Noles News: It’s officially FSU vs. LSU game week

Recruiting

Recruiting

Florida State Seminoles football 2024 commitments

QUARTERBACK: 4 star Luke Kromenhoek (GA)

RUNNING BACK: 4 star Kam Davis (GA)

RUNNING BACK: 4 star Micahi Danzy (FL)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Camdon Frier (FL)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Lawayne McCoy (FL)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star BJ Gibson (GA)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Elijah Moore (MD)

TIGHT END: 5 star Landen Thomas (GA)

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 4 star Jonathan Daniels (FL)

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 3 star Tye Hylton (FL)

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 4 star Manasse Itete (CA)

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 3 star Jayden Todd (GA)

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: 4 star DD Holmes (DC)

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: 3 star Jamorie Flagg (FL)

LINEBACKER: 3 star Jayden Parrish (FL)

LINEBACKER: 3 star Timir Hickman-Collins (SC)

DEFENSIVE BACK: 5 star KJ Bolden (GA)

DEFENSIVE BACK: 5 star Charles Lester III (FL)

DEFENSIVE BACK: 4 star Ricky Knight III (FL)

DEFENSIVE BACK: 3 star CJ Heard (GA)

KICKER: 3 star Jake Weinberg (FL)

Football

Buckle up — it’s officially a Florida State Seminoles football game week, with there now just six days until the team kicks off the year against the LSU Tigers in a top-ten matchup. According to DraftKings, the Seminoles remain a 2.5-point underdog against the Tigers, with the over/under set at 58.5.

To wrap up preseason camp, FSU hit Doak Campbell on Saturday night for a little practice under the lights:

Under new LED lights, the Florida State football team wanted a change of pace and practiced in their home stadium. In what Mike Norvell described as an “up and down practice” that was “tough” at times, the Seminoles closed out fall camp. Gearing up into game week, Florida State needed a challenging practice, and it happened.

Norvell was critical but positive during his media availability, urging his team to find a level of consistency that all championship teams have. While his words indicated the urgency of FSU elevating to a higher level of execution, there were bright spots in yesterday’s practice, starting from the top of the roster.

“I thought tonight was a good night, getting back out in Doak Campell,” he said after practice. “We wanted to get a little bit of experience of that. I thought they came out and worked. It was a tough practice, we wanted and needed one I thought there were some up and down moments throughout practice, but all in all, I’m liking what I’m seeing from this team.”

Our SB Nation sister site And The Valley Shook took a look at what might be one of the biggest key factors to the game between the Seminoles and Tigers — LSU’s ability to contend FSU’s counter attack:

LSU’s biggest weakness defensively last season was not the defensive backfield, but their soundness against the run. It was pretty glaring against counter, with poor leverage and technique allowing offenses to stay efficient and on-schedule.

Florida State is, for my money, the best counter team in the nation. It is the core of their run game, with a million different tags, variations, RPOs, and play-action elements built around it. Between multiplicity in presentation and variation, a QB who can run, and one of the best RBs in the nation in Trey Benson, FSU is built to make a living running counter.

LSU’s best shot here, before Maason Smith’s (probably illegal, by the way) suspension by the NCAA was announced, was to rely on their stars on the interior to dominate their 1-on-1s and cave in the structure of the blocking scheme. With that becoming more difficult, LSU will likely have to get fluid and creative along the front to try to create disruption. Florida State has two dominant, 1-on-1 winning outside WRs in 6’4 Michigan State transfer Keon Coleman and 6’7 freak Johnny Wilson, plus a QB that can deliver the ball accurately downfield, so putting that extra body in the box is a recipe for death.

FSU heads into the season with a No. 8 ranking and expectations that include being lauded as a possible playoff entrant in 2023 — from ESPN, who released its first roundup of bowl projections:

In some order, there’s probably a consensus top four nationally — Georgia, Michigan, Alabama, Ohio State — but the idea that two non-champions will qualify for the playoff seems like a bad bet. With that understood, Ohio State is out and replacements are considered. There’s not a clear “next team up.” It would be fitting, in a way, for the Pac-12 to qualify a team when its lack of playoff participation contributed to its death, but the parity there is still a massive hurdle. TCU showed that the Big 12 can get a team through, but that’s a tough conference to navigate this year, too. Which leads us to the ACC and preseason No. 8 Florida State. The Seminoles get LSU in their opener, which will be either (A) a good résumé-building win or (B) an early-enough loss to overcome late. Then they have as easy a conference path as there is for any Power 5 contender.

Miami Hurricanes quarterback Tyler Van Dyke being injured is not funny — but a “member” of the Miami beat (used loosely, seeing as his listed outlet is LifeWalletSports) getting mad at reporters not “caring about the team’s success” as if that’s the job of media professionals not employed by Ponzi schemes definitely is:

And Miami (FL) having to play Miami (OH) on a Friday might be the biggest knee slapper of them all:

All Sports

Florida State volleyball kicked off the year with three straight wins, beating Western Carolina, Georgia and UConn to win the Classic City Clash title:

The Seminoles never dropped a set in their three matches at the Classic City Clash, defeating Western Carolina on Friday and host Georgia on Saturday.

Junior middle blocker Khori Louis capped a dominant weekend with another sound performance against UConn, delivering 11 kills in 17 attacks along with three blocks. The Huskies never had an answer for the Tallahassee native.

Sophomore outside hitter Audrey Rothman had nine kills along with nine digs and hit .400 in the match. Junior outside hitter Audrey Koenig added eight kills and 11 digs in the win.

Junior middle blocker Kiari Robey finished a strong debut weekend by totaling seven kills and a .463 hitting percentage against UConn.

FSU had another strong match in serve-receive, totaling five aces on Sunday. FSU hit .443 for the match and attacked at a .440 clip in its three matches.

Freshman Kyleene Filimaua added 10 digs along with four assists and three kills.

FSU hosts the upcoming Seminole Invitational beginning Friday, Sept. 1, at 6 p.m. against SMU. FSU finishes the weekend facing Auburn on Sunday, Sept. 3, at 1 p.m. Both matches will be played at Tully Gym.