New bracketology projections: Is FSU basketball a 5-seed or a 6?

Florida State hoops is right on the bubble. No, not the bubble to make the NCAA Tournament— as our Matt Minnick discussed recently, the ’Noles are likely one win away from locking up their spot. Plus, the basketball squads from Gainesville and Orlando are already representing the Sunshine State on the cutline anyway.

No, as Selection Sunday speeds toward the Seminoles, they’ve taken up a tenuous position in tournament predictions across the country: right on the edge of being a 5-seed and a 6-seed. ESPN’s Joe Lunardi released his most recent forecast yesterday, and it includes FSU as a 6-seed in the South, opening play in Hartford against 11-seed UCF with a rematch against 3-seed Purdue possibly looming. Per Lunardi: “Florida State has now won seven straight and is cruising toward a No. 6 seed (if not better).” The ’Noles are in all 109 projections consulted by Bracket Matrix, which really demonstrates how close this has become: FSU averages out as the top 6-seed, three thousandths of a point ahead of Virginia Tech and four thousandths of a point behind Kansas State for a 5-seed.

For some, the Seminoles are already on that 5-line. CBS Sports has Florida State as a 5-seed, beginning play against 12-seed Belmont in the East’s Salt Lake City venue. And SB Nation has the ’Noles as the third 5-seed. FSU will have a chance to improve its seeding with a road win against Clemson this evening.