Tag: Florida State Seminoles

Scoreboard watching: How Louisville’s loss to Kentucky may help Penn State

Kentucky upset Louisville on Saturday and that could be a nice assist to Penn State’s New Years Six bowl hopes.

Penn State wrapped up a 10-2 regular season on Friday night with a nearly flawless 42-0 victory in Detroit against Michigan State. By itself, a 10-2 record with a no. 11 ranking in the College Football Playoff rankings going to the final game of the regular season likely was going to be just enough to get Penn State into a New Years Six bowl game this bowl season. But the Nittany Lions may have been given a little extra help on the final Saturday of the regular season from an unlikely ally.

Kentucky upset rival Louisville with a come-from-behind 38-31 victory fueled by a big fourth quarter. Louisville came into the week ranked one spot ahead of Penn State in the playoff rankings but will now be expected to fall a few spots behind the Nittany Lions in the next round of the selection committee’s rankings to be updated on Tuesday evening. At 10-2, Louisville has an identical record to Penn State’s but their two losses are far worse than the two blemishes on Penn State’s record.

Penn State’s only losses this year came against 12-0 Michigan and 11-1 Ohio State (Michigan topped Ohio State on Saturday to clinch the Big Ten East Division). Louisville’s losses came against a 7-5 Kentucky team and a Pitt team that ended the season with a 3-9 record, and the Cardinals lost by 17 to the Panthers.

Louisville will get a chance to redeem itself next week in the ACC Championship Game against no. 5 Florida State, so the Cardinals could still play a role in determining Penn State’s bowl possibilities.

Penn State will likely move into the top 10 of the playoff rankings this week by moving ahead of Louisville. Suppose Florida State wins against Louisville next week in the ACC Championship game. In that case, the Cardinals will be left in the rearview mirror and Florida State will either get a spot in the College Football Playoff or lock up the ACC’s Orange Bowl spot. If Florida State is in the playoff, then Louisville would get the ACC’s Orange Bowl spot anyway. But a Louisville victory would send the Cards to the Orange Bowl and drop Florida State into at-large territory, which could be a problem for Penn State’s New Years Six hopes.

Penn State’s most recent bowl projections were trending in favor of an at-large spot in the Peach Bowl or Fiesta Bowl.

So as far as Penn State is concerned, the ACC championship game will be well worth watching next weekend, just in case.

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The Athletic’s staff is split while picking against spread for Florida-FSU

The Athletic makes their picks against the spread for the showdown between Florida and Florida State.

The Florida Gators are hosting the Florida State Seminoles in primetime television on Saturday night and there’s plenty of high stakes for both football programs.

For anyone making an insane parlay this weekend, you’re probably looking for some inspiration for who to choose between the two in-state rivals, and sports publication The Athletic released their weekly picks against the spread and the staff are split down the middle when it comes to the Gators and Seminoles showdown.

The Gators are 6.5-point underdogs at home on Saturday night with both of the team’s starting quarterbacks missing the game after suffering significant injuries last week.

Despite both programs relying on their backup quarterbacks this week, The Athletic’s staff believes it will come down to Florida’s defense.

“Florida also will have a backup quarterback in after Graham Mertz got hurt at Missouri last week,” the staff concluded. “Freshman Max Brown led two scoring drives in the fourth quarter after entering the game in the third quarter. The other side of the ball has been more of a problem. The Gators are on a four-game losing streak in which they have failed to hold an opponent under 33 points.”

Staff writers Dan Santaromita and Ari Wasserman are both taking the Gators to win against the spread, even if it means the team is losing a close contest. However, the writers do have a losing record while picking against the spread. Bet carefully, folks.

The Florida Gators and Florida State Seminoles will kick off at 7 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.

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The Athletic believes Florida State will prevail on Saturday night

See who The Athletic thinks will come out on top during the rivalry showdown in Gainesville.

It’s finally rivalry weekend in college football as in-state and neighboring rivals gear up to challenge their biggest foes and possibly fight for post-season eligibility.

The Florida Gators are on the verge of missing a bowl game for the first time since 2017, but the undefeated Florida State Seminoles are knocking on the door and vying for a spot in this year’s College Football Playoff.

The Athletic made their picks for each major rivalry matchup this week, including the showdown between FSU and Florida. Despite starting quarterbacks Graham Mertz and Jordan Davis both going down with major injuries, the Seminoles are still favored to come out victorious by 6.5 points.

Senior columnist Stewart Mandel is sticking by the spread and is expecting a double-digit Seminoles win in The Swamp, 31-20.

“How do you forecast a game in which both teams will be playing without their quarterbacks?” Mandel wrote. “At least Jordan Travis’ replacement, Tate Rodemaker, has meaningful experience. Florida’s Max Brown is green. And FSU still has weapons in running back Trey Benson and wide receivers Johnny Wilson and Keon Coleman. They’ll be facing Florida’s 129th-ranked defense.”

Brown is a sophomore and making his first start for the Gators on Saturday. Prior to taking over the offense in the Missouri loss, Brown hadn’t taken a snap since the Vanderbilt blowout on Oct. 7.

The Florida Gators and Florida State Seminoles will kick off at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.

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SEC Nation picks Florida to pull off upset against No. 4 FSU

Florida football is hours away from hosting the Florida State Seminoles, and the SEC Nation crew thinks the Gators will pull off the upset.

The SEC Nation crew picks every game involving a team within the conference, and the majority of a four-man crew thinks Florida will pull off the upset against Florida State on Saturday night.

Paul Finebaum, Jordan Rodgers and Gators legend Tim Tebow all picked Florida. Only former Alabama safety Roman Harper picked Florida State to pull through without Jordan Travis.

“I think the pressure is clearly on Florida State. They’ve got the playoff committee watching,” Finebaum said. ” I’m going with Florida here because I believe in what Billy Napier is selling.”

Rodgers pointed out that being on the road will make it tougher for Florida State’s offense to gel. The Swamp is known as one of the most intimidating venues in college football, and tickets to this game have been sold out for weeks.

“For the first 11 weeks, Florida State was a lot better. I think for Week 12 — where it’s at, with how much pressure is on FSU, with a backup quarterback — I think all of that adds up to Florida playing inspired and getting a close one at home. Because I really do think it’s going to mean more to upset their rival than it is just to be able to make a bowl game.”

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ESPN previews Florida-Florida State Rivalry Week matchup

It’s Rivalry Week in the Swamp and that means the Florida Gators are hosting the Florida State Seminoles to close out the regular season. ESPN previews the in-state rivalry.

It’s Rivalry Week in college football, and anyone born in the state of Florida knows that means it’s the Gators vs. Seminoles.

The folks at ESPN previewed some of the bigger matchups of the weekend, and Florida-FSU made the cut. Florida alumna Andrea Adelson knows exactly what’s a stake in this game.

“For Florida State to keep its College Football Playoff hopes alive, it has to find a way to win in Gainesville for the first time since 2017 without star quarterback Jordan Travis — out for the season with a lower-leg injury, ” Adelson wrote.

“It is hard to have higher stakes than that headed into a rivalry game. As for Florida, there are bowl stakes on the line. A win gets the Gators to six and automatic bowl eligibility.”

Adelson said that Florida State will win if head coach Mike Norvell can put together a plan on offense to make his backup, Tate Rodemaker, feel comfortable as a starter. The defense also has to get after Florida’s freshman backup under center.

Naturally, ESPN highlighted the quarterbacks in its “positions to watch” section. Both teams are down their starter, and many believe that Florida State is at a bigger disadvantage without Jordan Travis than Florida is without Graham Mertz.

“Both backups will start in this game — Tate Rodemaker for Florida State and Max Brown for Florida,” Adelson wrote. “As a fourth-year junior, Rodemaker possesses more experience, and last year came into the game at Louisville to lead a comeback victory. Last week in relief of Travis, he went 13-of-23 for 217 yards with two touchdowns. But that was against FCS North Alabama. The challenge Saturday will be far greater.”

Still, Brown is extremely inexperienced with playing time in just three games over his two seasons with Florida.

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CBS Sports thinks Gators have a chance to beat Seminoles

CBS Sports’ Barrett Sallee gave his SEC preview and picks including the Gators-Seminoles battle in the Swamp.

The grand finale of the college football regular season is nearly nigh as the Florida Gators prepare to take on the Florida State Seminole in Gainesville on Week 13. Ahead of the in-state rivalry matchup, CBS Sports’ Barrett Sallee gave his SEC preview and picks including the Gators-Seminoles battle in the Swamp.

“The Gators are in an interesting spot one win from bowl eligibility,” Sallee begins. “They will start backup quarterback Max Brown against No. 5 Florida State… which will also start backup quarterback Tate Rodemaker. Go ahead and drop a massive shoulder-shrug emoji in the headline of this game preview because it’s impossible for anybody to know what will happen.

“Brown played well coming off the bench for the injured Graham Mertz with 98 yards of total offense in the Week 12 loss to Missouri,” he continues. “Keep in mind that Brown rushed for 2,335 yards during his last two seasons in high school, so it will be difficult for the Seminoles to prepare for the possibility of a dual-threat quarterback now that Gators coach Billy Napier has a week to game plan around Brown’s skill set.

“That gives Florida way more than just a puncher’s chance. The Gators are a desperate, dangerous team, and a window is open for them to extend their season. Watch out, Florida State.”

Sallee picked the Orange and Blue to cover the 6.5-point spread.

The Florida-Florida State game will take place inside Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 25, with the kickoff slated for 7 p.m. ET and the game broadcasted on ESPN.

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Playoff contention on line for FSU, bowl eligibility within reach for Florida

The rivalry showdown between Florida and Florida State will be a fun one watch on Saturday night, with both teams fighting to extend their seasons.

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.

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Florida will honor Tim Tebow during Florida State game

Tim Tebow will be honored during the rivalry showdown between theFlorida Gators and Florida State Seminoles.

The Florida football program welcomes back former Heisman Trophy winner [autotag]Tim Tebow[/autotag] on Saturday night, with plans to honor the former UF quarterback during the rivalry showdown with the Florida State Seminoles.

Florida head coach Billy Napier is elated to welcome back the Florida football legend.

“We’re having Tim Tebow back to recognize him for his College Football Hall of Fame,” Napier said. “Certainly one of the best Gators to have ever done it and awesome to have Tim back this weekend.”

Tebow was inducted into the Hall of Fame earlier this year in January, and the final home game against Florida State is the best place to do it. The former quarterback holds a 4-0 record against the Noles and made lifetime memories during the matchups, including nine total touchdowns, 688 passing yards and 262 rushing yards.

Tebow is already a member of the Florida Ring Honor, earning his induction in 2018.

The Florida Gators and Florida State Seminoles are slated to kickoff at 7 p.m. ET and the game will broadcast on ESPN.

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Florida releases depth chart ahead of regular season finale vs. FSU

We knew Graham Mertz would be out for Florida’s game against Florida State on Saturday, but here’s how the rest of the depth chart shakes out.

The Florida Gators are back at the Swamp on Saturday to close out the regular season against No. 4 Florida State, and the final depth chart of the season looks a bit different than the other 12.

The biggest move is Graham Mertz joining the injured list with a fractured collarbone, shaking up the quarterback section of the depth chart. Jack Miller is nowhere to be seen behind Max Brown. Micah Leon and Leslie Parker will back up the redshirt freshman on Saturday. At this point, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Miller hit the portal once he graduates.

The other big move is the return of cornerback Devin Moore. He immediately steps into a semi-starting role, sharing snaps with Jalen Kimber as Florida’s No. 2 corner.

“I think Devin gives us a taller, longer player,” Billy Napier said on Wednesday. “Gives some play strength there. Devin’s just had a tough time with the injury component, but when he’s been available, he’s been very effective. As we go forward here, hopefully, we can keep Devin healthy. He gives us a significant player, especially when we’re talking about matching up.”

Wide receiver Caleb Douglas, linebacker Shemar James, tight end Jonathan Odom and edge defender Jack Pyburn all remain out. Left tackle Austin Barber, wide receiver Andy Jean and tight end Tony Livingston are all questionable.

“We’ve listed (Barber) as questionable and I would say that describes his current state,” Napier said. “You know, I think ultimately, the injury is one that doesn’t require surgery, it’s ultimately a pain tolerance deal. So, you know, he’s questionable, and I think ultimately, that’s the way we would describe his status right now.”

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Billy Napier talks QB Max Brown ahead of FSU matchup

Florida will turn to redshirt freshman Max Brown at quarterback on Saturday with Graham Mertz injured. Here’s what Billy Napier said about his QB.

After backing up Graham Mertz for most of the year, redshirt freshman [autotag]Max Brown[/autotag] is now preparing to make his first career start when Florida hosts the Florida State Seminoles on Saturday.

Mertz fractured his collarbone during the Gators’ loss to Missouri, exiting midway through the third quarter. Brown checked in and completed four of five passes for 56 yards. A dual threat, Brown also did damage with his legs, totaling 42 yards on seven carries.

With a week to practice with the first team, Brown should look even more comfortable running things, even if it’s against a tough defense. So far, Billy Napier likes the way his new starting quarterback is adjusting.

“I think he’s benefiting from playing with the first team,” Napier said Wednesday during his weekly press conference. “He gets an opportunity to work with that group, all the reps. He typically is working with the second unit, so there’s some advantages there, and I think overall he’s accumulated quite a bit of reps.”

Mertz has stepped into a coaching role, helping guide Brown through the practice week. Napier admitted that it’s been fun to watch the team rally around Brown, adding that the redshirt freshman has earned a new level of respect with his play on Saturday.

“Everyone knows where he started day one, and they know where he’s at now as a player, and I think ultimately they respect that,” he said. “So, it helps that he was productive when he got in the game last week. I think that helps him mentally. But you know, there’ll be some butterflies. You know that’s coming, but Max, he’s done a great job so far this week.”

Florida’s offense should look a bit different with Brown under center. He’s a mobile quarterback, so there should be a designed run or two. The team knows it needs to elevate its play to make up for any miscues their young quarterback commits. But will it be enough to beat an FSU team ranked No. 4 in the land?

We’ll find out what Brown’s made of Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.

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