FSU football 2017 games ranked among best in state by major newspaper
By Jason Parker
FSU football has a slate of games that might be the best in the nation – and one newspaper says it certainly has some of the best in the state.
In just under a month and a half, FSU football and five of the state’s other FBS teams will take the field to kick off the 2017 season (with USF starting a week earlier). The Seminoles will arguably have the best opener of the season when they take on Alabama, followed weeks later by the annual rivalry battle with the Miami Hurricanes.
With weeks to go until the start of the year, the Seminoles are ranked as having a top 10 schedule nationally. While there are a few cupcakes in the 12 game slate (looking at you, Delaware State), the Noles have a schedule that will test them if Florida State wants to make it back to the ACC Championship and the College Football Playoff.
Recently, the Tampa Bay Times ranked all 79 games taking place this season involving the seven FBS teams playing in the state of Florida (including the five interstate games on the slate, including FSU football’s battles with Miami and Florida). Not surprisingly, the Seminoles were very well represented in the top five:
"1. FSU-Alabama, Sept. 2, Atlanta2. FSU at Clemson, Nov. 114. Miami at FSU, Sept. 165. FSU at UF, Nov. 2510. Louisville at FSU, Oct. 2116. Syracuse at FSU, Nov. 427. North Carolina State at FSU, Sept. 2341. FSU at Duke, Oct. 1442. FSU at Boston College, Oct. 2752. FSU at Wake Forest, Sept. 3071. Louisiana-Monroe at FSU, Sept. 976. Delaware State at FSU, Nov. 18"
The only other game in the top five not involving the Seminoles was the battle between Florida and LSU on October 7th. The worst game of the year in the Sunshine State according to the paper? When Alcorn State takes on FIU on September 9th – in fact, the worst seven games ranked are each FBS team’s one game this year against a FCS school.
Next: Top FSU Football Wins Over Rivals Florida and Miami
While much of the attention is being paid to the first five games on the list for FSU football, games against N.C. State and Syracuse could be interesting for the Seminoles based on where they are on the schedule (the Wolfpack after games with Alabama and Miami, the Orange right before Clemson) and what both teams bring to the party this year.