2022 FSU schedule: Dates, opponents finalized

The first signal that a new football season is upon us is the official release of the next year’s schedule. In college football, opponents are known multiple years in advance, sometimes literally a decade, but it isn’t until dates are set that things become real.

Florida State Seminoles football, along with the rest of the ACC, learned its full 2022 slate tonight during a special program on the ACC Network.

Here’s Florida State’s official 2022 schedule, with away games in italics:

Duquesne Dukes, Saturday, August 27

LSU Tigers, Sunday, September 4 (New Orleans)

BYE WEEK

Louisville Cardinals, Friday, September 16

Boston College Eagles, Saturday, September 24

Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Saturday, October 1

NC State Wolfpack, Saturday, October 8

Clemson Tigers, Saturday, October 15

BYE WEEK

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Saturday, October 29

Miami Hurricanes, Saturday, November 5

Syracuse Orange, Saturday, November 12

Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns, Saturday, November 19

Florida Gators, Friday, November 25

For the first time in the rivalry series, FSU vs. UF will take place on Friday rather than Saturday. It would be FSU’s first home Friday matchup since 2016 and just the third in program history.

For those a fan of tradition, the change might be jarring (and even, gasp, controversial?) but when you consider the benefits to the move, it’s a nice switch-up. FSU and UF is now basically guaranteed to be a primetime affair and it brings a little bit of excitement back to a game that’s lost a bit of luster between blowouts (only 2 games within a touchdown since 2007) and the two programs’ on-field struggles.

The full release from FSU:

Florida State football’s 2022 schedule was announced Monday evening live on ACC Network. The schedule features seven opportunities to showcase the pageantry and excitement of Doak Campbell Stadium, as well as a trip to New Orleans as part of three non-Saturday primetime kickoffs.

“This is a good schedule, and we are pleased that our seven home games are spread throughout the fall,” FSU Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford said. “Hosting Florida in primetime on the Friday during the Thanksgiving holiday allows us to showcase this great rivalry and our community on a day that has historically drawn huge television viewership. It also gives us the opportunity to lock in a night game, which allows fans to make plans well in advance and avoids the potential of the six-day network television option on kickoff time.”

The Seminoles kick off the season on Aug. 27, hosting Duquesne in a Week 0 matchup. The date marks the earliest game Florida State has played in Doak Campbell Stadium and the third-earliest game in program history. FSU played BYU in Jacksonville on Aug. 26, 2000, and played Iowa State in Kansas City, Missouri, on Aug. 24, 2002.

For only the second time, and first since 1955, FSU has three non-Saturday games in the regular season. Florida State’s first non-Saturday game is in the Sunday primetime slot on Labor Day Weekend against LSU in New Orleans. The Seminoles and Tigers last met in 1991, and Florida State holds a 7-2 lead in the all-time series. After an open date, Florida State opens ACC play on Friday night, Sept. 16, at Louisville.

The Fresh from Florida Sunshine Showdown has also been guaranteed a primetime slot the day after Thanksgiving as FSU will host the Gators on Friday, Nov. 25. This year will mark only the second time the teams have met in the regular season on a non-Saturday. The 1979 game was also held on Friday, and Florida State won that matchup 27-16 in Gainesville to complete an 11-0 regular season.

After the Friday night matchup at Louisville, Florida State begins a stretch of four out of five games at home, returning to host Boston College on Sept. 24and Wake Forest on Oct. 1. The Seminoles then play at North Carolina State on Oct. 8 before welcoming Clemson on Oct. 15 and Georgia Tech on Oct. 29.

The month of November features two ACC road games and two more non-conference games at home. Florida State takes on in-state rival Miami at Hard Rock Stadium on Nov. 5 and then travels north to face Syracuse on Nov. 12. On Nov. 19, the Seminoles host Louisiana, and then FSU wraps up the regular season on Friday night against Florida.