Florida State Seminoles – Page 41

Pair of LSU games listed among 2023’s most anticipated rematches

LSU is looking for revenge in one of these games while they look to start a multi-year win streak in the other.

Everyone loves a good rematch in college football.

After a wild 2022 season that featured a number of instant classics, there will be a few of them in 2023 that everyone is waiting for. College Wire regional editor Patrick Conn broke down 10 of the most anticipated rematches in the upcoming season, and a pair of LSU games made the cut.

Conn listed LSU’s season-opener against Florida State at No. 8 as the Tigers look for revenge from last season’s game, which was lost on a missed extra-point at the end of the game — in Orlando for a contest that could feature two top-five teams to begin the year.

The LSU Tigers were a favorite heading into the season, but the Florida State Seminoles’ rise began with this season-opening matchup in New Orleans. Florida State needed a last-second blocked extra point to end the comeback attempt by LSU.

The Seminoles will return quarterback Jordan Travis returns for another season. His top target in this game last year, Ontaria Wilson, does not. However, FSU will have plenty of options including Johnny Wilson. Another win for Norvell in this game in 2023 would certainly help prove that last year wasn’t a fluke.

Brian Kelly and LSU want to start off the 2023 season on the right foot this time. They know who the quarterback will be heading into the year, the questions for this team are mostly on defense. Who replaces B.J. Ojulari and Ali Gaye on the outside? Harold Perkins Jr should only improve from last year’s freshman breakout performance.

It all begins in Orlando.

Also included in Conn’s list is the redux of the game that decided the SEC West this fall as Alabama will look to avenge last year’s loss when the Tigers come to Tuscaloosa this season. That game ranked No. 5.

The battle between the Alabama Crimson Tide and LSU Tigers in 2022 was highly entertaining. The two offenses went back and forth until a gamble by Brian Kelly allowed the Bayou Bengals to get the upper hand last year. LSU decided to go for two and the win, rather than an extra point and overtime.

LSU returns their starting quarterback Jayden Daniels, who was among the best newcomers in the SEC. He gave the team a boost at quarterback and Malik Nabers alongside Mason Taylor showed they could be weapons in the passing game. What do Mike Denbrock and the offense have in store for year two?

The positive for Alabama is that they have time to get their team rolling before this early November matchup. They need to address the quarterback situation as well as replace the departing Jahmyr Gibbs. The team has a stable full of backs ready to take center stage including Jam Miller and Jase McClellan. Don’t forget about the freshmen, Justice Haynes and Richard Young.

We’re still quite a way from toe meeting leather in 2023 as spring practice isn’t even yet underway. But it’s never too early to get excited for next season’s top games, and LSU has several that the whole country will be looking forward to.

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Where is Penn State ranked in ESPN’s 2023 SP+ rankings?

ESPN’s SP+ is an early projections rating for the upcoming 2023 season. Where does Penn State rank compared to the rest of the top teams?

With college football in the rearview mirror, it’s never too early to start looking ahead to the 2023 campaign.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly put out his early SP+ rankings for the upcoming season.

The SP+ is a predictive formula that weights the three primary factors of returning production, recent recruiting and recent history.

Here is a note Connelly added to keep in mind about the rankings.

A reminder on SP+: It’s a tempo- and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency. It is a predictive measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football, not a résumé ranking, and, along those same lines, these projections aren’t intended to be a guess at what the AP Top 25 will look like at the end of the year. These are simply early offseason power rankings based on the information we have been able to gather to date.

There are now 133 Division 1 football teams. The SP+ ranks all of them and can be viewed here.

Here are the teams that are ranked in the Top 25.

10 teams that could make moves in college expansion

These 10 teams could be the top candidates for more expansion/realignment in college athletics.

Who doesn’t love the idea of college expansion?

In 2023 and 2024, the collegiate game will look different. After the moves of the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns to the SEC, the USC Trojans and UCLA Bruins to the Big Ten in 2024.

The Big 12 countered with the additions of the BYU Cougars, Central Florida Knights, Cincinnati Bearcats, and Houston Cougars for the 2023 season. We are still waiting to see what moves the Pac-12 will make.

The conference was raided of both Los Angeles-area schools and at one point it seemed like the Oregon Ducks and Washington Huskies could be next. The SEC and Big Ten will be at 16 teams each by the time 2024 kicks off with ACC at 14, Big 12 at 12, and the Pac-12 at 10.

We look at 10 schools that could be on the move next if expansion and realignment continue.

LSU-Florida State listed as the best Week 1 game in 2023 by On3

The Tigers will look for revenge in what could very well be a matchup between top-five teams to begin the season.

It’s never too early to talk about the next season of college football, is it?

The second iteration of LSU vs. Florida State was chosen as the No. 1 game in Week 1 by On3. There are quite a few storylines for this one. LSU is coming off of an SEC West championship last season and a 10-win season. One of their only losses came to Florida State in the first game of the year.

LSU looked to be down and out of that game in the second half, and then [autotag]Jayden Daniels[/autotag] brought the Tigers all the way back and all LSU needed to tie the game and send it to overtime was a PAT. As we all know, the Tigers missed the extra point and lost the game.

After that, LSU went on a tear and only lost to Tennessee, Texas A&M and Georgia. Florida State used the win over LSU to propel itself to a 10-3 season. It lost three games in a row (Wake Forest, NC State, Clemson) but other than that, they had a phenomenal year.

FSU quarterback Jordan Travis is coming back for his senior season, and this game is gearing up to be an all-time great game in Orlando.

Less than 200 days away from the return of College Football🔥🔥🔥https://t.co/oJjP5lrov4 pic.twitter.com/3YFEGb3caU

— On3 (@On3sports) February 13, 2023

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Two Florida football rivalry games among the best in college sports

What makes college sports different than the professional level is a particular type of emotion that comes along with being an amateur fanatic. The connection between an individual and the school of their choice can be driven by a myriad of forces; whether they matriculated at the institution or are a bandwagon fan, the joy of victory and the sting of defeat still resonates the same.

One of the things that the University of Florida prides itself on is the strength of its fanbase, the Gator Nation, a collection of people from across the globe who share a love of the Orange and Blue. But that collective consciousness did not arise spontaneously from the ether, but rather, over decades of grinding out yearly schedules. Most important were the rivalry matches, which often came against other highly-regarded institutions that helped elevate the university’s image to a higher level.

College Sports Wire’s Patrick Conn published his list of the top college sports rivalries games and Florida had two of its annual matchups selected. First up is the in-state feud between the Gators and the Florida State Seminoles, which came in sixth on the list. Here is what Conn had to offer on one of the best rivalries games in college football — even during down seasons.

Why The Ranking?

The Florida Gators and the Florida State Seminoles might not play in the same conference, but these two teams face off every season. There isn’t a more bitter rivalry in the Sunshine State than this game, and I would argue it is the best rivalry for the Gators and Seminoles. Even the former Head Ball Coach would get into the act of this hatred between the two Florida teams.

“You know what FSU stands for, don’t you? Free Shoes University.” – [autotag]Steve Spurrier[/autotag], Former Florida head coach

This rivalry really blossomed during the 1990s with Steve Spurrier facing off with Bobby Bowden. Some of the best matchups featured the “Choke at the Doak” in which Florida held a 31-3 lead but ended in a 31-31 tie. The Seminoles won the rematch in the Sugar Bowl. In the 1996 season finale, the Noles would knock off the Gators in Gainesville, 24-21. In the rematch, Florida throttled their rivals 52-20 in the Sugar Bowl to secure the national championship.

Florida holds the overall edge, 37-27-2. The first matchup came in 1958 when the Gators won 21-7 in the Swamp.

Next up is the inevitable cross-border battle between Florida and Georgia — a rivalry so heated it has to be played on a neutral field in Jacksonville. Conn had some choice words about his selection for the eighth-best rivalry in college sports.

Why The Ranking?

We have another border war with the Florida Gators and Georgia Bulldogs’ annual dust-up in Jacksonville, Florida.

Once again, this rivalry spilled out to the coaching staff and the HBC Steve Spurrier has yet another epic quote.

“I sort of always like playing [Georgia] that second game because you could always count on them having two or three key players suspended.”

This series became very one-sided from 1990-2010 where the Gators won every matchup with the exception of three games. Since the Dawgs’ rise to prominence, these two schools have traded blows. Since 2015, the winner of this game has gone on to represent the East in the SEC title game.

Some of the memorable moments include ‘Fourth and Dumb’, ‘Herschel over the Top’, ‘The Gators upset No. 4 Bulldogs’, and ‘The Gator Stomp.’ The series dates back to 1915 when Georgia won 37-0 in Jacksonville. The Bulldogs own the all-time series edge 54-44-2.

Billy Napier and the Gators are slated to face Georgia in Jacksonville on Oct. 28 and the Seminoles in Gainesville on Nov. 25 next season. Kickoff times and broadcast information have not yet been announced.

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Sooners earn recruiting projection in favor of landing 2025 WR Gracen Harris

Oklahoma is picking up momentum with 2025 wide receiver Gracen Harris, earning a crystal ball from OUInsider and 247Sports’ Parker Thune.

The Oklahoma Sooners hired Emmett Jones’ to be the final piece of Brent Venables’ coaching staff. L’Damian Washington filled in admirably after Cale Gundy’s departure, but Jones’ connections to Dallas-Fort Worth made him a fantastic addition as the Sooners’ wide receivers coach.

Venables knew he needed a coach with a little more experience and notable recruiting roots to build Oklahoma in the image he laid out in his introductory press conferences. He sought out Jones, who has multiple years of collegiate coaching experience and is a widely known figure in the DFW area. He had a fantastic run during his time coaching high school ball at South Oak Cliff.

His efforts have already started to impact receivers in Texas. Oklahoma has received a projection in favor of landing 2025 receiver Gracen Harris.

Harris hails from Ennis, Texas, and was a Texas District 5-5A-II first-team selection at inside WR as a sophomore. This comes on the heels of being named Texas District 8-5A-II Offensive Newcomer of the Year as a freshman. He totaled 87 catches for 1,374 yards and 10 receiving touchdowns this season. He’s explosive and dynamic, and while he worked primarily out of the slot, he lined up outside, showcasing his versatility.

Gracen Harris’ Recruiting Profile

Projections

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FSU adds Patrick Surtain Sr. to coaching staff as DBs coach

PS2’s dad, Patrick Surtain Sr., will coach FSU’s defensive backs this fall.

Patrick Surtain Sr., father to Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II, has been hired as the new defensive backs coach for the Florida State Seminoles, the university announced Wednesday.

Surtain Sr. is no stranger to the Sunshine State, having played as a Miami Dolphin for seven seasons.

The Surtain name is legendary in defensive back circles. Surtain Sr, was an 11-year NFL veteran, and from 2012-2021, coached several future NFL players at American Heritage High School in Plantation, Florida. The elder Surtain coached six members of the 2021 NFL draft, among them his son, Surtain II, who was drafted by the Broncos ninth overall in 2021.

After seven years at the high school level, Surtain Sr. served as a defensive assistant with the Dolphins in 2022.

“I’m incredibly excited to have Patrick Surtain joining the Nole Family,” Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell said in a statement. “He brings a wealth of playing and coaching experience at the highest levels and has prioritized genuine relationships and developing players on and off the field.

“Patrick was an elite NFL player for more than a decade and then earned remarkable success as a high school coach in South Florida before continuing his development as an NFL coach. I’m happy for our student-athletes who will receive top-notch skills instruction while also learning life lessons from Coach Surtain.”

Florida State is coming off a 10-3 season in 2022, including a 35-32 win over the Oklahoma Sooners in the Cheez-It Bowl.

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Sooners offer 2025 DL prospect London Merritt

Oklahoma sends an offer to 2025 prospect out of Atlanta, London Merritt.

Oklahoma, like many other collegiate programs, has spent the last few weeks laying the recruiting foundation for their talents of tomorrow in the wake of the 2022 season. The 2024 class is coming up but recruiting isn’t about tunnel vision. It’s being able to balance the here and now with what’s also in the future.

Oklahoma’s been offering 2024 prospects and 2025 prospects over the last few weeks at the same rate. One of those 2025 prospects to receive an offer is athlete London Merritt. Merritt, a Georgia native, stands 6-foot-3 and looks like an eventual EDGE or outside linebacker in the college ranks.

Merritt lines up on both sides of the ball at tight end, defensive end, outside linebacker, and even shaded over interior offensive linemen at defensive tackle.

Merritt is starting to become a national recruit in a hurry as offers from Michigan, Florida, Florida State, Alabama, Kentucky, Nebraska, Pitt, and Missouri have already been received by him.

London Merritt’s Recruiting Profile

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Ex-Florida State wide receiver transfers to Penn State

Penn State stabilizes wide receiver outlook with former Florida State receiver transfer Malik McClain

For the second time in the past week, Penn State has added a wide receiver to the program from the transfer portal. Former Florida State wide receiver [autotag]Malik McClain[/autotag] has reportedly enrolled in classes at Penn State and committing to the Nittany Lions. McClain has yet to announce the commitment on his Twitter profile, but he has updated his profile image on the social media account.

McClain played in all 13 games for Florida State during the 2022 season and caught 17 passes for 206 yards and three touchdowns. He caught 16 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns in 2021.

McClain is a former four-star recruit of Florida State’s Class of 2021 from IMG Academy, a program Penn state is certainly no stranger to. At the time of his recruitment out of high school, McClain was the no. 38 receiver in the nation.

McClain’s transfer commitment is paired with the recent addition of [autotag]Dante Cephas[/autotag] from Kent State. Together, Cephas and McClain will help to fill the veteran void left by the departures of [autotag]Parker Washington[/autotag] and [autotag]Mitchell Tinsley[/autotag], who are both off to the NFL this spring. They should each help to take the pressure off the leading returning receiver, [autotag]Keandre Lambert-Smith[/autotag], who is coming off a terrific performance in the Rose Bowl.

McClain will also help to give the offense an experienced target, along with Cephas, as [autotag]Drew Allar[/autotag] steps in to lead the offense at quarterback in 2023. Allar is already having some Heisman hype surrounding him entering the new season. Having a receiver like McClain should help that cause.

This news also comes a day after Penn State added its second commitment in the Class of 2024 with the addition of four-star linebacker [autotag]Anthony Specca[/autotag]. So it’s been a pretty decent week for head coach James Franklin.

Of course, the transfer portal has a way of breaking even sometimes. Also on Wednesday, Penn State wide receiver [autotag]Jaden Dottin[/autotag] announced he was entering the transfer portal.

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Sooners offer 2024 DL Xavier Porter out of Tampa Catholic

Oklahoma heads back to Tampa to offer Lewis Carter’s teammate, 2024 DL Xavier Porter.

Oklahoma’s insistence on being more present as a recruiting force in the southeast is very real. They landed multiple prospects in their 2023 class from the Southeast region as prospects from North Carolina, Tennessee and Florida joined the Sooners. One of their signees, four-star linebacker Lewis Carter hails from Tampa, Florida where he played his high school ball for Tampa Catholic.

The Sooners saw Carter play multiple times and clearly have an idea of the roster itself. So it makes sense that they would revisit Tampa Catholic more specifically and pursue Carter’s teammate Xavier Porter.

Three-star defensive lineman Xavier Porter received an offer from Oklahoma on Tuesday. Porter, a track athlete as well, is starting to see his stock rise as offers from Michigan, Florida State, and Auburn have landed since the turn of the calendar year. Porter plays defensive end and defensive tackle and looks to be a scheme-versatile defensive line piece in college.

Xavier Porter’s Recruiting Profile

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