FSU football: Grading our top 10 BOLD predictions for 2023
By Kelvin Hunt
![TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 19: A Florida State Seminoles helmet is seen after a game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns at Doak Campbell Stadium on November 19, 2022 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images) TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA - NOVEMBER 19: A Florida State Seminoles helmet is seen after a game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns at Doak Campbell Stadium on November 19, 2022 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/9f70465fd36d42c89b6efb03d56a9326c3178ff912f27b5f4c087fe510935526.jpg)
FSU will beat BOTH LSU and Clemson
"Well, it won’t take long to find out if this one will hold true. However, I believe FSU matches up well with LSU and is more of a threat to beat FSU than Clemson early in the season. FSU should have the edge with its receivers against the LSU secondary. They have the better quarterback, and I think FSU’s defensive line improved more overall than LSU’s offensive line. I don’t think LSU can run the ball consistently against FSU, and I don’t trust Jayden Daniels has improved as much as LSU folks think. I think it’s more Jayden Daniels looks good because LSU’s secondary is suspect than anything else. As far as Clemson, yes, the game is on the road, but they have a young quarterback with a new offensive coordinator. I don’t think they have the guys at wide receiver to do big damage, and FSU moved the ball just fine agains their defense last year. I like how FSU matches up with them this year and think they knock both of them off."
I knew I had this one in the bag after week four! I explained why I thought FSU would win both games, and both turned out to be true. I was right about everything except Jayden Daniels not improving as much as some thought.
He won the Heisman Trophy Saturday night, but it’s a testament to how good the FSU defense was in 2023. They held him to his worst game all year and only 17 points before garbage time. Clemson was just as I thought, even on the road.