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Latest AP, Coaches Poll: FSU remains No. 4 after win over now-No. 20 Duke

Florida State is off to its best start in nine years

By Tomahawk Nation News
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Charles Mays/Tomahawk Nation

Florida State is off to its best start in nine years, with its win over Duke on Saturday night advancing the Seminoles’ record to 7-0 (5-0 ACC) on the year.

While FSU’s win over a ranked team is a boost to its overall resume, it wasn’t enough to move the Seminoles ahead of the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes, who ground out a 20-12 win over the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions.

In both the AP Top 25 and USA Today Coaches Poll, Florida State remains slotted at No. 4.

The margin between the two title contenders is slim — in the AP Ohio State is ahead by 46 points with the Seminoles trailing the Buckeyes by 33 in the Coaches.

Next up for Florida State is a matchup against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons (4-3, 1-3 ACC), who are coming off a last-second win over the Pittsburgh Panthers.

FSU leads the all-time series against Wake 30-9 but have lost three straight to the Demon Deacons, including last year’s 31-21 loss.

FSU is in the midst of a 13-game win streak, dating back to last November.

October 21, 2023: No. 4 FSU 38, No. 16 Duke Blue Devils 20

October 14, 2023: No. 4 FSU 41, Syracuse Orange 3

October 7, 2023: No. 5 FSU 39, Virginia Tech Hokies 17

September 23, 2023: No. 4 FSU 31, Clemson Tigers 24 (OT)

September 16, 2023: No. 3 FSU 31, Boston College Eagles 29

September 9, 2023: No. 4 FSU 66, Southern Miss Golden Eagles 13

September 3, 2023: No. 8 FSU 45, No. 5 LSU Tigers 24

December 29, 2022: No. 13 FSU 35, Oklahoma Sooners 32

November 25, 2022: No. 16 FSU 45, Florida Gators 38

November 19, 2022: No. 20 FSU 49, Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns 17

November 12, 2022: No. 25 FSU 38, Syracuse Orange 3

November 5, 2022: FSU 45, Miami Hurricanes 3

October 29, 2022: FSU 41, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 16

Week 8: AP Top 25

  1. Georgia Bulldogs (7-0)
  2. Michigan Wolverines (8-0)
  3. Ohio State Buckeyes (7-0)
  4. Florida State Seminoles (7-0)
  5. Washington Huskies (7-0)
  6. Oklahoma Sooners (7-0)
  7. Texas Longhorns (6-1)
  8. Oregon Ducks (6-1)
  9. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-1)
  10. Penn State Nittany Lions (6-1)
  11. Oregon State Beavers (6-1)
  12. Ole Miss Rebels (6-1)
  13. Utah Utes (6-1)
  14. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-2)
  15. LSU Tigers (6-2)
  16. Missouri Tigers (7-1)
  17. North Carolina Tar Heels (6-1)
  18. Louisville Cardinals (6-1)
  19. Air Force Falcons (7-0)
  20. Duke Blue Devils (5-2)
  21. Tennessee Volunteers (5-2)
  22. Tulane Green Wave (6-1)
  23. UCLA Bruins (5-2)
  24. USC Trojans (6-2)
  25. James Madison Dukes (7-0)

Week 8: USA Today Coaches Poll

  1. Georgia Bulldogs (7-0)
  2. Michigan Wolverines (8-0)
  3. Ohio State Buckeyes (7-0)
  4. Florida State Seminoles (7-0)
  5. Washington Huskies (7-0)
  6. Oklahoma Sooners (7-0)
  7. Texas Longhorns (6-1)
  8. Alabama Crimson Tide (7-1)
  9. Oregon Ducks (6-1)
  10. Penn State Nittany Lions (6-1)
  11. Ole Miss Rebels (6-1)
  12. Oregon State Beavers (6-1)
  13. Utah Utes (6-1)
  14. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-2)
  15. LSU Tigers (6-2)
  16. Missouri Tigers (7-1)
  17. North Carolina Tar Heels (6-1)
  18. Louisville Cardinals (6-1)
  19. Air Force Falcons (7-0)
  20. Tennessee Volunteers (5-2)
  21. Duke Blue Devils (5-2)
  22. USC Trojans (6-2)
  23. Tulane Green Wave (6-1)
  24. UCLA Bruins (5-2)
  25. James Madison Dukes (7-0)

Odds to win 2023 national championship, via DraftKings

Odds to win 2023 Heisman Trophy, via DraftKings

Game Notes from FSU’s win over Duke, via FSU Sports Info

• No. 4 Florida State beat No. 16 Duke, 38-20, Saturday night in front of a sold-out crowd at Doak Campbell Stadium, FSU’s third of four consecutive sellouts.

• FSU improved to 7-0 overall and 5-0 in the ACC, the Noles best start since 2014 (13-0 start, 8-0 ACC record).

• FSU improved to 22-6 all-time when ranked No. 4 in the AP poll, including 14-1 at home and 4-0 overall this season. The Noles are now 151-29 all-time when ranked in the top 5, including 6-0 this season.

• The Noles moved to 22-0 all-time against Duke, the most wins without a loss by one current Power 5 team vs. another in the Poll Era (since 1936). Saturday was the third matchup in the series with both teams ranked (1994, 2013).

• FSU’s 13-game win streak is the longest in the ACC and, entering Saturday, only Georgia and Washington had longer streaks nationally. The 13-game win streak is tied for the 7th longest in FSU history.

• FSU’s 13-game streak scoring at least 30 points is the longest in the nation and the 2nd-longest in ACC history, behind FSU’s 17-game streak in 2012-14.

• Down 10-0 and 17-7 in the first half against the Blue Devils, Saturday was FSU’s fifth win under head coach Mike Norvell when trailing by at least 10 points. It was the 13th such win of Norvell’s career. It was also FSU’s first win under Norvell when trailing after the third quarter.

• With his 2-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter that gave FSU its first lead of the game, quarterback Jordan Travis passed 2000 Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke for FSU’s total offense record. He ended the game with 330 total yards and has 9,548 yards for his career.

• Travis tied a career high with 27 completions for 268 yards and a pair of touchdowns. On the ground, Travis ran for a season-high 62 yards and a third score.

• Travis is now 5th in FSU history with 7,638 passing yards and 6th with 568 completions. His 24 wins as the starting quarterback give him sole possession of 5th in school history.

• Travis has accounted for multiple TD in 14 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the country and tied with 2013 Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston for the Florida State record. Travis is one of five ACC players over the last 20 years with a streak of 14 or more games: Trevor Lawrence (17), Kenny Pickett (16), Deshaun Watson (14) and Winston (14).

• Travis has thrown at least one TD in 18 consecutive games, FSU’s longest stretch since Jameis Winston (27, 2013-14).

• Travis joins LSU’s Jayden Daniels and Ole Miss’ Spencer Sanders as the only active players with 7,000 career passing yards (7,709) and 1,900 career rushing yards (1,950).

• Deuce Spann’s 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second quarter was the first of his career and the Noles’ second in two seasons (Trey Benson vs. Boston College, 2022). Prior to Benson, FSU had not returned a kick for a touchdown since 2013.

• Spann’s 99-yard return is the 5th-longest in school history, behind four 100-yard returns.

• Wide receiver Johnny Wilson led FSU with 58 receiving yards on five catches. He has 1,555 career receiving yards and has led FSU in receiving yards in the last four games he has appeared.

• Running back Trey Benson reached 1,500 career rushing yards and has 1,501 for his career.

• Running back Caziah Holmes caught a 7-yard touchdown pass to get FSU on the board. It was his second touchdown as a Seminole and first career touchdown reception.

• Tight end Jaheim Bell led FSU with a career-high eight catches for 53 yards. His 9-yard catch on FSU’s opening drive pushed him past 1,000 receiving yards for his career, and he’ll enter the Wake Forest game with 1,048 yards.

• Tight end Kyle Morlock also passed the 1,000-yard mark for his career with his 22-yard reception. He has 1,001 receiving yards in his career.

• Shyheim Brown grabbed the first interception of his career in the second quarter. FSU has at least one takeaway in 12 straight games, the Noles longest streak since 2012-14 (20 games)…the last time FSU opened a season with a takeaway in 7 straight games was 2013 (all 14).

• For the 4th time this season, each of Florida State’s starting offensive linemen had at least 30 collegiate starts.

• Linebackers Tatum Bethune and Kalen DeLoach led FSU with six tackles. Bethune now has 303 tackles for his career.

• Kicker Ryan Fitzgerald scored eight points and moved to 12th in FSU history with 245 career points, passing kicker Dave Cappelen (239, 1976-79). Fitzgerald began the season ranked 20th on FSU’s career scoring list.

• Fitzgerald remains perfect on the season and has now converted all 37 PAT attempts and all eight field goals.

• Defensive tackle Fabien Lovett had 2.0 of FSU’s 4.0 tackles for loss. It was his first career game with multiple TFLs.

• FSU’s go-ahead touchdown drive in the fourth quarter spanned 96 yards and took 14 plays, the Noles’ longest TD drive in both plays and yards this season.

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