Florida State and Florida Gators will not play on Saturday in 2022
Florida State and the Florida Gators have been rivals dating back all the way to their first matchup in 1958. Every game had been played continuously on schedule annually until the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the 2020 game was canceled. It would have been a home game for the 'Noles.
On Monday afternoon, before the ACC Network was planned to announce the 2022 football schedules, Jim Henry from the Tallahassee Democrat reported that Florida State and the Florida Gators will face off on the Friday on Thanksgiving week. A Black Friday matchup inside Doak Campbell Stadium.
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The in-state rivalry game had been scheduled for Saturday, November 26th. The date change has optimism that the matchup will get more exposure being a primetime matchup on national television with ESPN College Football Friday Primetime.
Last year's game brought in a total of 1.69 million viewers. With the day change moving to a Friday, it is expected to bring in more viewers as it is not having to compete with other rivalry matchups happening all throughout the day.
The ACC will be releasing its 2022 football schedule on Monday night at 7 PM EST which will be a 2-hour special on the ACC Network. A handful of coaches across the conference are expected to join on-air.
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First-year Gators' head coach Billy Napier will be in his first season heading to Tallahassee to take on Mike Norvell and his Seminoles in Doak Campbell Stadium.