Game Preview: Florida State vs. Florida
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Game Introduction
The last time No. 16 Florida State (8-3) defeated Florida (6-5), Jimbo Fisher was the head coach of the Seminoles and current starters like redshirt junior quarterback Jordan Travis (Louisville) and redshirt sophomore defensive end Jared Verse (high school) were unknowns to FSU fans.
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After three consecutive losses in the series, Florida State has a chance to defeat the Gators in a standalone primetime game on Nov. 25.
Both programs have already reached bowl eligibility, but aren't in contention for either of their conference championships.
This game also marks the rivalry debut of first-year head coach Billy Napier, who shares a similar Group of Five head coaching background as Florida State head coach Mike Norvell.
Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. on ABC.
Seminole headlines
A chance at five in a row
Florida State's season can be split into three parts.
The Seminoles started 4-0, including a victory over LSU, who has since won the Southeastern Conference (SEC) East and is No. 5 in the College Football Playoff rankings.
After, they dropped three straight games to divisional opponents and lost a chance at contending in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
Following its bye week, Florida State won four straight games and has locked up second in the ACC Atlantic division.
In the final week of the regular season, Norvell has the Seminoles in a position to defeat their rival and finish with their best record since 2016.
Run game remains at the forefront
In its 49-17 victory over Lousiana on Nov. 19, FSU didn't get fancy with offensive playcalling against a Group of Five opponent. Instead, they ran the ball 45 times for 251 yards.
In 2022, the Seminoles have leaned on redshirt sophomore running backs Treshaun Ward, Trey Benson, and Lawrance Toafili out of the backfield.
Florida allows 171.5 rushing yards per contest and has shown vulnerability to defending the run at points this season. Additionally, the Gators are without their second-leading tackler Ventrell Miller in the first half. The redshirt senior linebacker was ejected for targeting in the second half versus Vanderbilt.
Burning questions
How will the Seminoles fare against Anthony Richardson?
Florida sophomore quarterback Anthony Richardson is responsible for 23 touchdowns for the Gators. The Gainesville native has the arm strength and rushing ability to give FSU problems in a variety of ways.
Since coming off their bye week, the Seminoles have allowed 39 points in four games. However, they haven't faced a quarterback like Richardson in that span.
Richardson will be shorthanded on weapons. ESPN confirmed that five Florida wide wide receivers are out against the Seminoles, including redshirt junior wide receiver Justin Shorter, who leads the Gators in receiving yards (577).
What aggressiveness do we see from Norvell in the first half?
We've had a limited sample size of Norvell against rivals (didn't coach against Miami in 2020 and the Florida game wasn't played that year), but it was evident against the Hurricanes a few weeks ago he wanted to send a message.
Florida State jumped out to a 31-3 halftime lead against the Hurricanes before defeating its in-state rivals 45-3. FSU kept their foot on the gas through four quarters but made sure to deliver plenty of blows in the first couple of possessions.
Norvell is the longest-tenured coach between FSU, Florida and Miami and has momentum with the Seminoles at No. 16 in the College Football Rankings. In his first game against Napier, Norvell could execute a similar plan to Miami and have aggressive play calls dialed up to put the Gators away early.
Forecast
The Seminoles have the opportunity to sweep their in-state rivals (Florida and Miami) for the first time since 2016. Richardson is a dynamic playmaker, but defensive coordinator Adam Fuller has Florida State's defense playing arguably its best football of the season. In front of a national audience, Norvell and FSU close the regular season with a rivalry win.
Florida State 35, Florida 23
READ MORE: Florida State Seminoles release Depth Chart for rivalry game against Florida Gators
Stick with NoleGameday for more coverage of Florida State football throughout the season.
