Tag: Florida State Seminoles

247Sports predicts LSU’s season-opener against Florida State

Both Brad Crawford and Chris Hummer of 247Sports like LSU’s chances.

The Tigers are slim favorites as they’re set to begin the Brian Kelly era, but as far as season-openers go, this one could be a bit tricky. LSU faces a Florida State team coming off a 5-7 finish, but it has some pieces that could prove interesting, especially in the ground game.

Luckily for the Tigers, this one should functionally serve as a home game as they will be playing at the Superdome in New Orleans on Sunday night in front of what should be a friendly crowd. Still, that doesn’t mean Kelly will easily win his debut.

In their predictions for the top games of Week 1, 247Sports’ Chris Hummer and Brad Crawford each picked LSU to cover a 2.5-point spread and win by seven.

Hummer (Pick: LSU -3.5): Love LSU here, though a little less so after seeing FSU’s season opener. I think the Tigers have one of the best defensive lines in college football, and I don’t really know how FSU’s O-line will hold up. The Tigers also have enough offensive pieces that no matter who is playing QB — likely Jayden Daniels — they’ll be able to put up points. And I’m not sure if the Seminoles have the front seven to take advantage of a somewhat questionable LSU offensive line. Give me LSU. … LSU 31, Florida State 24.

Crawford (Pick: LSU -3.5): I saw a stat this week that indicated college football teams playing their second game of the season facing a team playing their first game have lost 55% of the time against the spread the following week the past few years. So, that should stiff-arm any notion that FSU has an advantage here. I like LSU by a touchdown despite some personnel issues in the backfield and up front on the offensive line. … LSU 27, Florida State 20.

Both mention LSU’s offensive line, which seems like its biggest question mark right now and one of the bigger weaknesses on the roster overall. However, after losing Jermaine Johnson II, it’s fair to question if the Seminoles have the talent to take advantage.

It should be an interesting game, but both Hummer and Crawford like LSU’s chances.

[mm-video type=video id=01gaw89ez85ttrbvk1kw playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gaw89ez85ttrbvk1kw/01gaw89ez85ttrbvk1kw-500d368cb1d4f4c58fc45e3836d0e58b.jpg]

[listicle id=56979]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

Florida State Seminoles Preview 2022: Season Prediction, Breakdown, Key Games, Players

Florida State College Football Preview 2022: Team breakdown, season prediction, keys to the campaign, and what you need to know

Florida State Seminoles Preview 2022: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Florida State season with what you need to know and keys to the season.

– Contact/Follow @ColFootballNews & @PeteFiutak

[mm-video type=playlist id=01f1343a1wt7q817p7 player_id=none image=https://collegefootballnews.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Florida State Seminoles Preview
Head Coach: Mike Norvell, 3rd year at Florida State, 8-13
7th overall, 46-28, 2021 Preview
2021 Record: Overall: 5-7 Conference: 4-4
Keys To The Season | Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Florida State Top 10 Players | FSU Schedule & Analysis

Florida State Seminoles Preview 2022

Yes, kids. Florida State really used to be amazing at college football.

How weird have the last few years been? The last run of four losing seasons in a row was from 1973 to 1976. From 1977 to 2017, how many losing seasons did Florida State suffer through?

Zero.

There was a time when it took something otherworldly to slip a win past this program, and now it’s losing to Jacksonville State. Florida State – one of the annual superpowers of superpowers – has been lapped in the ACC by Wake freaking Forest.

But there were signs last year of things potentially being on the verge of starting to turn.

The Seminoles ran all over Notre Dame in a fantastic opening week loss. They pushed Clemson only to lose – and epically not cover – against Clemson, and they rallied late in the year when it all could’ve gone off the rails only to just miss out on a bowl game in a loss at Florida.

There’s experience returning, the talent level is getting better, and head coach Mike Norvell and the coaching staff have had a few years to settle in. If this is going to be anything close to the return-for-glory season Seminole fans have been waiting for, it starts with …

Florida State Seminoles Preview 2022: Offense

The running game should be dominant. Novell made his name at Memphis with an offense that ripped off yards in chunks as the lightning fast running backs took off through wide open spaces. That happened over the first half of last year with 199 rushing yards or more in six of the first seven games, and then it all came to a screeching halt.

FSU failed to come up with more than 160 rushing yards in any of its last five games, and the passing attack wasn’t there to make up for it. As good as the running game was, it still finished sixth in the ACC with an offense that finished 80th in college football. But again …

The running game. The parts are there. Leading rusher Jashaun Corbin is gone, but Treshaun Ward averaged well over six yards per carry, and ready to take over is star transfer Trey Benson from Oregon.

The offensive line – the Achilles heel of the program over this slide into mediocrity – wasn’t able to keep anyone out of the backfield, but along with star transfer Bless Harris from Lamar for one tackle spot, it’s loaded with veterans who worked the last few years in the system. There’s no excuse to not be a whole lot better and far more consistent.

The passing attack has to be more explosive. QB Jordan Travis grew into the job as a passer – he was okay – and he’s a good runner, but the offense was hit or miss on the big downfield plays.

The experience is there at receiver, but the production and talent have to come through. Ja’Khi Douglas averaged over 18 yards per catch on his 14 grabs, and Ontario Wilson is back after leading the team with just 382 yards and five scores.

Adding Mycah Pittman from Oregon and Johnny Wilson from Arizona State will help. Camren McDonald is a decent tight end who needs to be used more.

Florida State Seminoles Preview 2022: Defense

The offense needs the most help, but the defense has to be a whole lot better considering the talent level and experience returning. The Seminoles were a pedestrian sixth in the ACC in overall defense. It was terrific at getting into the backfield, but it got bombed on too easily and didn’t do enough against the run.

Again, though, the veterans are there, and help from the transfer portal and recurring class are on the way.

The defensive front has to replace the pass rushing production of New York Jet Jermaine Johnson and Keir Thomas on the ends, but overall this should be a plus.

It’s asking a ton for Albany transfer Jared Verse to match Johnson’s production, but he’s a pass rushing terror who should rise up on one side. There will be a decent rotation of young parts on the other.

The ends might be a wee bit of a question, but the tackles are set. Fabien Lovett, Robert Cooper, and Jarrett Jackson are big body veterans who did a good enough job for a run defense that only allowed 3.6 yards per carry.

Verse was the big transfer, but Tatum Bethune from UCF – if 69-tackle DJ Lundy doesn’t hold on to the gig – might end up being the leading tackler from his new spot in the middle. Kalen DeLoach is a hybrid outside linebacker who tied with Lundy for third on the team in tackles and can get into the backfield.

The secondary was only okay considering all the help it received from the pass rush. All-around star and leading tackler Jammie Robinson is back at one safety spot – he was all over the field seemingly making things happen on every play – and he’s not alone.

Akeem Dent was a massive recruit for the Seminoles, and he’s been good so far at free safety – he’s overdue to come up with a special season. Omarion Cooper is a rising factor at corner, but again, the FSU secondary – particularly on the outside – has to be more consistent to go along with all of the interceptions.

Keys To The Season | Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Florida State Top 10 Players | FSU Schedule & Analysis

Florida State Seminoles: Keys To The Season, Top Game, Top Transfer, Fun Stats NEXT

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3

LSU-Florida State listed by USA TODAY Sports as a can’t-miss Week 1 matchup

The Tigers begin the year with one of the best matchups of the opening weekend.

The wait is finally over! It’s game week for new head coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and the LSU Tigers as they take on Mike Norvell, entering his third year at Florida State, on Sunday evening in New Orleans.

According to USA TODAY Sports, this game is one of the can’t-miss Week 1 matchups. Florida State has already released its depth chart for this game as it played in Week 0, defeating the Duquesne Dukes 47-7 in Tallahassee. The Seminoles managed to do most of their damage on the ground where they had three different running backs run for over 100 yards. Jordan Travis started at quarterback going 11-for-15 with 207 yards.

Technically, the Seminoles opened last week with a defeat of Duquesne but the third season for coach Mike Norvell really starts with this showdown against the Tigers. Norvell has won combined eight games in his previous two campaigns, so pressure is on top produce with a lineup returning several contributors that helped the team win five of its last seven games. On the other sideline will be Brian Kelly, who left Notre Dame after 12 seasons for a rebuilding job with LSU. The Tigers, too, have been off the pace the past two seasons, so the first order of business is for Kelly to win this opener less than 100 miles from campus. It’s a great opportunity for one of the programs to establish credibility and build momentum with a win against a big-name opponent.

Kelly has opted to not release his depth chart for the Tiger’s first game of the season as he wants to enter the game with the element of surprise. Kelly knows who the quarterback will be. he knows who will be starting at every position.

He’s going to leave all of that up for the imagination of the Seminoles coaching staff. LSU starts the season against FSU on Sunday night at 6:30 p.m. CT.

[mm-video type=video id=01gaw89ez85ttrbvk1kw playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gaw89ez85ttrbvk1kw/01gaw89ez85ttrbvk1kw-500d368cb1d4f4c58fc45e3836d0e58b.jpg]

[listicle id=56979]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

FSU linebacker says team is ready for bout with LSU in New Orleans

The transfer from Albany made four tackles and a sack in his FSU debut on Saturday.

Rest vs. rust. That’s the age-old debate.

We’ll see which one wins out on Sunday night when LSU kicks off its season against FSU in New Orleans. The Seminoles, however, already sit at 1-0 after a 47-7 win over Duquesne in Tallahassee in Week 0. That victory marked their first season-opening win since 2016.

There are pros and cons associated with that. On the one hand, a number of Florida State players are already banged up, including both its top centers. On the other hand, the team has already gone through game-week preparations and had the opportunity to learn from a real game.

Coach Mike Norvell said as much after the game, as did linebacker Jared Verse.

“It helps us a lot,” Verse said. “I feel like it gives us a chance to figure out our strengths and our weaknesses. Me personally, I realized I made a couple of mistakes that I can’t make next week. That’s not gonna be enough for the win. I feel like my teammates will have the same thing to say. We all made a couple of mistakes but going into this week, can’t make those again.”

Verse is a transfer from Albany, where he was an FCS Freshman All-American last fall. In his debut at FSU, he had four tackles and a sack.

He’s one of the more talented players LSU’s new-look offense will have to contend with when the [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] era begins in earnest on Sunday.

[mm-video type=video id=01gaw89ez85ttrbvk1kw playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gaw89ez85ttrbvk1kw/01gaw89ez85ttrbvk1kw-500d368cb1d4f4c58fc45e3836d0e58b.jpg]

[listicle id=57011]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

LSU vs. Florida State: Prediction, point spread, odds, best bet

Here’s how you should bet LSU’s season opener.

The LSU Tigers play the Florida State Seminoles on Sunday, and if you’re looking to do some last-minute betting research, you’re in luck! We’ll give you the latest point spread, money line odds and over/under number, as well as the information you’ll need to make the smartest bet at Tipico Sportsbook.

The game starts at 6:30 p.m. CT and can be seen on ABC.

All eyes will be on the beginning of the [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] era as it’s in prime time and is the only FBS game of the day. The Tigers open with a Power Five opponent in FSU, which is searching for its first bowl appearance under third-year coach Mike Norvell after last season’s 5-7 finish.

The Seminoles won their opener in Week 0 against the Duquesne Dukes in blowout fashion, with three rushers exceeding 100 yards. This will be their first real test, though, as they face what should be an LSU-heavy crowd in New Orleans.

Here’s how the betting odds break down, per Tipico.

Florida State coach Mike Norvell says season-opening win over Duquesne helped prepare for Tigers

Norvell’s team faces its first true test of the season against LSU to kick off the Brian Kelly era.

Florida State coach Mike Norvell enters a pivotal third season in 2022. He’s still searching for his first bowl appearance, but he got one-sixth of the way there on Saturday with a convincing 47-7 win over Duquesne in which his team rushed for more than 400 yards.

However, Norvell’s Seminoles face a tricky early season test next week when they travel to New Orleans to face LSU and what should be a hostile Superdome crowd. Though that doesn’t really compare to opening at home against an FCS opponent, Norvell said the Week 0 outing helped prepare his team for its first real test in the Tigers.

“Anytime you get experience, I think it helps,” he said, per On3. “This was the first time that our team, this team, got a chance to take the field together. You’re always going to have new faces. There’s a lot of true freshmen that played, transfers, returning players that came out and plays better than they played, and that’s a good thing to see.

“So we’ll take the experience that we had tonight, and we’ve got to build upon it. We get an extra day leading up to Sunday night kick versus LSU, so we need every one of those moments from film watching to on-the-field practice to prepare and improve so that we are our best come next Sunday night because that’s still always going to be the standard. It’s not about who we’re playing. It’s about us. It’s about that constant growth.”

FSU did show some signs of progress after last season’s 5-7 finish, but the Dukes are a much less talented team than the Tigers. With the [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] era set to begin on Sunday night, his debut could also help determine the outcome of Norvell’s tenure in Tallahassee.

[mm-video type=video id=01gaw89ez85ttrbvk1kw playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gaw89ez85ttrbvk1kw/01gaw89ez85ttrbvk1kw-500d368cb1d4f4c58fc45e3836d0e58b.jpg]

[listicle id=56576]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

What we learned about Florida State, LSU’s Week 1 foe, in win over Duquesne

The Seminoles began with a 47-7 Week 0 tuneup win against the Dukes before heading to New Orleans next weekend.

Unlike most teams in their season opener, LSU will have the ability to scout some 2022 film of the year’s first opponent.

Florida State and third-year coach Mike Norvell began the season with a Week 0 matchup against FCS opponent Duquesne on Saturday. After a lengthy weather delay, the Seminoles easily waltzed to a 47-7 win, the first time they’ve started 1-0 since 2016.

However, if Norvell wants to get to 2-0, he’ll face a much stiffer challenge in Week 1 when he takes his FSU team into what will likely be a very LSU-friendly crowd at the Superdome next Sunday.

Despite the quality of the opponent, the Seminoles did show some things that could prove challenging for the Tigers — namely, their ground game.

FSU ran all over the Dukes, accounting for 406 yards and six touchdowns on 54 carries. Three Seminoles backs eclipsed the 100-yard mark. This isn’t exactly surprising, as Florida State was fairly effective on the ground last fall, as well. It returns Jordan Travis, a dual-threat quarterback who has flashed some positives as a passer but has made the bulk of his contributions in the run game.

Interestingly, Travis’ legs were a non-factor on Saturday. He only attempted to run four times for 11 yards, though he did score a touchdown on the ground. Norvell is likely preserving his veteran quarterback, and the Tigers can probably expect a much more run-centric game from Travis next weekend.

Through the air, he was adequate. He completed 11 of 15 passes for 207 yards, and though he didn’t throw a passing touchdown, he also avoided turnovers and allowed the running game to stretch the lead.

Defensively, it’s hard to find fault with what the Seminoles did. They allowed just 164 yards of offense despite losing one of the best defensive players in the country from a year ago in Jermaine Johnson II, a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL draft. Still, LSU and one of the best offensive weapons in the nation in [autotag]Kayshon Boutte[/autotag] pose a different challenge entirely.

It was certainly a cathartic way for FSU to start the season, but if coach [autotag]Brian Kelly[/autotag] and the Tigers can keep the running game in check, they have to like their chances to open the year with a Power Five non-conference win.

[mm-video type=video id=01gaw89ez85ttrbvk1kw playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gaw89ez85ttrbvk1kw/01gaw89ez85ttrbvk1kw-500d368cb1d4f4c58fc45e3836d0e58b.jpg]

[listicle id=56893]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Tyler to continue the conversation on Twitter: @TylerNettuno

LSU vs Florida State: TV commentators announced for Tigers’ opener

LSU’s opener will be called by one of ESPN’s top voices.

LSU and Florida State kicking off in New Orleans is exactly one month away, and those who are planning to watch on television now know who will be calling the game.

ESPN announced that Joe Tessitore and Greg McElroy will be in the booth while Katie George handles the sideline reporting. Tessitore is one of ESPN’s primetime announcers and with LSU in the Sunday slot, it’s no surprise to see a big-time crew get the assignment.

It hasn’t been that long since LSU last played in the opening Sunday game. In 2018, the Tigers beat Miami 33-17 in Joe Burrow’s first game with the program.

 

The game is slated for 6:30 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ABC. It’s LSU’s opener, but Florida State will begin its season the week prior with a matchup against Duquesne.

[mm-video type=video id=01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06 playlist_id=01eqbz5s7cf4w69e0n player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06/01g9k1zff4bq9pc57j06-be23944232a282f50b095d1d49716cbe.jpg]

[listicle id=55589]

Contact/Follow us @LSUTigersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Louisiana State news, notes, and opinions.

Norvell says lessons Seminoles learned from 2021 ‘builds a lot of excitement for what’s ahead’

CHARLOTTE – Opening up the ACC Kickoff on Wednesday, Florida State coach Mike Norvell brought in quarterback Jordan Travis, defensive tackle Fabian Lovett and defensive back Jammie Robinson. Coming off a 5-7 record in 2021, Norvell cited last year …

CHARLOTTE — Opening up the ACC Kickoff on Wednesday, Florida State coach Mike Norvell brought in quarterback Jordan Travis, defensive tackle Fabian Lovett and defensive back Jammie Robinson.

Coming off a 5-7 record in 2021, Norvell cited last year as “a year of great opportunities for us, and it didn’t start the way that we wanted. But as a football team, being able to show a response, show an identity — there were a lot of lessons that were learned, and it builds a lot of excitement for what’s ahead.”

Specific lessons from the previous season were building a foundation in which relationships through experiences were built in addition to a large returner percentage that has made for, in the words of Norvell, “an incredible offseason” full of both physical and mental development. 

Following the discussion of the offseason, Norvell disclosed his expectations for a successful season.

“The daily expectation with the season is for us to go out there and be our best to improve daily,” he said, “and to go out there and not only be competitive but to push to new limits of what we are and where we are going.”

Diving into position-specific questions, when asked about how a quarterback dictates the field, Norvell responded, “As you watch quarterback growth, it is the driver of any offense.”

That perfectly segwayed into the introduction of returning quarterback Jordan Travis.

When asked about his goals for this upcoming season, Travis answered, “We have some new weapons. I’ve been just working really hard on technique. All the little parts of the game.”

With a quarterback-heavy conference, Travis disclosed that he does not compare himself but instead watches in order to learn. One of the biggest influences for Travis was former FSU quarterback McKenzie Milton, who taught him a lot through leadership. In the upcoming season, Travis will look to bring all the little things together to grow.

Switching over from offense to defense, Florida State lost a key player, sack leader Jermaine Johnson, who contributed immensely to the Seminoles’ defense. Lovett quickly communicated that Johnson was one of the players who helped lead Lovett to his breakout, showing him how to be the guy who makes plays also. Lovett continued on to say, “As far as our (defensive) ends we have (Derrick) McLendon, (Jared) Verse, Dennis Briggs, Leonard (Warner) and some young guys that will play a big role for us this year.”

Improvement was the name of the game in the Florida State press conference from all aspects of reconstructing defense to upping offensive statistics. The Seminoles are looking to capitalize on their offseason to translate to in-season triumphs.

It’s an essential year for the Seminoles to perform well based on the fact that, in previous years, the Seminoles have fallen short of ACC ranking expectations. Take 2017 for example, when the Seminoles were chosen to win the conference yet finished sixth in the Atlantic Division followed by 2018, when they were predicted to finish second in the division only to fall into sixth place for a second time.

Who are the top 25 highest-rated players in Madden NFL 23?

Here’s a look at the full top 25 rated Madden 23 players. You can probably guess who, but there’s one Iowa Hawkeye that made the cut.

Ultimately, it’s bragging rights more than anything else. Still, there’s something about being named as one of the Madden NFL 23’s 99 club members.

If you’re unfamiliar with how Madden NFL 23 works, a 99 overall rating is the highest any player in the game can get. Naturally, it’s a big deal when players are rewarded with that distinction. Four players earned that honor in Madden NFL 23 as you’ll see below.

What about the top 25 players? Who are they, what college did they play for and what’s their rating in Madden NFL 23?

As you’ll see, the top 25 highest-rated players in Madden NFL 23 span 23 different colleges, comprise all of the Power 5 conferences and even add a little FCS and Division II flair as well.

Fans can probably guess which player it is, but there is one former Iowa Hawkeye that made the top 25 highest-rated players in Madden NFL 23. Let’s take a look at the full list below.