No. 6 FSU soccer vs. No. 9 TCU: Preview, how to watch/stream, game thread

No. 6 Florida State Seminoles soccer, after a season-opening win against the Texas A&M Aggies, continue their Lone Star State barnstorming tour tonight with a top ten matchup against the No. 9 TCU Horned Frogs.

FSU beat the Aggies 2-1 on Thursday night, holding out against a determined Texas A&M squad that held steady with the Seminoles until the 86th minute.

From our Prince Akeem Joeffer:

This was a tough opener for the Seminoles but they persevered for the win. FSU had to overcome the 106 degree heat along with an energized Aggie crowd to get the victory.

However, there are things that can be improved (keeping in mind that this was the first game). FSU can be a bit more sturdy in the back. There were times when the Aggies had too much space in the attacking third. This was especially true on the goal where Sammy Smith was wide open for the header.

The other thing is that the Seminoles weren’t able to consistently build through the midfield. It’s okay to be direct on occasion but too much of the offense was being initiated with balls over the top. This is an issue that may be corrected (or at least improved upon) when Nesbeth returns.

Of course there were some good things. The freshmen are ready for this. Jordynn Dudley didn’t get the consistent service that she needed to really shine in this game but it is clear that she has what it takes with her skill and athleticism to be a future star. Mimi Van Zanten was pressed into service early after Claire Rain’s unfortunate injury. I don’t think that I have ever seen a more confident player in her first college game. Van Zanten immediately carried the ball up field putting pressure on the Aggie defense like she was a seasoned veteran. I was told that Dudley and Van Zanten were impressive in camp and it is easy to see why they were turning heads.

TCU is coming off a 1-0 victory over SMU, a match in which the Horned Frogs scored early and held steady to start the year off with a win.

From our SB Nation sister site, Frogs O’ War:

The ninth-ranked Horned Frogs took the field without longtime stars like Messiah Bright and Chaylyn Hubbard for the first time in forever, but TCU does still have preseason All-Big 12 midfielder Gracie Brian as the finisher in front of net. Brian delivered her 26th career goal as a Horned Frog, cleaning up in front of net after the cross from AJ Hennessey. The first half score would go on to become her 13th game-winner, as the Mustangs failed to find an equalizer.

The Horned Frog defense only allowed three shots and just one corner kick in the first half, but the Mustangs put a flurry of offensive chances together late in the second half, including seven shot attempts, in an effort to find an equalizer. However the Frogs have a brick wall in front of goal as TCU goalkeeper Lauren Kellett picked up her 21st career shutout, making five total saves, including a massive stop on a low drive in the game’s final minutes

The stakes of a top ten matchup are nothing new for Florida State — via FSU Sports Info, FSU has a 25-12-10 record over top 10 teams since 2014, with an 11-3-5 record since 2020.

Tonight’s game won’t be televised on traditional cable, as it’s only available to stream on ESPN+.

How to Watch

Time

8 p.m. ET

Stream

ESPN+

Game notes, via FSU Sports Info

Last Time Out: Taylor Huff’s goal in the 86th minute gave the Seminoles a 2-1 victory against Texas A&M in College Station, Texas, on Thursday night. Beata Olsson scored the first goal of the night for the Seminoles. FSU outshot Texas A&M 11-10 led by Huff who had four shots. Cristina Roque tallied three saves for the Noles.

Huff’s Heroics: In her first action with the Garnet and Gold, Taylor Huff scored the game-winning in the 86th minute to lead the Seminoles past Texas A&M. Huff is a transfer from Tennessee and played all 90 minutes for the Seminoles while leading the team with four shots.

Connections: Head TCU coach Erik Bell has a strong connection to Florida State as he served as an assistant coach for the Seminoles from 2006-11. As an assistant coach, Bell helped the Seminoles to College Cups in 2006, 2007 and 2011.

Dominance Away From Home: The Seminoles are also impressive away from the friendly confines of the Seminole Soccer Complex, posting a true road record of 52-18-10 (.709) since 2013, as well as a neutral site mark of 25-6-4 (.771).

Florida State vs. The Top 10: FSU holds a 71-73-20 record against top 10 opponents in its program history, but the Noles have boasted a 25-12-10 record over top 10 teams since 2014 and a record of 11-3-5 against top 10 opponents since 2020.

Florida State vs. The Big 12: FSU holds an impressive 22-4-2 against teams currently in the Big 12 highlighted by a 12-3-1 record against UCF.

Everything is Better in Texas: FSU is 12-1 against teams in Texas with their only loss coming to Texas A&M in 1999.

Success in the Non-Con: The Seminoles have been dominant in non-conference play in recent history. FSU holds a streak of 16 consecutive games where the Noles have not been beaten holding a record of 14-0-2. USC was the last team to defeat the Noles back on Sept. 1, 2019.