FSU football: Noles ranked No. 4 in latest AP Poll after demolishing LSU

I argued for FSU football to have a higher preseason ranking than LSU, Clemson, and others before the official preseason rankings were released a few weeks ago.

The amount of returning production, player development, and top targets from the transfer portal told me FSU would be one of the top programs in the nation. Teams like Clemson were breaking in new quarterbacks with new coordinators.

LSU lost to FSU last year and lost to a Texas A&M team that didn’t make a bowl last season late in the year. USC had a defense that couldn’t stop my high school team, and it appears still has that issue. FSU won six straight to end the season, so to have those teams ranked in front didn’t make sense.

I get it because FSU hasn’t beaten Clemson since 2014, but those past years don’t have anything to do with the 2023 rosters. FSU demolished LSU in the second half, winning 45-24(it really was 45-17 before a garbage time touchdown with backups playing took place).

Nevertheless, the latest AP Poll saw FSU leap LSU and others to the No. 4 spot.

Georgia received the most first-place votes with 58, Michigan got two first-place votes, and FSU received three first-place votes. Ohio State and USC didn’t look great in their first games, and Alabama got off to a slow start in their first outing.

I’m still a proponent of waiting until around week four or five before sending out a top-25 ranking. The results of those first four weeks give you a better indication of where teams are opposed to media members with inherit biases. For instance, there is no reason Colorado should crack the top 25 after barely beating TCU.

Yes, I understand TCU had a No. 17 preseason ranking, but there are nowhere near a top-25 team. Regardless, FSU is in the driver’s seat with Clemson losing to Duke Monday night.