FSU Football: Very early prediction has Noles out of top bowl game
By Jason Parker
FSU football was kept out of a New Years Six bowl game for the first time since 2011 when they went to the Independence Bowl last season.
For five straight seasons, the FSU football team enjoyed one of the top bowl games in major college football based on their performance. Twice, the Seminoles were in the Orange Bowl while the Noles made one appearance each in the Peach Bowl, the Rose Bowl and in the final BCS national championship game after the 2013 season.
In 2017, it was a different story for the Seminoles as they not only didn’t go to one of the major bowl games – but they ended up needing to win the final three games of the regular season, including a rescheduled game against Louisiana Monroe, just to make it to Shreveport, Louisiana for an Independence Bowl win over Southern Miss.
In the 2018 season, there are plenty of hopes from FSU football fans and the team that things will be a lot better. Some even think the Seminoles can get back in the race for the ACC Atlantic Division if they can finally overtake Clemson for the first time since the 2014 season.
Even though spring football is still in full swing, one website is already giving some way too early predictions for the 2018 season. College Football News released their predictions for the upcoming year – and while they have the Seminoles going to a slightly better bowl, they still say the Noles will be watching the big games from home.
"National Title Game – Clemson vs. AlabamaOrange Bowl – Clemson vs. GeorgiaPeach Bowl – Miami vs. Michigan StateMusic City Bowl – Georgia Tech vs. Mississippi StateSun Bowl – N.C. State vs. ArizonaBelk Bowl – FLORIDA STATE vs. ArkansasCamping World Bowl – Virginia Tech vs. TexasMilitary Bowl – Boston College vs. NavyPinstripe Bowl – Notre Dame vs. MarylandIndependence Bowl – Wake Forest vs. UABQuick Lane Bowl – Pittsburgh vs. Purdue"
The Belk Bowl in Charlotte is actually the third tie in for the ACC when it comes to bowl game selection this season, so the website essentially thinks that the Seminoles will be the second best team in the Atlantic Division while the Hurricanes and Hokies will be the top two teams in the Coastal Division.
If this were to be the way things play out, with ONLY five months to go until the season even starts, FSU football would be facing the Razorbacks for the first time in history – as Arkansas is one of just three teams from the SEC that the Seminoles have never played along with Missouri and Vanderbilt.
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The Seminoles have been familiar to the six bowl games that either made up the old BCS or the current playoff system (Orange, Rose, Sugar, Fiesta, Cotton and Peach), having played in the games 22 of the last 31 seasons. FSU football hasn’t gone back to back years without playing in one since a four season streak from 2006 to 2009, so you can bet they will be working hard to avoid that distinction this season.