Noles News: 10 days out from kickoff, FSU is 12.5 point favorite over Georgia Tech

Recruiting

2025 Florida State commitments:

• QUARTERBACK: 4 star Tramell Jones Jr (FL)
• WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star CJ Wiley (GA)
• WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Daylan McCutcheon (TX)
• TIGHT END: 4 star Chase Loftin (NE)
• OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 5 star Solomon Thomas (FL)
• OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 4 star Peyton Joseph (FL)
• DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: 4 star Javion Hilson (FL)
• DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: 4 star Myron Charles (FL)
• DEFENSIVE TACKLE: 4 star Kevin Wynn (GA)
• LINEBACKER: 4 star Ethan Pritchard (FL)
• DEFENSIVE BACK: 4 star Gregory “Zae” Thomas (FL)
• DEFENSIVE BACK: 3 star Max Redmon (FL)

Football

Florida State is just 10 days out from its season opener, an international matchup vs. the Georgia Yellow Jackets. Set to take place inside Dublin, Ireland’s Aviva Stadium, the game will kickoff at 12 p.m. ET (5 p.m. IST).

The Seminoles are currently considered a 12.5-point favorite over the Yellow Jackets — the last time the two faced off, in 2022, FSU won 41-16.

The Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin is FSU’s first international game in program history. The August 24 date also matches the earliest game in program history, a 38-31 win over Iowa State in Kansas City on August 24, 2002. Florida State leads the all-time series with the Yellow Jackets 15-11-1, including a 15-4 mark since the Seminoles joined the ACC prior to the 1992 season. Florida State is 56-21 all-time in season openers.

With the game rapidly approaching, Florida State is shifting gears from re-acclimation to installation:

Instead of the extended team periods that FSU battled through during fall camp, the offense and defense split up for most of the morning, working through the motions of what to expect from the Yellow Jackets.

When the sides reconvened, a tug-of-war ensued as the Seminoles conducted a back-and-forth, balanced practice for the second day in a row.

The defense started the day with a leg up, as they did not give up a yard for the first four offensive plays. The pass rush and secondary perfectly mirrored each other, and the linebackers tied up any loose ends.

But DJ Uiagalelei led from the front as his group fought back. After Roydell Williams cut back and found open space during the middle portion of team drills, the QB turned into the lead blocker and put his body on the line to spark the offense, giving the RB extra yards. Later, his improvising turned a dead play into a two-point conversation as he kept his composure and jogged into the end zone. He threw the deep ball as well as he had during fall camp when the wide receivers and cornerbacks clashed going one-on-one. Coach Tony Tokarz met with the media after practice and explained the growth in Uiagalelei’s game.

“He prepares at an elite level, and his approach is unbelievable. It’s obviously something we were hoping for bringing him in...I’ve said it before, he knows a lot of football, but it’s just figuring out what we’re doing, how we’re doing it, why we’re doing it.”

ESPN released its final preseason SP+ rankings, with FSU sitting at No. 12 (No. 21 offense, No. 10 defense):

ACC Conference title odds: Florida State 23.2%, Clemson 20.6%, Miami 13.3%, Louisville 9.3%, SMU 9.2%, NC State 8.2%, Virginia Tech 5.4%, North Carolina 4.1%, Duke 1.4%, California 1.4%, Syracuse 0.8%, Georgia Tech 0.7%, Pitt 0.7%, Boston College 0.5%, Wake Forest 0.4%, Virginia 0.4%, Stanford 0.4%

All Sports