Chop Chat
Fansided

FSU Football among few playing multiple Power Five non conference foes

By Jason Parker

GAINESVILLE, FL - NOVEMBER 25: Jacques Patrick #9 of the Florida State Seminoles is tackled by Chauncey Gardner Jr. #23 of the Florida Gators during the first half of the game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images)
GAINESVILLE, FL - NOVEMBER 25: Jacques Patrick #9 of the Florida State Seminoles is tackled by Chauncey Gardner Jr. #23 of the Florida Gators during the first half of the game at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Gainesville, Florida. (Photo by Rob Foldy/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

FSU football will face not just an eight game slate of Power Five teams from the ACC, but also face two power teams in the non-conference slate yet again.

Anyone who has been following FSU football over the years knows that the Seminoles have no problem playing anyone, anywhere at any time. As it turns out, the Noles are one of the few teams that still believe in doing that who are among the teams that are considered a Power Five program in the FBS.

In 2018, the Seminoles will face their normal eight game slate of conference games from the ACC – a slate that includes Clemson, Virginia Tech and Miami – while also playing two more in their annual finale with Florida and a November 10th contest at Notre Dame, who despite being an independent team gets classified as a power program for opponents along with fellow indy BYU.

It will be the fourth time in the last five seasons that FSU football is doing such a thing, and the Seminoles seem to be in the minority. Among the 64 power teams in the five major conferences, just 13 of them will be playing multiple Power Five out of conference games this season (h/t FBSchedules.com)

"ACCClemson – Texas A&M (Sept. 8) and South Carolina (Nov. 24)Duke – Northwestern (Sept. 8) and Baylor (Sept. 15)Florida State – Notre Dame (Nov. 10) and Florida (Nov. 24)Louisville – Alabama (Sept. 1 in Orlando) and Kentucky (Nov. 24)Pitt – Penn State (Sept. 8) and Notre Dame (Oct. 13)Big TenNorthwestern – Duke (Sept. 8 )and Notre Dame (Nov. 3).Ohio State – Oregon State (Sept. 1) and TCU (Sept. 15 in Arlington, Texas)Purdue – Missouri (Sept. 15) and Boston College (Sept. 22)Big 12Texas – Maryland (Sept. 1 in Landover, Maryland) and USC (Sept. 15).West Virginia – Tennessee (Sept. 1, at Charlotte, NC) and NC State (Sept. 15)Pac-12Cal – North Carolina (Sept. 1) and BYU (Sept. 8)USC – Texas (Sept. 15) and Notre Dame (Nov. 24)Washington – Auburn (Sept. 1, in Atlanta) and BYU (Sept. 29)"

First off, it’s pretty amazing to me that teams know strength of schedule is going to be a major angle of the playoff system that will be entering a fifth edition this season – and yet just 20 percent of the power teams have beefed up their schedule with just seven of those teams not getting to the number by playing independent teams.

Next: Willie Taggart says only Power Five teams will play for title

Something else you notice: no SEC teams are making the list…I guess it doesn’t actually mean more in that conference, but I digress. FSU football and others in the ACC have no problem scheduling their annual rivalry games with SEC foes and another decent non-conference game, so maybe our little brothers in that other conference will follow our lead one day.

Home/FSU Football