Noles News: ESPN says FSU’s games vs. Clemson, LSU will help shape College Football Playoff

Recruiting

Florida State Seminoles football 2024 commitments

QUARTERBACK: 4 star Luke Kromenhoek (GA)

RUNNING BACK: 4 star Kam Davis (GA)

RUNNING BACK: 4 star Micahi Danzy (FL)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Camdon Frier (FL)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Lawayne McCoy (FL)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star BJ Gibson (GA)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Elijah Moore (MD)

TIGHT END: 5 star Landen Thomas (GA)

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 4 star Jonathan Daniels (FL)

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 3 star Tye Hylton (FL)

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 4 star Manasse Itete (CA)

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 3 star Jayden Todd (GA)

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: 4 star DD Holmes (DC)

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: 3 star Jamorie Flagg (FL)

LINEBACKER: 3 star Jayden Parrish (FL)

LINEBACKER: 3 star Timir Hickman-Collins (SC)

DEFENSIVE BACK: 5 star KJ Bolden (GA)

DEFENSIVE BACK: 5 star Charles Lester III (FL)

DEFENSIVE BACK: 4 star Ricky Knight III (FL)

DEFENSIVE BACK: 3 star CJ Heard (GA)

KICKER: 3 star Jake Weinberg (FL)

Football

Is Florida State ready for the heavy expectations placed upon them heading into 2023? Brian Pellerin sat down with Mike Golic Jr. to talk about the hype around the Seminoles, ranging from who he’s most excited about to see on the field for FSU, Jordan Travis’ Heisman hopes and Mike Norvell’s trajectory since arriving in Tallahassee:

The penultimate entry in our 2023 schedule preview series is here, with Ben Meyerson taking a look at the Seminoles’ game vs. the North Alabama Lions.

And the final entry in our Mount Rushmore offseason series is here, with the Sebastian Janikowski, Graham Gano, Roberto Aguayo and Dustin Hopkins taking part in an all-kicker sweep of specialists.

The rest of the results from the full series:

Quarterbacks: Charlie Ward, Chris Weinke, Jameis Winston, Jordan Travis

Running Backs: Warrick Dunn, Dalvin Cook, Greg Allen, Amp Lee

Wide Receivers: Peter Warrick, Fred Biletnikoff, Rashad Greene, Ron Sellers

Tight Ends: Nick O’Leary, Pat Carter, Lonnie Johnson, Melvin Pearsall

Offensive Tackles: Walter Jones, Alex Barron, Pat Tomberlin, Cam Erving

Interior Offensive Linemen: Rodney Hudson, Jamie Dukes, Bryan Stork, Clay Shiver

Defensive Ends: Peter Boulware, Andre Wadsworth, Reinard Wilson, Derrick Alexander

Defensive Tackles: Ron Simmons, Darnell Dockett, Corey Simon, Timmy Jernigan

Linebackers: Derrick Brooks, Marvin Jones, Sam Cowart, Paul McGowan

Cornerbacks: Terrell Buckley, Deion Sanders, Corey Sawyer, Bobby Butler

Safeties: Leroy Butler, Jalen Ramsey, Lamarcus Joyner, Derwin James

Dmitri Emmanuel and Maurice Smith appeared on the Andy Staples on On3 show on Wednesday, touching on plenty of topics but taking time to talk the art of talking trash:

“It gets bad on the inside. It’s crazy. People talk crazy… You can get away with a lot more stuff. Sometimes, the play is going the other way and you say something real quick. Get a little shot.”

“I’ll talk to you if you want to talk. We can talk all day but I’m trying to operate out there. I’m trying to talk to my center and my tackle to make sure we’re on the same page.”

“Last year, we played a team, and there was a guy. I watched one of his interviews. He just seemed real immature. Real childish. So, I knew that game — I’m trying to come in and get you out of your game. It actually worked.”

“Me personally, that’s not me,” Smith said. “I don’t trash talk. I don’t say nothing. They say something to me, I be quiet. I just let my game do the talking.”

Even with the destruction of the Pac-12 (aka: Pac-4) looming, the College Football Playoff committee made no changes to the upcoming 12-team playoff format set to begin in 2024.

From ESPN:

If the Pac-12 dissolves in 2024, as many expect it to, the CFP could change how it chooses the teams in the expanded 12-team format, which also begins in 2024. The current model includes the six highest-ranked conference champions plus the next six highest-ranked teams, which allows for five Power 5 conference champions, plus one Group of 5 champ. If the Pac-12 doesn’t exist, though, the CFP is considering changing the criteria to the five highest-ranked conference champions, plus the next seven highest-ranked teams. The group also discussed the option of 12 at-large teams.

No major decisions were made Wednesday, though, because the group is still waiting to see what happens to the four remaining Pac-12 teams — Cal, Stanford, Washington State and Oregon State. The ACC is expected to decide soon on potentially adding Cal, Stanford and SMU.

ACC commissioner Jim Phillips was expected to join them in person but told ESPN he didn’t because of travel issues in Charlotte, North Carolina, caused by Hurricane Idalia. He participated in the five-hour meeting by videoconference and didn’t provide the room any update on possible conference expansion, according to CFP executive director Bill Hancock.

The CFP’s management committee will meet again in September at the Big Ten’s headquarters in Rosemont, Illinois, and is hoping to have more answers in place about realignment by then.

ESPN also took a look at 10 games that will determine the 2023 College Football Playoff, with Florida State earning two spots on the list:

• No. 6: FSU vs. LSU

Why it will matter to the committee: It won’t — unless both teams are ready for the national stage. They faced each other last September in a thrilling one-point win for FSU, but the Seminoles were unable to parlay it into CFP contention. Instead, Florida State dropped three straight to Wake Forest, NC State and Clemson, never getting an opportunity to benefit from a win over the SEC West champs in the committee meeting room. For this game to resonate through Selection Day, both teams have to be in contention to win their conference. The ACC is scrapping divisions this year, so it’s possible FSU and Clemson meet twice — once during the regular season, and again in the ACC championship.

If FSU beats Clemson during the regular season but loses in the ACC title game — and again has a win over the SEC West champs — that bolsters the chances of both Clemson and FSU finishing in the the top four. If LSU wins — and Florida State goes on to win the ACC — the Tigers could wind up losing to Alabama and not winning their division, but still claim a win over the ACC champs. That could make for a very difficult decision for the committee because of the head-to-head result. Would the committee take the SEC champ, LSU and Florida State? It’s certainly a strong possibility but impossible to answer without knowing how the other Power 5 conference races unfold.

• No. 10: FSU vs. Clemson

Why it will matter to the committee: Because it could see this matchup again in the ACC championship game (after the conference scrapped divisions), and it’s possible FSU and Clemson will be top-four teams. The magnitude of this game depends in part on how Florida State fares in its season opener against LSU. If FSU loses to LSU, it’s going to be in must-win mode at Death Valley, because a two-loss ACC champion will be a tough sell in the committee meeting room (assuming in this scenario that Florida State goes on to beat Clemson in the ACC title game).

If FSU wins this game — and every other one — but loses a close game to Clemson in the ACC title game, it’s possible both teams are considered for the top four. The same can be said if Clemson beats FSU during the regular season but loses to the Noles in the conference title game. Bottom line: The loser of this game will need to win the ACC title.

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