CFB Insider Projects Florida State as Top-10 Preseason Team

How high will the Seminoles climb in the top-25 preseason polls?

Florida State's 2023 season is slowly creeping up with 131 days to go before the September 3 kickoff against LSU in Camping World Stadium. With all the hype coming off the best season for the 'Noles in over half a decade, the Seminoles have been appearing on a lot of preseason top-25 lists. 

They return nearly 90 percent of their production from last year led by Heisman-hopeful quarterback Jordan Travis who was the highest-graded player overall last year per PFF.

READ MORE: Legacy Wide Receiver Commits to Florida State over Alabama, Georgia, and LSU

College Football Insider Phil Steele released his way too early top 10 preseason rankings for 2023 and the Seminoles continue to make the cut.

FSU landed at the No. 7 spot on Steele's list just behind LSU who checked in at No. 6. Neither the Seminoles nor the Tigers made the AP preseason top 25 heading into last season. In fact, the 'Noles haven't been in the preseason top 25 since former head coach Willie Taggart took over the program in 2018. 

The program was ranked No. 19 to begin Taggart's tenure before quickly losing the ranking after a blowout loss to Virginia Tech. That team would have its first losing season since 1976 and ended with a 5-7 record. They haven't made an AP Preseason top 10 spot since 2017 (3) a year that saw former head coach Jimbo Fisher bah humbug it to Texas A&M, departing a team that finished 7-6.

After finishing the 2022 season at No. 11 and all the preseason hype surrounding Florida State, it is no surprise that they are cracking top 10 lists across the country.

Can they repeat last year's success or take it a step further to a CFP berth? Only time will tell.

READ MORE: Five Players Who Stood Out During Florida State's Spring Showcase

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Tommy Mire
TOMMY MIRE

Tommy Mire joined NoleGameday in 2023 as a writer and editor. He initially worked as lead voice at SBNation's Tomahawk Nation and contributes to football, NFL and recruiting coverage. Connect with Tommy on Twitter at @TommyM3III