Cole Pepper
Florida State University (FSU) kicks off the college football season with the first of three games scheduled for Saturday as the Seminoles face Georgia Tech in Dublin (noon E.T., ESPN).
The Seminoles open the year ranked No. 10 in the Associated Press Top 25 and are 11-point favorites against Georgia Tech. The Yellowjackets won seven games last year.
The Noles must replace nine players who were selected in the NFL Draft in April. Among them is quarterback Jordan Travis, who was taken in the fifth round by the New York Jets. Ready to step in as the starting quarterback is DJ Uiagalelei, the former Clemson and Oregon State signal caller.
Uiagalelei will be throwing to some new starting receivers as well. FSU saw both starting wideouts, Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson, as well as tight end Jaheim Bell, depart.
Alabama transfer Malik Benson is expected to start at one wide receiver position along with former LSU Tiger Jalen Brown. Redshirt senior Ja’Khi Douglas returns to bolster the pass catching unit, while another redshirt senior, Kyle Morlock, is expected to start at tight end.
On the defensive side, the Seminoles must replace two of the top defensive ends in the country. Jared Verse and Braden Fisk were both taken by the Los Angeles Rams (in the first and second rounds, respectively). Where will the pass rush come from for FSU? Redshirt junior Patrick Payton moves into the starting lineup this season and he is joined by Georgia transfer Marvin Jones Jr., who was stuck behind a truckload of NFL draft picks in Athens.
It’s a group of players with a chance to create a personality of its own this season
“When you see guys with all different journeys and experiences come together, how much they care about each other, the willingness to invest, challenge and encourage each other throughout the circumstances that are going to show up,” Florida State head coach Mike Norvell said.
“This team has invested a great deal of time outside of the facility. I think we have a group of like-minded individuals. They love to work. They’re willing to embrace challenge. It’s that cohesiveness that has me excited about what this team’s potential can be.”
After leading the Seminoles to an undefeated regular season, Norvell is looking for his first appearance in the College Football Playoff. The task is made slightly easier this year. After originally having four teams make the playoff, the field expanded to a 12-team playoff this season.
The ACC champions will earn an automatic berth, and the four highest-ranked conference champions will be seeded 1-4. Assuming the Power Four hold those top spots, the Noles could earn a first-round bye as a result. However, FSU could also qualify for the playoffs as an at-large bid if they are among the top teams and do not win the conference title.
For Georgia Tech, opening against a playoff contender and playing in the first game of the season offers a chance to make an impression on the college football world.
“I think the exposure you get is great for these young men, great for these guys to be able to have exposure on the national level, for people to see them,” said Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key.
“As far as one game being bigger than the other, there is no game bigger than one. They’re all the same. Every game is important. You only get so many times to play a year. Winning is a hard thing to do. To look at one game bigger than another, it’s not the way we go about things.”
Opening with a conference opponent is unusual and it is even more rare to open with back-to-back conference foes. After facing Georgia Tech in Dublin, the Seminoles return to Tallahassee to host Boston College on Monday, Sept. 2.
