2023 was an unforgettable year for the Florida State Seminoles football team. Well, for both historic and brutal reasons.
They had a spectacular regular season in which they went 12-0, dominating opponents with a swagger offense and strong defense that allowed them to garner national attention.
In the postseason, they proceeded to win the ACC Championship as it marked their first since 2016. Despite their perfect record at the time, they sustained a season-ending injury to star quarterback Jordan Travis, which impacted them more than they would think.
Despite fulfilling the requirements of earning a spot in the College Football Playoff, they ended up getting left out as they were forced to settle with the Orange Bowl against Georgia. They lost that game 63-3 as several key players opted out, ending the campaign with a 13-1 record.
A different air now surrounds the Seminoles heading into 2024. For head coach Mike Norvell, he spoke to ESPN live on College Gameday about how being left out of the CFP has made the team stronger since that fateful day.
"This is a new year. It's a new opportunity. Obviously, you grow from every experience, every experience you're willing to go through, you're willing to pour your heart into it, you're willing to work through the highs and the lows. I mean, it gets an opportunity to showcase your identity of what's at the core of you?" Norvell said.
"Since January, since we've gotten back, our team has truly just embraced the work, everything we've thrown at them, all things that we tried to put in front of them. They've just kept such a wonderful mindset. They've made the investments, they've come together as a wonderful team and brotherhood since that point. And this is what you do it for. You do it for to be on a stage like this today. To kick off a college football season and for the world to get a glimpse at what this Seminole football team is going to be."
Norvell and the Seminoles enter the 2024 season as a favorite to win the ACC and clinch a spot in the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. It's the first time the new format of the CFP will be utilized, with previous years only having six teams make the cut.
Florida State has flourished in the last two years under Norvell. They have a combined 23-4 (13-3 ACC) record from the 2022 and 2023 campaigns, a testament to how much the Seminoles have improved with Norvell after being rocky in the first two seasons with a 8-13 (6-10) record combined.
With a better shot to make their case for the CFP, keep an eye on Norvell and FSU as they look to show people why they deserved to make it.
Related: Nick Saban Breaks Silence On Florida State Missing College Football Playoff
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