Game Preview: Florida State vs. Oklahoma
Game Introduction
After weeks of bowl preparation, No. 13 Florida State (9-3) is set to take the field in Orlando, Florida, against Oklahoma (6-6) in the Cheez-It Bowl on Dec. 29.
In seven all-time meetings, Oklahoma leads the series 6-1. The Sooners defeated the Seminoles in the home-and-home series they scheduled in 2010-11.
The Seminoles sat 4-3 midway through the regular season but came out of their bye and rattled off five consecutive wins, including two over in-state rivals Miami and Florida.
Head coach Brent Venables led Oklahoma to its worst record since 1998 in his first season in Norman, Oklahoma. The Sooners started 3-0 but went 3-6 against the Big 12 and finished eighth in the conference.
Kickoff is 5:30 p.m. on ESPN.
Seminole headlines
Offense at full strength
The last time we saw head coach Mike Norvell and FSU's offense, they put up 45 points and 497 total yards against Florida on Nov. 25.
Florida State has the luxury other bowl teams don't: zero opt-outs.
The offense rests on the shoulders of redshirt junior quarterback Jordan Travis. He'll have a full backfield behind him, led by redshirt sophomore running back Trey Benson, who is returning in 2023. Travis and Benson combined for 194 rushing yards and five touchdowns versus Florida.
This bowl is the final game for redshirt senior wide receiver Ontaria Wilson, who has built a rapport with Travis and connected for three touchdowns in 2022. Redshirt sophomore Johnny Wilson hasn't announced his plans for next season but is active for the bowl game.
Handling being the favorite
The Seminoles swept both in-state rivals, climbed to No. 13 in the College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings and capped the regular season on a five-game win streak.
Their second half of the season garnered enough attention to be 9.5-point favorites versus the Sooners. This bowl game provides the fanbase an early look at how FSU handles increased expectations before what's trending to be a lofty 2023.
ESPN analyst and former Alabama quarterback Greg McElroy said Florida State is his favorite pick of bowl season at the 7:35 mark in this clip.
"I think Florida State might be my favorite pick of the bowl season because I think they're going to dominate ... dominate Oklahoma," McElroy said. "I really believe that."
With so many opt-outs for Oklahoma, it'll be something to monitor if FSU comes out pedal to the medal or sluggish.
Burning questions
How do the Seminoles fare against Oklahoma's offense?
Redshirt junior quarterback Dillion Gabriel operates the Sooners' offense after three seasons at the University of Central Florida (UCF).
In 11 games, Gabriel threw for 2,925 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions. His 63% completion percentage was the second-highest mark of his career.
In Oklahoma's 51-48 overtime loss against Texas Tech on Nov. 26, Gabriel had arguably his best performance of 2022. He completed 28-of-40 passes for 449 yards and six touchdowns.
Even though senior running back Eric Gray opted out, Gabriel has his leading weapon in junior wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr (52 receptions, 1,006 reciting yards, six touchdowns). He'll also have freshman running back Jovante Barnes (89 rushes, 411 rushing yards and four touchdowns) out of the backfield.
During their win streak, the Seminoles' defense has allowed 15.4 points per game. In that span, they've also recorded seven turnovers.
Is this Jared Verse's final game at Florida State?
Following in the footsteps of former Seminole Jermaine Johnson II in 2021, redshirt sophomore defensive end Jared Verse has bolstered Florida State's defense immediately after coming to Tallahassee via the transfer portal.
Despite battling injuries, Verse has totaled 41 tackles (19 solo), 7.5 sacks and one forced fumble.
Like Johnson II, Verse has an opportunity to become a first-round draft pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Dayton, Ohio, native said he'll make a decision in the coming weeks after the bowl game.
Forecast
Unlike Oklahoma, Florida State doesn't have any starters who opted out. The Seminoles have a potential first-round NFL Draft pick in Verse suiting up and starters active at every position. Both programs haven't played since the last week of November and have multiple weeks of preparation under their belts. Behind its veterans, Florida State gets its first bowl victory since 2017 and takes a six-game win streak into 2023.
Florida State 38, Oklahoma 27
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