FSU Football Projected To Be One Of Top Teams In College Football Playoff By Analyst

The Seminoles are searching for their first berth in the College Football Playoff since the inaugural year of its introduction to the sport in 2014.

Apr 20, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles running back Roydell Williams (24) runs the ball during the Spring Showcase at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports / Melina Myers-USA TODAY Sports

Florida State's 2024 season means a lot more than just what'll be taking place between the lines after the Seminoles were unjustly held out of the College Football Playoff last year. Head coach Mike Norvell and his team have a chip on their shoulder that is fueling them to try to prove the doubters wrong again.

The good news for FSU is that if the program wins the ACC Championship for the second consecutive year, there will be no worrying about a spot in the 12-team field. The five highest-ranked conference champions will automatically earn a berth to the playoffs.

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On Monday, On3 analyst Andy Staples took a shot at fleshing out what the field could look like in the first iteration of the CFP which will include more than four teams. While Staples used his top-25 post-spring rankings to determine the projection, the Seminoles found themselves bumped up on the list.

Florida State slotted in at No. 7 on the post-spring rankings but jumped up to No. 3 on the playoff prediction. If such a projection were to occur, the Seminoles would have to conquer the ACC and finish undefeated leading up to bowl season.

The scenario would provide FSU with a BYE week leading up to a matchup with the winner of No. 6 Oregon/No. 11 Tennessee in the Peach Bowl. Despite being the ACC Championship, the Seminoles wouldn't automatically play in the Orange Bowl since it has been tabbed as a semifinal game this year.

"ACC champ Florida State could not play a quarterfinal in the Orange Bowl this season because the Orange Bowl is a semifinal game, so the Seminoles would get pushed to the Peach and Kansas State would be slotted in the Fiesta Bowl," Staples wrote.

The Seminoles haven't been selected to the College Football Playoff since the inaugural year of its introduction to the sport in 2014. However, the new system means nearly half of the teams in the top-25 will have a chance to compete for a national championship.

The schedule lines up favorably for FSU as the team hosts Clemson, Florida, North Carolina, Boston College, Memphis, Cal, and Charleston-Southern while traveling to Notre Dame, Miami, SMU, and Duke. The slate includes a season-opener in Ireland against Georgia Tech on August 24.

It won't be an easy task as the Seminoles are replacing their top passer (Jordan Travis), leading rusher (Trey Benson), and leading receiver (Keon Coleman) on offense along with their top tackler (Tatum Bethune), sack leader (Jared Verse), pass deflection leader (Renardo Green), and interception leader (Jarrian Jones) on defense.

That's why Norvell hit the portal to add potential instant-impact players such as DJ Uiagalelei, Malik Benson, Roydell Williams, Marvin Jones Jr., Earl Little Jr., and others. Preseason camp will be essentially in making sure chemistry is ripe on all fronts ahead of an international trip.

The other programs to be listed in Staple's projection were No. 1 Ohio State (Big Ten Champ), No. 2 Georgia (SEC Champ), No. 4 Kansas State (Big 12 Champ), No. 5 Alabama, No. 6 Oregon, No. 7 Texas, No. 8 Michigan, No. 9 Notre Dame, No. 10 Ole Miss, No. 11 Tennessee, and No. 12 Boise State (Mountain West Champ)

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