FSU Football Retains Top 70 Status In ESPN SP+ Rankings Despite Duke Loss

The Seminoles will look to ruin Miami's season this weekend in South Florida.

Oct 5, 2024; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell looks on during the second half against the Clemson Tigers at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images / Melina Myers-Imagn Images

The Florida State Seminoles have surprisingly only moved down one spot in ESPN’s SP+ rankings despite the 1-6 record and the Friday night loss to the Duke Blue Devils in Durham last week. According to the news company, SP+ is a “tempo and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency … simply a measure of the most sustainable and predictable aspects of football.” FSU finds itself ranked #69 after Week 8, falling 11 spots from its Week 5 position. It is the highest-ranked 1-6 team, according to the model.

READ MORE: Florida State Releases Depth Chart For Rivalry Game Against Miami Hurricanes

Florida State is the only one-win team in the top 75 as 1-6 Mississippi State finds itself taking the 78th spot. Interestingly, the SP+ model from ESPN’s Bill Connelly has NIU (4-3 record) behind the ’Noles on the list. NIU defeated Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana, earlier this year.

Florida State did, in fact, add a loss to its record on Friday. However, the defense looked much stouter against (a not-so-great rushing attack) Duke. Turnovers and a lack of offensive execution put the defense on their heels and in poor situations. The offense did not score a touchdown against the Blue Devils, but a one-score game in the end proved that the FSU defense can give the team a shot to pull something out.

The Garnet and Gold will once again look to flip the script against the 7-0 Miami Hurricanes. Kickoff takes place on Saturday, Oct. 26, in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Miami is coming off a 52-45 victory over Louisville.

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READ MORE: Florida State Opens As Three-Touchdown Underdog Against Rival Miami

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