Sunday’s top-10 showdown between No. 5 LSU and No. 8 Florida State at Camping World Stadium in Orlando is not only one of the main games of Week 1, but also one of the biggest and best non-conference matchups in all of college -Football 2023 regular season schedule. Two huge brands with huge fan bases in one prime-time venue is always enough to generate excitement, but that excitement is multiplied by what every team did last year after Florida State’s wild 24-23 win in last year’s season opener has cut off.
LSU bounced back from the one-point loss – which came due to a blocked extra point with no time left – with a 10-win campaign that included victories over Alabama, Ole Miss and Auburn en route to the SEC West title. Brian Kelly’s arrival in Baton Rouge, Louisiana brought with it the promise of a return to championship contention. Although LSU lost by a wide margin to Georgia in Atlanta, the Tigers were already playing for the SEC championship under Kelly and quickly raised expectations of what can be accomplished in 2023.
Florida State also finished last year with 10 wins, which was the first time for the Seminoles since 2016. The rise under coach Mike Norvell has seen Florida State go from three wins to five to 10, and last season’s win against LSU helped reaffirming wins against Florida and Oklahoma suggest that this program too is ready for the next step.
With last year’s success leading to top-10 finishes and expectations of participation in the College Football Playoff for both teams, the stakes could be set for a non-conference battle that proves pivotal in the playoff debates down the road in the season will prove to be no higher. The winner walks away with one of the best wins a competitor can have on their profile, while the loser has no margin for error in the final 11 games on the schedule.
Follow LIVE updates from Orlando as LSU takes on Florida State
How to watch LSU vs. Florida State live
Date: Sunday September 3rd | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Camping World Stadium – Orlando, Florida
TV: ABC | Live broadcast: fubo (Try for free)
LSU vs. Florida State: What you need to know
The quarterbacks competing for the Heisman take center stage: LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels and Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis are among the top players on the Heisman Trophy odds board, and each will be the engine of their respective offenses this season. Both also boast high-caliber wide receiver rooms, with LSU’s Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas set to become household names, while Florida State’s All-ACC candidate Johnny Wilson is now joined by Keon Coleman, a talented wideout with NFL Future, the transfer from Michigan State who decided to transfer portal after spring practice. What makes the quarterbacks even more exciting is the fact that both secondaries are arguably the weaker spots on each defense, so we should see plenty of big plays from the passing game throughout the evening.
LSU vs. FSU could be renamed Portal Bowl: Both coaches have used the transfer portal to fill roster needs and add top talent from the transfer portal. Norvell has been around for a while and has stacked several top transfer classes in each of the last three offseasons. Most recently, he signed a group that was ranked No. 6 in 247Sports’ 2023 transfer team rankings. Like Norvell, Kelly has used the transfer portal out of a need to quickly rebuild the roster at a proud program that wants to compete for championships. LSU finished No. 3 and No. 2 in the transfer rankings in each of the two offseasons in which Kelly was coach, providing immediate success despite a roster overhaul during the Ed Orgeron era.
LSU defeats a key defensive player: LSU defensive tackle Maason Smith is expected to be one of the Tigers’ defensive stars this year, returning to action after missing all of last season with an ACL injury. Unfortunately, he will miss the opener against Florida State while serving a one-game suspension for NCAA violations stemming from an autograph session that took place shortly before NIL went into effect in the summer of 2021. Would Smith have only participated in the same activity? A few months later it could have been allowed under the new rules. Had he been allowed to serve a suspension last season, he would be eligible to compete in this top-10 fight. As it stands, LSU will be without a key part of its defensive front against one of the more experienced offenses in the country. Kelly has used this development to express his confidence in the depth of the defensive line and this group’s ability to play at a winning level – even with Smith on the sideline.
LSU vs Florida State Prediction, Tips
Both quarterbacks are excellent, both wide receivers are elite, and we have big questions about both teams’ secondary. All of that adds up to a ton of touchdowns and a point total that’s higher than the oddsmakers’ number, in my opinion. I expect Florida State to win the game outright, but I’m very confident that Daniels and Travis are in for a quarterback duel for the ages. Prediction: Above 56.5
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