Florida State at Florida: Three Players To Watch As Seminoles Chase Perfect Regular Season
We’ve officially entered the final week of the regular season for Florida State football, which can only mean one thing: a matchup with the school down south. The Seminoles (11-0, 8-0 ACC) will hit the road on Saturday to face off against the Florida Gators (5-6, 3-5 SEC) in Ben Hill Griffin Stadium to close out the 2023 season. Saturday’s matchup will be the 67th meeting between the Seminoles and the Gators. The University of Florida holds the record with 37 wins to FSU’s 27 (2 recorded ties). However, the ‘Noles are the reigning victors of the “Sunshine Showdown”, having won 2022’s clash by a score of 45-38. Of course, the Florida State faithful will recall the images of fans storming the field after what felt like a culture-defining win for Mike Norvell’s program.
Fast forward to this year, and these two bitter rivals are each witnessing two drastically different trajectories. On one sideline, you have a fifth-ranked Florida State team that is on the precipice of finishing the regular season undefeated, of competing in their first conference championship in nearly nine years, and on the precipice of returning to the College Football Playoff. Meanwhile, the Florida Gators are in the midst of a 4-game skid and need just one more win to attain bowl eligibility. Put simply, there’s plenty at stake for both of these programs, but extra motivation has never been a requirement for this contest. This is Florida State versus Florida, the Seminoles versus the Gators. Neither of these schools needs any excuse to showcase their disdain for one another, a fact that will remain true in this year’s iteration of the bitter rivalry.
A few weeks ago (heck maybe even a few days ago), this matchup was looking like a surefire win for the the Seminoles. Florida State was in a groove, displaying its prowess on both offense and defense and proving its worth as one of the nation’s premier programs in 2023. Florida, on the other hand, was struggling. The Gators lost to rival Georgia by a large margin before rattling off three consecutive losses to follow. A string of poor defensive performances by Billy Napier’s squad had many believing that the high-powered offense of the Seminoles was going to have little to no issues finding success. However, as fate would have, a few wrenches would be thrown into the plans a mere week before the two were scheduled to meet. For the Seminoles, that wrench came in the form of a season-ending injury for star quarterback Jordan Travis. The ‘Noles will be without their de facto leader entering the final week of the regular season. Similarly, Florida starting quarterback Graham Mertz experienced a season-ending injury of his own, which has forced the Gators to turn to a true freshman. Now, an air of uncertainty surrounds both the Gators and the Seminoles.
With so much on the line for both teams, this weekend’s game is shaping up to be a matter of who wants it more. If the ‘Noles wish to survive their trip to Gainesville and finish the 2023 season with an unblemished 12-0 record, they’ll need a few key players to step up and deliver. That being said, let’s take a look at three guys you’ll want to keep an eye on come Saturday.
1. Tate Rodemaker, Quarterback
Beginning with Saturday’s game in the Swamp, the ‘Noles will take the field for the first time in a post-Travis world, and they will do so with redshirt junior Tate Rodemaker at the helm of the offense.
For those unfamiliar with his game, Tate Rodemaker, a native of Valdosta, Georgia, was a three-star, pro-style quarterback in high school, who threw for 6,811 yards and 74 touchdowns, averaging 243.3 yards per game during his career at Valdosta. He joined the Florida State football program prior to the 2020 season. In fact, Rodemaker was one of the first commitments Mike Norvell received following his appointment to the head coaching position. In his nearly four-year career with the Seminoles, Rodemaker has primarily served in a backup capacity, although he did make his first career start against Jacksonville State in 2020. He’s appeared in 20 total games over the course of those four years (6 of which have come in 2023) and boasts a career stat-line of 56 completions on 93 attempts for 767 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions. Now a redshirt junior, Rodemaker is set to inherit the starting role albeit prematurely. Whether or not he is ready for the pressure and the spotlight that comes with being a top-5 team in the country is yet to be seen, but all eyes will be on him come Saturday evening.
Luckily for the Seminoles, Tate Rodemaker is not exactly a greenhorn. He’s spent a considerable amount of time within the program and garnered a fair share of game experience during that time. For example, the last time he came on in relief for a Travis injury was the contest against Louisville in 2022. When he entered the game, the ‘Noles were trailing by a 7-point margin. Rodemaker led the Seminoles to a 35-31 victory and finished the game with six completions for 109 yards and 2 touchdowns. He proved his capabilities against North Alabama last week as well when he spearheaded a run of 58 unanswered points with 217 yards and 2 TDs through the air. Although still rather unproven, Rodemaker possesses a strong arm, impressive athleticism, and a comprehensive understanding of Norvell’s system. If he can find ways to get the ball into the hands of his playmakers, such as wider receivers Keon Coleman and Johnny Wilson, then the Seminoles will stand a fair chance at continuing their run.
2. Johnny Wilson, Wide Receiver
Rodemaker’s success will be contingent upon his ability to connect with the laundry list of playmakers that surround him on the offense. Among them is Johnny Wilson, who hasn’t exactly garnered the same levels of attention as his peer Keon Coleman but still delivers at a very high level. Throughout the 2023 season so far, Wilson has notched 33 receptions for 532 yards and 2 touchdowns. Side note: he trails only Keon Coleman in most of those categories. With that being said, I believe Wilson’s involvement in the passing game to be paramount come Saturday, especially when you consider the already-established connection he and Rodemaker have with one another.
During last year’s Louisville game, he and Rodemaker combined for both explosive and very timely plays through the air. Wilson finished the game with 7 receptions for 149 yards and 2 TDS, most of which came from via Rodemaker. The two already have an established rapport with one other, a chemistry that will be instrumental in helping the new quarterback find his groove within the offense. On top of that, the Florida Gators' secondary has yielded five 100-yard receivers in their last 6 games. Their struggles to contain explosive receivers bode well for an FSU wide receiver corps that is deeply talented. If Rodemaker and Wilson are able to replicate their previous outing together, the Seminoles will be able to show off Rodemaker's arm strength, take the top off of the Gators defense with Wilson's size and speed, and find a way to continue FSU’s prolific passing game.
3. Lawrance Toafili, Running Back
There’s no denying that Jordan Travis was instrumental in the FSU offense far behind just his passing ability. What made Travis special was his ability to extend plays with his legs, and that often led to a horde of rushing yards throughout the course of any given game. In fact, among all rushers for the Seminoles in 2023, Travis’ total rushing yards (176) rank fourth and his rushing touchdowns (7) are the second most. His absence from the lineup means there’s a significant contribution now gone from the FSU rushing attack, and another member of the team will have to find a way to supplant the quarterback’s efforts.
Our “Three Key Matchups” article this week already alluded to the importance of running back Trey Benson and the role he will need to play going forward. In fact, he’d be the ideal candidate for this spot, but we’ve talked about him a few too many times. Instead, the nod is going to another member of the running back room, Lawrance Toafili. So far, Toafili has carried the ball 54 times for 322 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also provides a considerable presence through the air, having recorded 21 receptions for 185 yards and 1 touchdown. While Benson serves as the workhorse back on the ground, Toafili provides a particular presence that allows the ‘Noles to spread the field and diversify their attack. I think Norvell will find unique ways to get Toafili involved that will see him taking on a bigger role within the offense. If that’s the case, Saturday could provide us with our first look, which means you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled.
Florida State is nearing the realization of its goals with every passing week. However, the ‘Noles still have many challenges to overcome before they can reap the rewards of their accomplishments, and they will need impact performances from the likes of the players listed above in order to do so successfully. With so much on the line and a very little margin for error, Mike Norvell’s Seminoles will have to impress in the waning moments of the 2023 season. A matchup against the Florida Gators serves as the first hurdle in a series of hurdles that Florida State will aim to overcome en route to a return to the College Football Playoff.
READ MORE: Florida State Hopped By Washington Huskies In Latest College Football Playoff Rankings
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