Where is FSU ranked in way-too-early Top 25 lists?

After finishing off the year on a six-game win streak and both returning and stacking up talent, expectations are high for Florida State Seminoles football in 2023.

FSU, who finished the year 10-3 (5-3 ACC) and a No. 11 ranking, bounced back from a three-game losing streak to reel off wins over both in-state rivals and a historical thorn in Florida State’s side in the form of the Oklahoma Sooners in the Cheez-It Bowl.

While that October skid hampered any hopes of the Seminoles’ competing for any sort of title in 2022, the hope is that by bringing back major names like quarterback Jordan Travis and defensive end Jared Verse (alongside many others) and infusing talent from the transfer portal like defensive back Fentrell Cypress, tight end Jaheim Bell, defensive lineman Braden Fiske and offensive tackle Jeremiah Byers (also alongside many others), Florida State will be back in the national conversation in the final year of the College Football Playoff.

According to DraftKings, FSU has the seventh-best odds to win the 2023 National Championship (+2000).

Georgia sits first (+275), followed by Alabama (+500), Ohio State (+800), Michigan (+1000), USC and Clemson (both +1400). Tennessee also has +2000 odds, while for reference, Florida is +8000 and Miami sits at +15000.

Below, we’ve compiled a summary of where Florida State is ranked in a variety of way-too-early Top 25 lists alongside a quick excerpt of where some sites view the Seminoles.

Florida State Football 2023 Way-Too-Early Top 25 Rankings

No. 4

ESPN

It has taken longer than Florida State hoped, but the Seminoles have finally turned the corner and might be a legitimate ACC title and CFP contender in 2023. In coach Mike Norvell’s third season, the Seminoles won 10 games for the first time since 2016 and won their last six contests. Quarterback Jordan Travis might be a Heisman Trophy candidate next season and most of his top running backs and receivers are expected to return. Ole Miss’ Lane Kiffin can talk about being the transfer portal king, but Norvell has used it as well as anyone. Top tight end transfers Bell (South Carolina) and Morlock (Shorter) are nice additions. Two starters will have to be replaced on the offensive line; Byers, an All-Conference USA selection at UTEP, and Roddick, a team captain at Colorado, might be able to step right in. Jackson (Miami) and Fiske (Western Michigan) will add good depth to the defensive line, which welcomes back Fabien Lovett and Jared Verse, a potential top-10 pick, who returned for one more season. Cypress was one of the better cornerbacks in the portal.

USA Today

Are the Seminoles ready to dethrone Clemson in the ACC after winning 10 games for the first time since 2016? Quarterback Jordan Travis is back and set to make a Heisman push. He’s just one of several contributors who decided to come back to Tallahassee in 2023, including a likely preseason All-America pick in defensive end Jared Verse. The biggest challenge for Mike Norvell may be managing his team’s expectations given its not been in this position recently. FSU will kick things off with a neutral-site game against LSU on Sept. 3.

PFF

Florida State is coming off its first 10-win season in six years, and expectations should be even higher for 2023.

Florida State’s roster is loaded with talent. Hop on the hype train while you still can.

Action Network

No. 6

247Sports

Not only has Florida State cleaned up in the portal for the 2023 recruiting cycle, but the Seminoles were one of the nation’s hottest teams exiting the season and got great news with quarterback Jordan Travis along with top defender Jared Verse announced their respective returns. That gives Florida State a pair of All-American candidates on both sides of the football, not to mention impressive talent elsewhere in the skill spots. The Seminoles will be one of the nation’s most hyped teams in 2023.

Athlon Sports

After winning double-digit games (10) for the first time since 2016, Florida State has a strong case to rank ahead of Clemson as the ACC’s preseason favorite for ’23. The Seminoles have improved their win total from three to five to 10 under coach Mike Norvell, so the next logical step is to win the ACC. The pieces are in place to reach that goal, starting with quarterback Jordan Travis, who should rank among the nation’s best at his position in 2023. Trey Benson headlines a loaded backfield, and Johnny Wilson (20.9 yards per catch) leads an improving set of receivers. Improvement along the offensive line has been instrumental in Florida State’s rise recently, and three transfers are on the way to push the returning starters. The ‘Noles are also trending in the right direction on defense after limiting teams to 20.6 points a game in ’22. The bulk of this group is slated to return and received a boost when end Jared Verse followed tackle Fabien Lovett in passing on the NFL. And similar to the offense, a couple of transfer additions – tackle Braden Fiske (Western Michigan) and cornerback Fentrell Cypress II (Virginia) – add to a solid core. A date in Orlando against LSU is a tough way to start ’23 and road treks to Florida and Clemson are also on tap in the regular season.

No. 8

The Athletic

Mike Norvell’s program took huge strides in 2022 and could be the ACC’s most talented team. QB Jordan Travis will be on Heisman lists. Top WR Johnny Wilson and RB Trey Benson are expected back, while DE Jared Verse, DT Fabien Lovett and LB Kalen DeLoach put off the NFL. And FSU has added several coveted transfers: Virginia CB Fentrell Cypress, UTEP OT Jeremiah Byers and Western Michigan DT Braden Fiske.

Bleacher Report

No. 9

Yahoo! Sports

Florida State fans are expecting a major step forward for the Seminoles. There are plenty of reasons to feel that way. In Mike Norvell’s three seasons, FSU has gone from 3-6 to 5-7 to 10-3. Could the Seminoles return to the top of the ACC in 2023? So many of FSU’s top players have decided to return, including defensive linemen Jared Verse and Fabien Lovett, quarterback Jordan Travis, receiver Johnny Wilson and RB Trey Benson. FSU has also tried to fill some holes in the transfer portal, adding players such as ex-Virginia CB Fentrell Cypress and ex-Western Michigan DT Braden Fiske. This will be one of the most-hyped teams off the offseason. How will the Seminoles handle the expectations?

No. 10

Sports Illustrated

It took a little while, but Mike Norvell has gotten the program turned around. The Seminoles took giant strides back to prominence this past year, going 10–3 and ending the season on a six-game winning streak. Quarterback Jordan Travis is coming back, as are leading receiver Johnny Wilson and leading rusher Trey Benson. The FSU defense, which led the ACC in fewest yards allowed per play and per game, also got a boost when sack leader Jared Verse announced recently that he will play another season of college ball. Some key transfers have been added as well. A lot could be decided when LSU plays the ’Noles in Orlando and when Florida State visits Clemson.

No. 12

Sporting News

Are the Seminoles ready to get back to CFP contention? Mike Norvell silenced the critics with a 10-win season, and Jordan Travis took hold of the quarterback position with 31 total TDs. Travis is one of the most-exciting offensive talents in the FBS, and Trey Benson bypassed the NFL Draft. That gives Florida State one of the strongest backfields in the country. The opener against LSU should be a thriller and trips to Clemson and Pitt are the toughest tests on the ACC schedule.

No. 14

CBS Sports

If you want a trendy ACC pick, take the Seminoles. In Year 4, coach Mike Norvell has FSU positioned for a New Year’s Six run. The Noles won 10 games for the first time in 2016 as QB Jordan Travis laid the groundwork for a Heisman Trophy chase. The defense was bolstered by the returns of end Jared Verse and tackle Fabien Lovett.

FOX Sports

After much crying and gnashing of the teeth, Mike Norvell turned in the kind of season FSU fans had been waiting for with signature wins against LSU and Oklahoma — two CFP teams three years ago. Now, with Jordan Travis firmly planted, the Seminoles ought to contend for the ACC crown.

Average: 7.76