FSU Football Should Schedule Multi-Game Series Against FIU or FAU

With upcoming schedules having openings, FSU football should play games against two FBS teams they have never played, FIU or FAU.

This week, FSU football was put under the microscope for the decision to hand out state championship rings to players for the 2015 season. The move also brought back the debate about how you can declare a state champ when the Seminoles are the only school playing at least two teams from the state of Florida each season.

For nearly the first decade and a half, FSU football would actually play three teams from the Sunshine State on a regular basis. It actually started with games against Tampa, who haven’t had a team since the 1970’s, and Stetson, who have restarted their program recently, joined by Miami in the early 1950’s before Florida jumped on the schedule in 1958.

It would be over 35 years before the Seminoles would have three teams on their schedule from the state, when FSU took on Miami, Florida and UCF for the first and only time. In 2009, it was USF’s debut on the schedule, when they upset the Seminoles in Tallahassee in a season where FSU went 0 for the state.

In fact, FSU football wouldn’t win three Sunshine State games in the same season until 2012, when they got revenge on the Bulls in Tampa. The last three seasons where the ‘Noles have had three games against in-state foes, they have gone 3-0 (joined in 2013 by Bethune-Cookman and 2015 by USF).

For years, the Seminoles looked outside of the state for games to get respect and a hefty paycheck. Now that FSU football is one of the top programs in the nation, it is time to reward those in the state of Florida with more games against in-state teams.

I’m not saying that the Seminoles should play teams from the FCS level (Stetson, Jacksonville, Bethune-Cookman or even crosstown Florida A&M) since that doesn’t help the schedule strength. While it would be nice to play UCF more often and maybe continue playing USF every so often, there are two schools in South Florida that have never played FSU on the gridiron…and it’s time to change that.

Both the Florida Atlantic Owls and the FIU Golden Panthers have been playing college football for the last decade and a half, moving to the FBS level in 2005. Since then, they have been to bowl games, had winning seasons and even won conference crowns (in the Sun Belt and Conference USA). During that time, they have played the state’s other big programs, Miami and Florida…but not the Seminoles.

It’s time to change that.

Much like with UCF or USF, I’m not proposing that FSU football schedules games against either FIU or FAU every single year for the next 20 years. I’m also not suggesting to cancel games against Ole Miss, Alabama or Notre Dame…but FSU fans would love to see a game against either Sunshine State school over a FCS opponent like Charleston Southern or Chattanooga.

In addition to being an upgrade schedule wise, it also would provide fans and alumni of FSU another chance to see the ‘Noles in South Florida. With the yearly game against Miami being played on the road each even numbered year, playing in Boca Raton (FAU) or West Miami-Dade County (FIU) would be great for supporters of the ‘Noles living in Miami-Dade, Broward or Palm Beach County (and even those from Fort Myers who would come across the state).

In all honesty, FSU football also wouldn’t have to worry about being upset in an inaugural meeting with either school they way they were by USF back in 2009. FIU has had just two winning seasons all time and has won just eight games over the last three years. FAU had some success in the FCS level and when they first moved up, but have had just won non-losing year since 2008, finishing 6-6 just two seasons ago.

With at least two openings on the schedule starting in 2017, doing some kind of system of playing other FBS schools from Florida in addition to yearly games against the Gators and Hurricanes would be something the Seminoles should seriously consider doing. Starting with two programs never seen before would be something great for the ‘Noles and the entire state.