ORLANDO, Fla. — Florida State earned its first spot in the College Football Playoff rankings since 2016, with the Seminoles ranked No. 23 in the latest poll released Tuesday night.
It’s the 20th time FSU has appeared in the Playoff rankings, but the first since Dec. 4, 2016, when the team finished No. 11.
Florida State (6-3) is coming off an impressive 45-3 win over rival Miami last Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium. It was the largest victory by a road team in series history and the third win by at least 30 points this season. The win also made the Seminoles bowl-eligible for the first time since 2019.
Playoff committee chair Boo Corrigan explained the reasoning for FSU’s ranking.
“The win over LSU, a win at Louisville and a tough stretch for them going Wake, NC State and Clemson,” Corrigan said. “Their defense is giving up less than 20 points a game, plus a good win over Miami.
“We’re looking at a body of work. We’re looking over the 10 weeks of the season and making sure we’re making the right decisions, and that’s how Florida State came into the discussion at that point.”
FSU was ranked in the Associated Press and coaches’ top 25 polls this week at No. 25. It’s the second time the Seminoles have been ranked in both polls since Sept. 25.
Florida State travels to Syracuse Saturday, hoping to extend its winning streak to three games, before returning home to host Louisiana and instate rival Florida.
