FSU ranked No. 8 in preseason Coaches Poll

The first poll of the 2023 football season is here — and Florida State is a top ten team.

The preseason edition of the USA Today Coaches Poll released on Monday, August 7, with the Georgia Bulldogs once more sitting atop the poll following its second consecutive national championship.

The remaining top five are the Michingan Wolverines, Alabama Crimson Tide, Ohio State Buckeyes and LSU Tigers.

FSU vs. LSU, as expected, will be a top ten matchup when the two face off in Orlando on September 3 to kickoff the season.

Florida State finished the 2022 season ranked No. 10 in the coaches and No. 11 in the AP — its highest final rankings since the 2016 season.

From FSU Sports Info:

Florida State led the country with an average of 7.46 plays of at least 20 yards per game and ranked second nationally with an explosive play differential of +7.41. The defense was fourth in the country in passing defense, and FSU was one of six teams nationally to rank in the top-25 in kickoff return and punt return average. Florida State led the ACC in passing defense, third-down offense, yards gained per pass, yards gained per play, yards gained per rush, total offense per game, yards per completion, yards allowed per pass, rushing offense per game, yards allowed per play, total defense per game and scoring offense per game.

FSU was ranked 10th in the final Coaches Poll and 11th in the final AP poll. Florida State was the only team to lead its conference in both total offense and total defense and was one of two teams nationally to average at least 270 passing yards and 210 rushing yards per game. The Seminoles, along with Alabama and Georgia, were one of only three teams to rank in the top-15 in yards per play on offense and defense. Those three teams were also the only ones ranked in the top-20 in total defense, scoring defense, total offense and scoring offense.

The Seminoles are returning the bulk of its 10-win team, bringing back 79% percent of its 2022 production which includes Heisman Trophy-contending quarterback Jordan Travis, star running back Trey Benson, veteran leader defensive tackle Fabien Lovett, potential top 10 pick defensive end Jared Verse and many, many others.

Since then, they’ve added and upgraded through the transfer portal, bringing in names like wide receiver Keon Coleman, defensive back Fentrell Cypress, tight end Jaheim Bell, defensive lineman Braden Fiske, offensive tackle Jeremiah Byers — and also many, many others.

Originally the favorite to win the conference, FSU now has the second-highest odds to take home the ACC Championship with DraftKings slotting the Seminoles (+150) slightly behind Clemson (+145).

FSU remains a 2.5-point underdog to the Tigers, with that line having held steady since opening.

The sportsbook also currently has FSU with the 7th-best odds to win the 2023 national championship and has Florida State’s win total set at 10 wins.

Meanwhile, ESPN’s SP+ rankings have the Seminoles ranked No. 10, with the No. 19 offense and No. 14 defense — additionally, its simulations project the Seminoles’ average record as 9.3-6.4. Its FPI rankings, which have Florida State at No. 14, give FSU a 0.3% chance at winning the national championship (1.1% of making it), a 4.4% chance at making the playoffs, a 98.5% chance of reaching six wins, and a predicted finish of 8.7 - 3.5.

2023 Top 25: USA Today Preseason Coaches Poll

• No. 1 Georgia Bulldogs
• No. 2 Michigan Wolverines
• No. 3 Alabama Crimson Tide
• No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes
• No. 5 LSU Tigers
• No. 6 USC Trojans
• No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions
• No. 8 Florida State Seminoles
• No. 9 Clemson Tigers
• No. 10 Tennessee Volunteers
• No. 11 Washington Huskies
• No. 12 Texas Longhorns
• No. 13 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
• No. 14 Utah Utes
• No. 15 Oregon Ducks
• No. 16 Texas Christian Horned Frogs
• No. 17 Kansas State Wildcats
• No. 18 Oregon State Beavers
• No. 19 Oklahoma Sooners
• No. 20 North Carolina Tar Heels
• No. 21 Wisconsin Badgers
• No. 22 Mississippi Rebels
• No. 23 Tulane Green Wave
• No. 24 Texas Tech Red Raiders
• No. 25 Texas A&M Aggies