After a resounding Week 1 victory away from Tallahassee, Florida State football's home opener is here.
The No. 4 Seminoles (1-0) play their first game of the 2023 season at Doak Campbell Stadium tonight at 8:30 p.m. on ACC Network against Southern Miss (1-0).
FSU is a sizable 30.5-point favorite over the Golden Eagles after beating then-No. 5 LSU 45-24 Sunday night in Orlando. USM beat FCS Alcorn State 40-14 in its season opener last week.
The Seminoles leads the all-time series over Southern Miss 14-8-1 and have won 12 of the last 14 games in the series. This will be the first matchup between the two teams since FSU beat USM 42-13 in the 2017 Independence Bowl and the first matchup in Tallahassee since FSU won 54-14 back in 1996.
FSU head coach Mike Norvell said this week that his team came out of the LSU game in a good spot health-wise. However, he's talked about some bumps and bruises as the Seminoles recover from a short-week turnaround for their home opener.
We'll share updates from FSU's pregame warmups in terms of who is available starting around 6:30 p.m. when the press box opens. We'll also be sharing game updates here once things get underway in Tallahassee.
Some pregame notes from FSU sports information:
Florida State opened its season with a 45-24 victory over No. 5 LSU on Sunday evening in Orlando. The Seminoles, who
trailed 17-14 at halftime, scored 31 consecutive points to open the second half before an LSU touchdown with 1:15
remaining in the fourth quarter provided the final margin.
» With the win, Florida State jumped four spots in the AP Poll to No. 4, its highest in-season ranking since being No. 2
in 2016. FSU received three first-place votes, second only to No. 1 Georgia.
» The Seminoles extended their winning streak to seven games, the longest active streak in the ACC and the fifth-
longest active streak in the country.
» FSU’s 45 points against No. 5 LSU tied for the most points against a top-five opponent in a season opener in the poll
era, dating back to the first AP poll in 1936. The last time a team scored 45 points against a top-five opponent in a
season opener was 1968 when No. 3 Notre Dame defeated No. 5 Oklahoma 45-21 (via ESPN Stats & Info).
» Florida State scored 45 points against a top-five opponent for the fifth time in program history and first time since
a 51-14 win at No. 3 Clemson in 2013. The other times were a 46-29 victory over No. 2 Virginia Tech in the Jan. 4, 2000,
National Championship Game, a 51-31 victory at No. 3 Michigan in 1991 and a 48-6 win over No. 5 Kentucky in 1964.
» The Seminoles’ points total vs. No. 5 LSU were their most against a ranked opponent since a 45-34 win over No. 11 Ole
Miss to open the 2016 season in a game also played in Orlando.
» FSU scored 31 points after halftime vs. No. 5 LSU, the most second-half points against a top-five opponent in program
history. It also was the most second-half points nationally against a top-five opponent in a non-playoff game since
September 26, 2020, when Kansas State scored 31 second-half points at No. 3 Oklahoma. That has only happened
two other times since the beginning of the 2014 season, both in 2018, when Purdue scored 35 second-half points
against No. 2 Ohio State and Ohio State scored 38 second-half points against No. 4 Michigan.
» The Seminoles are the only team in the ACC with two players who scored multiple touchdowns in the same game.
Wide receiver Keon Coleman caught three touchdowns, while tight end Jaheim Bell registered one receiving and one
rushing touchdown vs. No. 5 LSU. Quarterback Jordan Travis' five touchdowns responsible for, courtesy of a career-
high four passing touchdowns and one rushing score, also are the most in the ACC in a game this season.
» FSU has scored at least 35 points in seven straight games, the longest active streak in the nation and the program’s
longest 35-point stretch since the 2013 national championship season.
» Florida State’s defense was feisty all night in the victory over No. 5 LSU, highlighted by holding the Tigers to 3-of-10
on 3rd-down attempts and 0-for-3 on 4th-down plays. The Seminoles faced 10 snaps inside their own 5-yard line and
allowed only two scores. On LSU’s first drive of the game, the Tigers had six plays inside the five-yard line, including
four snaps from the 1-yard line, and the FSU defense forced a turnover on downs with a 13-yard sack on 4th-and-1.
» Florida State's roster features 88 different players who have combined for 1,650 collegiate appearances and 41
players who have started at least one game combining for 659 collegiate starts.
» The Seminoles' offensive line is by far the most experienced group in the country as they have a nation's-best 310
games played and 219 combined starts, ranking well ahead of the next-closest team nationally in both categories.
Nine different offensive lineman have started at least one.
The No. 4 Seminoles (1-0) play their first game of the 2023 season at Doak Campbell Stadium tonight at 8:30 p.m. on ACC Network against Southern Miss (1-0).
FSU is a sizable 30.5-point favorite over the Golden Eagles after beating then-No. 5 LSU 45-24 Sunday night in Orlando. USM beat FCS Alcorn State 40-14 in its season opener last week.
The Seminoles leads the all-time series over Southern Miss 14-8-1 and have won 12 of the last 14 games in the series. This will be the first matchup between the two teams since FSU beat USM 42-13 in the 2017 Independence Bowl and the first matchup in Tallahassee since FSU won 54-14 back in 1996.
FSU head coach Mike Norvell said this week that his team came out of the LSU game in a good spot health-wise. However, he's talked about some bumps and bruises as the Seminoles recover from a short-week turnaround for their home opener.
We'll share updates from FSU's pregame warmups in terms of who is available starting around 6:30 p.m. when the press box opens. We'll also be sharing game updates here once things get underway in Tallahassee.
Some pregame notes from FSU sports information:
Florida State opened its season with a 45-24 victory over No. 5 LSU on Sunday evening in Orlando. The Seminoles, who
trailed 17-14 at halftime, scored 31 consecutive points to open the second half before an LSU touchdown with 1:15
remaining in the fourth quarter provided the final margin.
» With the win, Florida State jumped four spots in the AP Poll to No. 4, its highest in-season ranking since being No. 2
in 2016. FSU received three first-place votes, second only to No. 1 Georgia.
» The Seminoles extended their winning streak to seven games, the longest active streak in the ACC and the fifth-
longest active streak in the country.
» FSU’s 45 points against No. 5 LSU tied for the most points against a top-five opponent in a season opener in the poll
era, dating back to the first AP poll in 1936. The last time a team scored 45 points against a top-five opponent in a
season opener was 1968 when No. 3 Notre Dame defeated No. 5 Oklahoma 45-21 (via ESPN Stats & Info).
» Florida State scored 45 points against a top-five opponent for the fifth time in program history and first time since
a 51-14 win at No. 3 Clemson in 2013. The other times were a 46-29 victory over No. 2 Virginia Tech in the Jan. 4, 2000,
National Championship Game, a 51-31 victory at No. 3 Michigan in 1991 and a 48-6 win over No. 5 Kentucky in 1964.
» The Seminoles’ points total vs. No. 5 LSU were their most against a ranked opponent since a 45-34 win over No. 11 Ole
Miss to open the 2016 season in a game also played in Orlando.
» FSU scored 31 points after halftime vs. No. 5 LSU, the most second-half points against a top-five opponent in program
history. It also was the most second-half points nationally against a top-five opponent in a non-playoff game since
September 26, 2020, when Kansas State scored 31 second-half points at No. 3 Oklahoma. That has only happened
two other times since the beginning of the 2014 season, both in 2018, when Purdue scored 35 second-half points
against No. 2 Ohio State and Ohio State scored 38 second-half points against No. 4 Michigan.
» The Seminoles are the only team in the ACC with two players who scored multiple touchdowns in the same game.
Wide receiver Keon Coleman caught three touchdowns, while tight end Jaheim Bell registered one receiving and one
rushing touchdown vs. No. 5 LSU. Quarterback Jordan Travis' five touchdowns responsible for, courtesy of a career-
high four passing touchdowns and one rushing score, also are the most in the ACC in a game this season.
» FSU has scored at least 35 points in seven straight games, the longest active streak in the nation and the program’s
longest 35-point stretch since the 2013 national championship season.
» Florida State’s defense was feisty all night in the victory over No. 5 LSU, highlighted by holding the Tigers to 3-of-10
on 3rd-down attempts and 0-for-3 on 4th-down plays. The Seminoles faced 10 snaps inside their own 5-yard line and
allowed only two scores. On LSU’s first drive of the game, the Tigers had six plays inside the five-yard line, including
four snaps from the 1-yard line, and the FSU defense forced a turnover on downs with a 13-yard sack on 4th-and-1.
» Florida State's roster features 88 different players who have combined for 1,650 collegiate appearances and 41
players who have started at least one game combining for 659 collegiate starts.
» The Seminoles' offensive line is by far the most experienced group in the country as they have a nation's-best 310
games played and 219 combined starts, ranking well ahead of the next-closest team nationally in both categories.
Nine different offensive lineman have started at least one.
