Noles News: Jordan Travis is PFF’s highest-graded quarterback entering 2023

Recruiting

Florida State’s coaching staff was out and about on Tuesday, dropping into high schools in both Georgia as well as Chicago:

2023 defensive back/athlete Darrell “Duke” Johnson earned a Florida State offer on Tuesday. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound prospect isn’t yet ranked but reports offers from the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, UCF Knights, NC State Wolfpack and North Carolina Tar Heels, amongst others.

You can catch up on all the latest Florida State football recruiting news and pick the brains of our recruiting staff in the latest edition of our recruiting thread.

QUARTERBACK: 4 star Luke Kromenhoek (GA)

RUNNING BACK: 4 star Kam Davis (GA)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Camdon Frier (FL)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Tawaski “TJ” Abrams (FL)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Lawayne McCoy (FL)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star BJ Gibson (GA)

TIGHT END: 5 star Landen Thomas (GA)

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: 3 star Jamorie Flagg (FL)

LINEBACKER: 3 star Jayden Parrish (FL)

DEFENSIVE BACK: 4 star CJ Heard (GA)

KICKER: 3 star Jake Weinberg (FL)

Florida State of Recruiting: The Three Stars podcasts

(4/27/23): Who could be next to join FSU’s class?

(4/24/23): Spring Transfer Portal comings and goings for FSU

(4/23/23): Reviewing recent spring commitments

(2/15/23): Florida State of Recruiting: 10 recruits to know for Tribe24

(1/21/23): Florida State of Recruiting: Discussing the latest FSU visitors

(1/20/23): Florida State of Recruiting: Breaking down new defensive players from #Tribe23

(1/19/23): Florida State of Recruiting: Discussing offensive newcomers from #Tribe23

Football

PFF has Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis as its highest-graded returning quarterback in 2023, with the signal caller grading out ahead of reigning Heisman winner Caleb Williams of the USC Trojans and North Carolina Tar Heels quarterback Drake Maye. Interestingly, when ranking the best players in college football this year, they. consider him the No. 16 player in the country heading into 2023.

Travis (+1000) has the second-best odds to win the 2023 Heisman Trophy (behind Williams at +550). Per FSU Sports Info, he enters the season as one of only four active players with at least 5,500 career passing yards and at least 1,700 career rushing yards.

The format for the expanded College Football Playoff has been decided — the 2024 season’s first-round games played at campus sites are scheduled to start with one game Friday, Dec. 20, and three more games on campuses on Saturday, Dec. 21. The quarterfinals will be held at bowl sites on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. The Peach, Rose, and Sugar Bowls will host quarterfinal games on Jan. 1. The semifinals are set for Thursday night, Jan. 9, 2025, at the Orange Bowl and Jan. 10 at the Cotton Bowl. The championship game is scheduled for Jan. 20 in Atlanta.

For the 2025 season, the opening rounds will be on Friday, Dec. 19, and Saturday, Dec. 20. The Cotton Bowl is set to be a quarterfinal on New Year’s Eve, and the New Year’s Day tripleheader will be at the Orange, Rose, and Sugar bowls. The semifinals are scheduled for the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, and the next day at the Peach Bowl. The championship game is set for Monday, Jan. 19, in Miami Gardens,

2024 SEASON

First round (at campus sites): Fri., Dec. 20 (1 game); Sat., Dec. 21 (3)

Quarterfinals: Tue., Dec. 31 (Fiesta Bowl); Wed., Jan. 1, 2025 (Peach Bowl, Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl)

Semifinals: Thu., Jan. 9 (Orange Bowl); Fri., Jan. 10 (Cotton Bowl)

Championship: Mon., Jan. 20 in Atlanta

2025 SEASON

First round (at campus sites): Fri., Dec. 19; Sat., Dec. 20

Quarterfinals: Wed., Dec. 31 (Cotton Bowl); Thu., Jan. 1, 2026 (Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl)

Semifinals: Thu., Jan. 8 (Fiesta Bowl); Fri., Jan. 9 (Peach Bowl)

Championship: Mon., Jan. 20 in Miami

Basketball

FSU women’s basketball was slotted at No. 15 in ESPN’s way-too-early rankings for 2023-2024:

After leading the ACC in scoring, Ta’Niya Latson won nearly every national freshman of the year award. Her late-season injury derailed what had been a promising season, and the Seminoles fell in their first games in both the ACC and NCAA tournaments. Coach Brooke Wyckoff will also welcome back 6-2 Makayla Timpson and guard Sara Bejedi, Florida State’s second- and third-leading scorers. The addition of grad transfer Alexis Tucker, a 14.9 PPG scorer at UC Santa Barbara, should also ease the burden on Latson. An 11th straight trip to the NCAA tournament seems certain.

Baseball

Florida State baseball put up a fight but went quietly into that good night against the No. 4 Florida Gators, falling 7-5 in Jacksonville.

Softball

No. 3 FSU softball is set to take on the No. 17 Florida Gators in Gainesville tonight as the Seminoles look to win back-to-back games against the Gators for the first time since 2003.

Via FSU Sports Info:

— Florida leads the all-time series 28-21.

— The Seminoles have won the past four meetings against the Gators which ties for their longest win streak against Florida.

— The Seminoles have won seven out of the last 11 meetings against Florida.

— Nine out of the 39 matchups have been via a walk-off.

— The Seminoles have one of the toughest schedules in the country this season.

— The Seminoles will play 20 games against teams ranked in the top 25, 19 of those games being away from Tallahassee.

— 19 out of the Seminoles’ 23 road or neutral site games are against teams in the top 25.

— The Noles are one of nine teams ranked in the top 25 to play 20 or more games against top 25 ranked opponents.

— The Noles currently hold a 13-6 record against ranked opponents.

— The Seminoles have gone 8-1 against ranked ACC opponents this season.

— At the Clearwater Invitational, the Seminoles played five ranked teams in four days and went 3-2 in those games.

— The Seminoles defeated No. 4 Arkansas, No. 15 Arizona, and No. 22 Louisiana. The Seminoles fell to No. 2 UCLA and No. 12 Alabama.

— The Seminoles have already played the No. 1, No. 2, No. 6, No. 8, No. 11, No. 12, No. 14, No. 17, No. 22, and No. 24 teams in this week’s ESPN.com/USA Softball rankings.

— To start the season, the Seminoles played 18 games in 17 days and went 15-3 in those games.

Florida State sophomore Hallie Wacaser earned ACC Player of the Week honors after hitting .750 against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during FSU’s sweep last weekend:

Wacaser put together the most impressive weekend of her career as a Seminole. Against Notre Dame, Wacaser hit .750 in three games against the Fighting Irish. In the second game of the series, Wacaser had a career day tallying career highs for hits, home runs and RBI. She tallied two home runs and a double in Saturday’s game and drove in six runs. She is just the second Seminole since 2018 to record six or more RBI in a single game joining teammate Michaela Edenfield. Wacaser followed up Saturday’s game with a 2-for-2 showing in Sunday’s 12-0 win against the Irish.

Wacaser has been one of the most improved players for the Seminoles this season as she is second on the team with a .361 batting average after hitting just .167 her freshman season. She’s already recorded 27 RBI this season after only having eight all of last season.

All Sports

Florida State track and field athletes Ismael Kone and Jeremiah Davis were named Men’s ACC Track & Field Runner and Field Performers of the Week:

“It’s fantastic to sweep the men’s ACC performer of the week honors,” Head Coach Bob Braman said. “I’m really pleased for Ishmael. He’s been working hard to get that magical sub 10.00 level, and Jeremiah is just great every time out. He’s just as consistent as it gets.”

Kone posted a winning time of 9.98 in the men’s 100-meter dash at the Texas Relays that ranks third nationally, ties for sixth fastest in FSU history and is the fastest since 2018 for a Seminole. He added a time of 20.37 in the 200 meters that currently ranks 16th in the nation and is the 10th fastest in FSU history.

Davis continued his banner season by snaring two more gold medals in the triple jump and long jump at the Texas Relays. The LeHigh Acres, Florida native again exceeded eight meters in the long jump at 8.02 (26-3.75) and added a winning triple jump of 16.01 meters (52-6.5). His winning long jump distance is the fifth-longest in school history.