The 2023 Florida State Seminoles football team represented Florida State University in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Seminoles were led by Mike Norvell, in his fourth year as their head coach. The Seminoles played home games at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida; the team drew an average home attendance of 78,711 in 2023, the 15th highest in college football[1]
Looking to build on the success of the 2022 season, Florida State started strong with a win against LSU. The Seminoles remained undefeated during the regular season; however, during the game against North Alabama, senior quarterback Jordan Travis suffered a season-ending injury, marking the end of his college football career.[2] Florida State went on to win the ACC Championship Game against Louisville. Travis was named ACC Offensive Player of the Year and ACC Player of the Year while Norvell was named ACC Coach of the Year.[3]
Despite winning the ACC title and finishing 13–0, Florida State was ranked No. 5 in the final College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings, which made them the first undefeated Power Five conference team not selected for the playoff (contested since the 2014 FBS season), with the Southeastern Conference (SEC) champions Alabama and Big 12 Conference champions Texas, both with 12–1 records, selected ahead of the undefeated Seminoles.[4] The CFP selection committee stated Florida State was left out of the playoffs because of the season-ending injury to Travis. The committee factors player availability into its selections—committee chairman Boo Corrigan said Florida State was "a different team" without Travis.[5] Following this exclusion, the university’s board of trustees initiated legal action against the ACC, challenging the conference’s Grant of Rights and its withdrawal fee (a penalty of $130 million, should a school leave the conference).[6]
Florida State was instead invited to the Orange Bowl against Georgia, where they were defeated by the Bulldogs in the biggest loss in bowl history, following multiple opt-outs and transfers. Defensive end Jared Verse was later selected in the first round of the NFL Draft[7] along with nine other Seminoles selected in the draft,[8] while three others signed as undrafted free agents.
The 2023 season was the conference's first season since 2004 that its scheduling format included just one division.[9]
Roster
Head coach
Assistant coaches
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