For 1st time in 2019, FSU’s SP+ defensive rank is better than its offense’s

Just when you thought the 2019 season couldn’t get any stranger for Florida State, the new SP+ rankings drop— and the Seminole defense is now outperforming the offense.

This is not exactly something many could see coming after week two, when the offense was a top-10 unit and the defense lagged behind by 100 spots. But then a couple of things happened: Jim Leavitt joined the ’Nole staff as a defensive analyst (and earned a promotion yesterday) and opposing defenses found more ways to exploit the poor FSU OL.

The Seminole offense is now 58th, nationally, while the defense is 57th. The Florida State special teams improved 10 spots to 98th, while FSU’s overall ranking dropped from No. 47 to No. 51.

Remember, these rankings, created by Bill Connelly, are defined as “a tempo- and opponent-adjusted measure of college football efficiency.” So if you’re wondering why the Seminoles didn’t drop farther after their loss to Miami, it has to do with the Hurricanes being ranked 28th.