings are utilized to determine a team’s strength of schedule (and victory), with wins over higher-ranked teams boosting NCAA Tournament chances ever further.

UNC is undefeated at home (9-0) and on the road (4-0), plus an even .500 in neutral-site games (3-3). The Tar Heels have four quad one wins, plus 12 combined Quad 2, 3 and 4 victories.

Saturday presents another opportunity for a Quad 1 victory, with North Carolina traveling down to Tallahassee, Fla for a matchup with second-place Florida State. The Seminoles (11-7, 5-2) have won five of six ACC games since losing to UNC in Chapel Hill.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on Twitter and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks brings Vikings help on defense in mock draft

NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks brings a bona fide pass rusher to Brian Flores and the Minnesota defense.

NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks released his Mock Draft 1.0 as the first 28 spots have been solidified with the conclusion of the divisional round of the playoffs.

With the 11th pick, Brooks called in some help in the pass-rush department to the Minnesota Vikings as they selected Florida State edge rusher Jared Verse.

Adding an athletic pass rusher to the lineup will enhance the Vikings’ aggressive schemes under Brian Flores. The Florida State standout flashes double-digit potential as a sack artist.

Does he ever. Verse’s strength and bend around the edge make perennial Pro Bowler Danielle Hunter the perfect player for Verse to learn under.

Or possibly replace.

Hunter, along with pass-rushers D.J. Wonnum and Marcus Davenport, is a free agent in the upcoming off-season. What to do with Hunter and his sure-to-be-expensive contract is one of the hot-button issues that the Vikings front office will navigate.

Having a possible replacement in mind may not be the worst idea. Having that replacement be of the caliber of Verse makes it even better.

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Early projections say Oregon hosts CFP game at Autzen in 2024

Oregon is predicted to host a first round playoff game before going down in the quarterfinals in New Orleans next year.

The landscape of college football is swiftly changing with the transfer portal and players going from team to team more than any professional free agency could ever have.

Another big change will occur in 2024 when the College Football Playoff expands from four teams to 12.

As one of the favorites to win the Big Ten next season, the Oregon Ducks are expected to be one of the 12 playoff teams. The top four seeds would receive a first-round bye with the opening-round contests being played on campus.

According to Brad Crawford of 247sports.com, the Ducks would play in that first round by hosting South Florida at Autzen in the middle of December as a 6-seed.

There is a lot to like with what former Tennessee assistant Alex Golesh built down there in Tampa. He out-recruited every other Group of Five program in the 2024 cycle and with reigning conference champion SMU moving on to the ACC and questions around Tulane following Willie Fritz’s departure to Houston, that strong league is wide open. Oregon makes its first playoff appearance under Dan Lanning after a terrific projected finish during its first season in the Big Ten. — Crawford

Once Oregon eliminates the Bulls, the Ducks are projected to travel to New Orleans and face Florida State in the Sugar Bowl. The Seminoles, a 3-seed, automatically advance to the quarterfinals with their seed. It will be interesting to see how first-round winners do after playing a game against a team that has a month off.

Florida State will have former Beaver DJ Uiagalelei as its quarterback and the Ducks are very familiar with him and his skillset. Nonetheless, 247sports projects a Seminole win here.

Florida State and Oregon in New Orleans would be an excellent, evenly-matched tilt between teams led by transfer portal quarterback and two fast-rising head coaches among the elites. — Crawford

The Ducks will have many firsts in 2024 with their initial season as a member of the Big Ten. Thankfully, they’re expected to do very well and see where this new playoff format takes them.

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Vikings 2024 NFL draft scouting report: Florida State WR Keon Coleman

The junior from Florida State was a contested catch maven. How does wide receiver Keon Coleman project as a 2024 NFL Draft prospect?

Welcome to SKOL Search!

This series will be your guide to the 2024 draft class. From scouting reports to mock drafts and exploring different scenarios, we will be covering the NFL draft and the future of the Minnesota Vikings from all angles.

The focus of the draft class in this space will be on the Vikings’ major needs at quarterback, running back, defensive line and edge rusher. We will also focus on wide receiver since it’s a loaded class and an increased chance to get a Stefon Diggs-type steal in the later rounds.

The Vikings are slated to have 9 picks going into the NFL draft and they need to make the most out of them.

2024 Senior Bowl preview: Tight ends

A preview of the seven tight ends that will be in Mobile for the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl.

The 2024 NFL Draft starts in Mobile!

The Reese’s Senior Bowl game will be held Saturday, February 3rd, with the practices occurring the week leading up to it, starting Tuesday, January 30th. It is also one of the first major stops in the pre-draft process before the teams are on the clock on April 25th.

Even more exciting, this year’s Senior Bowl may be one of the more anticipated in recent memory. There will be over 100 NFL prospects competing all week in front of scouts and draft pundits alike and the talent this year will be easy to see throughout the week.

Outside of the big names like Brock Bowers, Ja’Tavion Sanders and possibly Cade Stover, there may not be a lot of name recognition with this season’s tight-end class. In this preview, we will look at the seven tight ends who will be looking to become household names by the time their names are called in the upcoming draft.

Other previews:

Quarterbacks
Running backs

Elite 11 Finalist Trever Jackson commits to Seminoles

In a major snag for Florida State University, Trever Jackson, a standout quarterback and Elite 11 Finalist, has committed to the Seminoles. Jackson, previously aligned with Ole Miss, brings impressive talent to an already talented QB lineup for FSU’s 2024 season.

Florida State has made another significant addition to its roster, securing the commitment of Trever Jackson, a highly-touted quarterback from the class of 2024.

Standing at 6’3″ and weighing 190 pounds, Jackson hails from Winter Garden, Florida. His journey to FSU was marked by a previous commitment to Ole Miss, which he retracted in late October.

This commitment follows the Seminoles’ recent successful signing of Luke Kromenhoek, another top prep quarterback. Both are Elite 11 Finalists. With only two scholarship quarterbacks available for the Orange Bowl, FSU further strengthened its lineup by securing Oregon State’s DJ Uiagalelei, bringing their quarterback count to four for the spring.

Ranked as the No. 348 player nationally and the No. 22 quarterback, Jackson shows promise despite being considered somewhat raw with a high upside. An Elite 11 Finalist, notably winning the “Rail Shot Challenge,” Jackson’s recruitment journey included 28 offers and an official visit to Pittsburgh in the summer of 2023.

His initial top choices were UCLA, Texas A&M, Ole Miss, and Oklahoma. This latest commitment to FSU marks a significant step in his athletic career and a notable addition to the Seminoles’ quarterback lineup.

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