FSU moves up in College Football Playoff rankings

After beating Syracuse 38-3 in its ACC finale, Florida State Seminoles football has moved up in the College Football Playoff rankings.

In the latest edition of the 2022 rankings, the Playoff Committee has slotted Florida State at No. 19 after having the team at No. 23 last week.

Florida State is No. 20 in the USA Today Coaches Poll and AP Top 25.

According to FSU Sports Info, Florida State is:

• The first ACC school to allow 65 or fewer passing yards to back-to-back conference games dating back to 2000
• On a 124-22 winning margin and outgaining opponents 1516-612 over its three-win streak
• One of 4 teams nationally in the top 20 of both total offense and total defense

The Seminoles have two games left on the schedule — this week vs. the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns (5-5, 3-4 Sun Belt) and next Friday the newly-bowl eligible Florida Gators (6-4, 3-4 SEC)

More notes and stats from FSU Sports Info:

• Florida State moved up to 20th in both the AP and Coaches polls this week after its 38-3 win at Syracuse, which was FSU’s ACC-best fourth 30-point victory this season. The Seminoles are the only P5 team with two 30-point wins on the road and one of only four P5 programs - along with Ohio State, Tennessee and Georgia - with three 30-point victories in conference play.
• In records dating to 1996, FSU is the first ACC school to hold conference opponents to 65 or fewer passing yards in consecutive games (62 at Miami, 65 at Syracuse; the two lowest passing outputs among ACC offenses this season) and the first team to hold consecutive FBS opponents to 65 passing yards or less since Appalachian State in 2019.
• The Seminoles are averaging 235.0 rushing yards and 270.3 passing yards per game while holding opponents to 95.7 rushing yards and 108.3 passing yards per game. Florida State has completed 72.1 percent of its passes and is 15-of-16 on red zone opportunities in that stretch.
• FSU leads the nation with seven touchdown drives of 90+ yards and is 2nd nationally with 15 touchdown drives of 80+ yards this season. The Seminoles also rank 3rd in explosive play rate differential, trailing only Georgia and Ohio State, with an offense explosive play rate of 16.62 percent that ranks 6th nationally and a defense explosive plays allowed rate of 8.98 percent that is 12th in the country (via ESPN Stats & Info).
• Florida State, Georgia and Ohio State are the only teams ranked in the top-10 in yards per play on offense and defense. The Seminoles are 10th nationally with an average of 6.89 yards per play on offense and 10th with an average of 4.62 yards allowed per play on defense. FSU is 11th in the country allowing an average of 293.6 yards per game on defense and 16th in the country with 477.1 yards of total offense per game.
• FSU is one of four teams in the country, and the only team in the ACC, averaging at least 260 yards of passing offense and at least 210 yards of rushing offense per game this season. Of the three ACC teams averaging better than 260 yards of passing offense, the next-closest rushing offense is North Carolina’s 163.9 rushing yards per game.
• Florida State is 1st in the ACC and 2nd in the country in pass defense, holding opponents to an average of 155.0 yards per game through the air. The Seminoles also are 1st in the ACC and rank 7th nationally holding opponents to an average of 5.9 yards per pass attempt.
• Florida State has scored on 14 of 20 first drives of a half this season, with 13 touchdowns on those 14 scoring drives for a total of 92 points. The Seminoles lead the ACC and are tied for 2nd in the country in touchdown rate on opening drives of a half (via ESPN Stats & Info).
• FSU has rushed for at least 200 yards in five straight games, the program’s longest streak since starting the 1995 season with six consecutive 200-yard games. The Seminoles lead the ACC in yards per rush and rushing offense, with their average of 5.53 yards per rush 11th nationally, and their average of 213.6 rushing yards per game 16th.
• Florida State is one of two teams in the country that is ranked in the top-25 in kickoff return average, punt return average and punt return defense. FSU is 7th in the country and 3rd in the ACC with an average of 24.77 yards per kickoff return, is 2nd in the conference and 17th in the nation allowing an average of 3.38 yards per punt return and is 3rd in the conference and 22nd nationally with an average of 11.83 yards per punt return.
• Florida State’s defense has held opponents to an average of 129.6 yards of total offense in the first half, with opponents gaining only 55.9 yards rushing and 73.7 yards passing in the first 30 minutes. The Seminoles are outscoring opponents 195-81 in the first half and have held seven opponents to three or fewer first-half points.

College Football Playoff Rankings: Week 12

1. Georgia
2. Ohio State
3. Michigan
4. TCU
5. Tennessee
6. LSU
7. USC
8. Alabama
9. Clemson
10. Utah
11. Penn State
12. Oregon
13. North Carolina
14. Ole Miss
15. Kansas State
16. UCLA
17. Washington
18. Notre Dame
19. Florida State
20. UCF
21. Tulane
22. Oklahoma State
23. Oregon State
24. NC State
25. Cincinnati