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Tag: APP College Sports

  • Knecht scores 39 to lead Volunteers over Gators in men’s basketball

    Knecht scores 39 to lead Volunteers over Gators in men’s basketball

    KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Dalton Knecht scored a career-high 39 points and had eight rebounds to lead No. 6 Tennessee past Florida 85-66 on Tuesday.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida men’s basketball shot 29% in a rout by Tennessee Tuesday that saw the Gators fall 85-66

    • Dalton Knecht led the Volunteers with 39 points and eight rebounds

    • Walter Clayton Jr. scored 16 points for the Gators

    • The game started two hours early because of dangerous weather

    Jonas Aidoo had 19 points and a team-high 10 rebounds to help the Volunteers (13-4, 3-1 Southeastern Conference) win their 12th consecutive home game.

    “Anytime Jonas is aggressive and locked in, he’s a major factor,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. “The guys are starting to understand each other, where they need the ball.”

    Knecht averaged 32 points in two games last week as he captured SEC Co-Player of the Week honors.

    “I’m just playing with confidence,” Knecht said. “It’s a lot easier with my teammates. It’s a lot of hard work. My teammates make it super easy.”

    Knecht shot 13-of-23 overall, including 4 of 6 on 3-pointers, and made all nine of his free throws.

    “He’s been doing that to everybody,” Florida coach Todd Golden said. “He did a lot in transition and broken plays. We weren’t good enough to protect the rim.”

    The Gators (11-6, 1-3), who haven’t won in Knoxville since 2014, were led by Walter Clayton Jr. with 16 points and Riley Kugel with 12. Tyrese Samuel had 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, and Zyon Pullin scored 11.

    “I thought we got our opportunities at the rim,” Golden said. “We didn’t match their physicality. (The Vols) play with an edge at home.”

    Florida was limited to 29% shooting from the field (20 of 68).

    “They’re an outstanding offensive team,” Barnes said of the Gators. “They’re one of the fastest teams in the country. When you hold a team to 29%, you’re doing a good job.”

    Knecht hit 9 of 10 field goals — including three 3-pointers — and scored 22 points in the first half as Tennessee jumped to a 44-32 halftime lead. A 12-3 run midway through the half gave the Vols some breathing room. Kugel had 10 to lead the Gators in the half.

    “We’re just feeding off the crowd,” Knecht said. “It starts with our defense: Make a stop and score.”

    Florida could not make up the deficit.

    “You don’t want to fall behind against this team,” Golden said. “They’re very disciplined. They’re not going to make mistakes.”

    The game started two hours early because of dangerous weather conditions.

    The takeaway

    Florida: The loss to Tennessee started a stretch of tough games for the Gators. They will play what figures to be four more Quadrant 1 games, considered in the NCAA Evaluation Tool, over the next two weeks. Florida is 0-5 this season in Q1 games and 2-19 over the past two seasons.

    Tennessee: The Vols are giving up eight more points a game (66.0-57.9) compared to last season, but they are scoring eight more points a game (78.7-70.8). The focus for Barnes has been consistency. The Vols have struggled with that all season and it continues to haunt them at times.

    Up next

    Florida: The Gators have another road game Saturday night against Missouri.

    Tennessee: The Vols will remain at home Saturday for a battle with Alabama.

    Associated Press

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  • Napier brings in Ron Roberts as Gators’ executive head coach

    Napier brings in Ron Roberts as Gators’ executive head coach

    GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida announced the hiring of veteran defensive assistant Ron Roberts on Tuesday, adding the former Auburn coordinator to coach Billy Napier’s staff in hopes he can help lead a woeful unit back to prominence.

    Roberts was named executive head coach, co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. He reunites with Austin Armstrong, the team’s 30-year-old defensive coordinator who struggled at times last season. Armstrong considers Roberts a mentor.

    The 56-year-old Roberts fills an opening that was created when linebackers coach Jay Bateman left to become Texas A&M’s defensive coordinator in late December.

    Roberts spent last year at Auburn after three seasons at Baylor. The Bears led the Big 12 with 27 takeaways in 2021, including 19 interceptions, as they won the conference title and beat Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl to finish 12-2.

    The Gators ended the 2023 season on a five-game losing streak, with the defense bearing the brunt of the criticism. The unit allowed 38.2 points a game during the skid. Florida ranked 122nd (of 133 teams) nationally in yards per play and were next to last with 20 pass plays of 40 yards or longer.

    After Florida ended the season with a loss to rival Florida State, Napier fired secondary coach Corey Raymond and defensive line coach Sean Spencer. Napier also reassigned his strength coach and fired his nutritionist.

    Napier has since hired Will Harris to replace Raymond and Gerald Chatman to replace Spencer.

    Associated Press

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  • Florida State, Norvell reach agreement on ‘enhanced contract’

    Florida State, Norvell reach agreement on ‘enhanced contract’

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State and football coach Mike Norvell have agreed to terms on what the university called an “enhanced contract,” the school announced Friday.

    What You Need To Know

    • FSU and football coach Mike Norvell have reached terms on an “enhanced contract,” the program announced

    • Terms were not revealed, but AP and Yahoo reported the deal is worth over $10 million per year for eight years

    • Norvell’s name had come up in speculation as a replacement for recently retired Nick Saban at Alabama

    • The Seminoles have gone 31-17 in Norvell’s four seasons and 23-4 the past two seasons. 

    The Seminoles did not release the terms of the deal, but the Associated Press, citing a source with direct knowledge of the deal, confirmed initial reports by Yahoo that the deal is for eight years and more than $10 million per year.

    The agreement came as Norvell’s name had been mentioned in media reports as a possible replacement at Alabama for Nick Saban, who announced his retirement as the Crimson Tide’s coach on Thursday. The Associated Press and ESPN reported Friday night that Washington coach Kalen DeBoer, whose team was the runner-up to Michigan in the national championship game, has signed a deal to take Alabama’s job. AP cited a source who spoke on condition of anonymity because neither school had announced DeBoer’s decision. 

    “We came to Tallahassee four years ago, and it was a life-changing experience,” Norvell said in a statement on seminoles.com. “Knowing the great history, tradition and expectation has guided our staff on a daily basis. It has been an incredible journey these last four years, and I have fallen in love with this program, the university and the people who I get to represent. I am so excited to continue our climb to push Florida State back to the top of college football. We are committed to being our best on and off the field while helping develop our players to be their best in every area of their lives. I am incredibly thankful for the amazing commitment into our student-athletes and staff from President McCullough, AD Alford and the Board of Trustees.”

    Norvell led the Seminoles (13-1) to an unbeaten regular season in 2023 before they were the first undefeated Power Five conference champion left out of the College Football Playoff, following a season-ending injury to quarterback Jordan Travis.

    Since they were not selected for the College Football Playoffs, the Seminoles have faced some adversity. Norvell stood up for his program and expressed how angry he was that the program was left out after becoming the first undefeated team in CFP history to be left out. The program has filed a lawsuit against the Atlantic Coast Conference, challenging the league’s grant of rights that ties the program to the ACC.

    The Seminoles, who subsequently lost many of their key players to injuries or the NFL Draft before the bowl game, then got crushed by Georgia in the Orange Bowl 63-3. On Thursday, the NCAA announced that a Florida State assistant coach has been suspended for the first three games of the 2024 season for violating recruiting rules by connecting a potential transfer with a representative from a name, image and likeness collective during an official visit. FSU agreed to two years of probation, the loss of a total of five football scholarships over the next two seasons and other restrictions on recruiting, including a reduction of official visits. The school was also fined $5,000.

    In four seasons at Florida State, the 42-year-old Norvell has dramatically improved the program and is 31-17, including 23-4 the past two seasons. The Seminoles went 3-6 in his first season as coach, but Norvell worked patiently through the COVID-19 pandemic to steadily rebuild the program.

    Despite the lopsided Orange Bowl loss, the Seminoles place sixth in the final Top 25 rankings. Norvell was voted the 2023 Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year and the AFCA Region 1 Coach of the Year. He was one of five finalists for the George Munger Coach of the Year Award presented by the Maxwell Football Club and one of 12 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award.

     

    Associated Press

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  • Michigan is unanimous No. 1, FSU 6th in final AP Top 25 football poll

    Michigan is unanimous No. 1, FSU 6th in final AP Top 25 football poll

    HOUSTON, TX — Michigan was voted a unanimous No. 1 in the final Associated Press Top 25 college football poll of the season after the Wolverines beat Washington in the College Football Playoff championship game Monday night to win their first national title in 26 years.

    The Wolverines (15-0) received all 61 first-place votes as the only unbeaten team in the country. Washington (14-1) was second, the Huskies’ best final ranking since finishing No. 2 in 1991. That year, Washington was No. 1 in the final coaches’ poll to claim its only national title.

    Texas (12-2) was third, its best ranking since finishing second in 2009. Georgia (13-1) was fourth and Alabama (12-2), which ended the Bulldogs’ 29-game winning streak in the Southeastern Conference title games to make the playoff, was fifth.

    Florida State (13-1) and Oregon (12-2) finished tied for sixth. The Seminoles’ only loss came in a lopsided Orange Bowl against Georgia after they became the first unbeaten Power Five conference champion to be left out of the playoff and many of their top players opted out of the bowl.

    Missouri was eighth and Mississippi was ninth to give the SEC four teams in the top 10. For the Tigers, it was their best finish since landing at No. 5 in 2013.

    Ohio State was 10th, the Buckeyes’ worst final ranking since they were 12th in 2013.

    Clemson moved back into the poll at No. 20 to extend its streak of being ranked to end the season to 13 years, the second-longest in the nation behind Alabama’s 16.

    Associated Press

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  • Penix Jr.’s path to the national championship game began in Tampa Bay

    Penix Jr.’s path to the national championship game began in Tampa Bay

    PLANT CITY, Fla. — Takisha and Michael Penix Sr. have rewatched the Sugar Bowl a handful of times. Each viewing, they find a new nugget.

    What You Need To Know

    • Led by quarterback Michael Penix Jr., the Washington Huskies will face the Michigan Wolverines in the national championship game

    • Penix grew up on youth football fields in Pasco County

    • He starred on the high school football field at Tampa Bay Tech

    • His parents, Michael Sr. and Takisha, along with about 30 other family members, will be in Houston to cheer him on

    Something their son Michael Jr. did that made them proud.

    Michael’s done a lot to make his parents proud. And even though they were at this game, they like watching the broadcast version.

    “It was just a matter of win. I was like, ‘Win,’” Takisha said. “So a little nervous. But I think we were just confident and trusting that we’re going to find a way.”

    And the Washington Huskies did. The final seconds of this Sugar Bowl had them on the edge of their seats. But in the end, Michael and his teammates punched their ticket to the national championship game. And in that celebratory moment, the former Tampa Bay Tech quarterback gave a shoutout to his hometown.

    How did Michael Penix get to this point, the one where he is one of the top college football players in the nation? His football journey started in Dade City. His mom meticulously documented his youth football days. Those early days with the Pasco Pirates.

    “Just very outgoing,” she said. “And he always wanted to be outside playing with his friends and things like that. So just very active.”

    Even back then, Michael Jr. showed flashes of things to come.

    “At this age, just funny. He’s always cracking jokes,” Takisha said. “Still the same way. Just outgoing and funny and always wanted to be around his family.”

    That hasn’t changed. Family is everything to the Penix’s and they will be in Houston in full force cheering on the Huskies.

    While Michael and his Washington teammates have been game prepping for the College Football Playoffs championship game, his family has been prepping to be away from their Plant City home. That includes meal prepping for their six dogs. The biggest, Jessepi, is Michael Jr’s.

    So many people and pets supporting him. So many in his Tampa Bay hometown proud of this Bay made player.

    “He came there with a mission,” Takisha said. “And going back another year, that’s what he said he wanted to do, win a national championship. And people may have chuckled at it, but all that hard work that the team put in, it’s paying off.”

    Katherine Smith

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  • CFP title game a preview of new Big Ten, Pac-12’s shot to go out No. 1

    CFP title game a preview of new Big Ten, Pac-12’s shot to go out No. 1

    HOUSTON — The College Football Playoff championship is quite the stage for Washington and Michigan to get reacquainted with each other.

    The teams play for the national title on Monday night. Starting next season, they’ll compete against each other for Big Ten titles.

    What You Need To Know

    • The College Football Playoff title game will feature two teams that will be in the Big Ten next season

    • The Big Ten’s expansion helped lead to the demise of the Pac-12

    • Michigan leads the overall series against Washington 8-5

    • A Washington victory Monday night would see the Pac-12 go out with the top team in the country

    “I imagine all the Big Ten folks in Chicago in the office, they’re sitting like a rat in a cheese factory right now for sure,” said Washington co-defensive coordinator William Inge, who was a graduate assistant at Iowa and assistant at Indiana for seven years.

    The Big Ten’s coast-to-coast expansion began in the summer of 2022 when it voted in USC and UCLA beginning in 2024. The Pac-12’s demolition was assured just over a year later when it failed to land a lucrative media rights contract. Oregon and Washington in August accepted invitations from the Big Ten, and four other Pac-12 schools bolted to the Big 12.

    “The Big Ten goes into 2024 with the national championship. We can write that now,” Big Ten Network analyst Gerry DiNardo said.

    Washington and Michigan have met 13 times previously, most recently in 2021, and are scheduled to play a regular-season game in Seattle on Oct. 5. Michigan leads the series 8-5.

    DiNardo, the head coach at Indiana from 2002-04, said the entry of Washington and the other three schools comes at a fortuitous time.

    The Huskies are the team of the moment, but Oregon, USC and UCLA traditionally have been the biggest brands on the West Coast.

    “We’re taking on four teams that potentially are as good as they’ve been in recent years,” DiNardo said. “It’s not an obvious marriage, but never has there been a better time for this crossover to happen.”

    ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit said he was a fan of the Pac-12 and has mixed feelings about its breakdown.

    “How fitting that they’ve had a heck of a run as a conference this year and then one of their teams get to the championship,” he said. “There are a lot of people from the Pac-12 excited to see how they go out. And then for the Big Ten to look into their future … It’s just weird to think this will be a conference game next year.

    “I’m from that early ‘90s era,” he added. “I remember these teams playing in the Rose Bowl back-to-back years. We’re all going to have to go through it to get used to it.”

    Herbstreit said even though he’s excited about the prospects for an 18-team Big Ten, he also is apprehensive. The Big Ten will have no divisions starting in 2024, meaning the top two teams will meet in the conference championship game, and the College Football Playoff will go from four to 12 teams.

    All that expansion, Herbstreit said, could water down the Big Ten’s most famous rivalry — Ohio State-Michigan. In the 10 years of the East-West alignment, the winner of “The Game,” as it’s known, reached the conference title game.

    Herbstreit, who played quarterback for the Buckeyes from 1989-92, said Ohio State and Michigan could meet multiple times over a month if the Big Ten power structure remains the same. Conceivably, he said, the teams’ regular-season game the last Saturday of November could be followed by a rematch the next week in Indianapolis.

    “How could it not take away from the last game in November?” Herbstreit said. “Not to say Ohio State and Michigan will do it every year. But if they play, and then again a week later, that’s bizarre. And then what if they match up a third time in the playoff? It’s part of this new world we have to get used to.”

    Michigan receiver Cornelius Johnson shares Herbstreit’s concern about the rivalry.

    “Used to be you’d play that game, and that would be basically the championship right then and there,” he said. “Now you get it adjusted. It’s going to be like an NFL-type of schedule with the playoffs.”

    As a fan, he said, he liked the Pac-12 and the four-team playoff. He also said he understood greater revenue potential was the impetus for the changes.

    “I thought it was perfectly fine the way it is,” he said. “They switched it up. The fact they did, you’ve got to roll with it. I’m excited to see how it plays out with everything new going on. It’s going to be weird getting adjusted to. There’s never been that many changes from one year to the next.”

    Associated Press

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  • Harvey delivers early gift to UCF, says he’ll be back in 2024

    Harvey delivers early gift to UCF, says he’ll be back in 2024

    TAMPA, Fla. — Merry Christmas, Knights fans. Running back RJ Harvey announced Thursday night that he will be back for a fourth season with the Knights.

    Harvey made the announcement on his X account, formerly known as Twitter.

    “All good things come to an end,” Harvey said. “But I got some unfinished business. Let’s run it back.”

    The announcement came while UCF was in Tampa preparing for its Gasparilla Bowl matchup with Georgia Tech on Friday night.

    Harvey ranks 12th in the nation in rushing yards among players on Football Bowl Subdivision teams and third in the Big 12. He ran for 1,296 yards with 16 touchdowns on 211 carries and caught 17 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown in 12 games this season. He was the first Knight to run for at least 1,000 yards since Greg McCrae in 2018 and the first UCF player since Kevin Smith in 2007 to record five consecutive 100-yard plus rushing games. He was a semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award for the nation’s top college running back.

    In UCF’s 45-3 Space Game victory against then-No. 15 Oklahoma State on Nov. 11, Harvey rushed for 206 yards and three touchdowns. His performance prompted UCF fans to break into “RJ Harvey” chants.

    Harvey, a former quarterback at Orlando’s Edgewater High who transferred to UCF after redshirting his freshman season at Virginia, is a senior who already has a degree and is working on a second one. But he has a year of eligibility left because he missed the 2021 season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in preseason practice. He played in all of UCF’s games the past two seasons, and many football analysts thought he might make himself available for the NFL Draft.

    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • FSU board backs lawsuit challenging contract that binds school to ACC

    FSU board backs lawsuit challenging contract that binds school to ACC

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida State Board of Trustees on Friday cleared the way for a lawsuit against the Atlantic Coast Conference, challenging a contract that binds the school to the league for the next 12 years and creating a potential path to leave without paying more than $500 million in penalties.

    What You Need To Know

    • FSU trustees Friday approved a legal challenge to the contract that ties the Seminoles to the ACC

    • The university seeks a way to potentially leave the conference without paying over $500 million in penalties

    • The lawsuit says the ACC’s grant of rights violates antitrust law and its penalties are unenforceable

    • The ACC said the move violates FSU’s commitments to the ACC and its members and that the program re-signed the deal in 2016

    “I believe this board has been left no choice but to challenge the legitimacy of the ACC grant of rights and its severe withdrawal penalties,” Florida State Board of Trustees chairman Peter Collins said during a trustees meeting.

    The lawsuit was filed soon after in Leon County Circuit Court, claiming the ACC has mismanaged its media rights and is imposing “draconian” exit fees

    Florida State outside counsel David Ashburn said a lawsuit was ready to be filed that claims the ACC’s grant of rights violates antitrust law and has unenforceable withdrawal penalties. Ashburn said it would cost a school $572 million to withdraw from the conference. The lawsuit also accuses the ACC of breach of contract and violation of public policy.

    ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips and Virginia President Jim Ryan, chairman of the conference’s board of directors, posted a response to the lawsuit on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

    “Florida State’s decision to file action against the Conference is in direct conflict with their longstanding obligations and is a clear violation of their legal commitments to the other members of the Conference,” the ACC said in the post. “All ACC members, including Florida State, willingly and knowingly re-signed the current Grant of Rights in 2016, which is wholly enforceable and binding through 2036.”

    Florida State is looking for a way out of the conference it has been a member of since 1992 because it believes the ACC is locked into an undervalued and unusually lengthy media rights deal with ESPN that runs through 2036. The school leaders also say the league refuses to change its revenue distribution model to match FSU’s value.

    “It is a simple math problem,” Florida State athletic director Michael Alford said. “A very clear math problem.”

    FSU leaders have been pushing for unequal distribution of revenue for more than a year. The ACC has agreed to create a bonus system that would direct more revenue to schools that have postseason success in football and basketball, but that has not solved the frustration at FSU.

    “It’s time for us to try to do something about it,” Florida State President Richard McCullough said.

    McCullough said the trustees’ approval of the legal challenge was not a direct reaction to FSU recently being left out of the College Football Playoff, despite having an undefeated record. Florida State will play Georgia at 4 p.m. Dec. 30 in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.

    “This is not a reaction, but something we’ve done a lot of due diligence on,” he said.

    Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis said on X, “Proud of Florida State, Pres McCullough and the FSU BOT for their bold action today to take a stand against an untenable situation. Unfortunate that it came to this, but college athletics is changing by the second and Florida must once again lead the way.”

    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • UCF seeks to end season with winning record by winning Gasparilla Bowl

    UCF seeks to end season with winning record by winning Gasparilla Bowl

    TAMPA, Fla. — UCF coach Gus Malzahn said he believes a victory over Georgia Tech in Friday night’s Gasparilla Bowl will do more than enable the Knights to finish with a winning record in their first season in a Power 5 conference.

    What You Need To Know

    • A Gasparilla Bowl win would give UCF or Georgia Tech a winning record

    • The game in Tampa is on Friday night

    • Neither team has had many players enter the transfer portal or declare for the NFL Draft

    It also could be a springboard toward Big 12 championship aspirations in a revamped conference as Texas and Oklahoma move to the Southeastern Conference next season. And, there’s the expansion of the college football playoffs from four to 12 teams.

    “It will be really good for us,” Malzahn said. “We’re going to do everything in our power to be in that 12-team playoff next year. This bowl game is really important to keep that momentum going.”

    UCF beat Big 12 runner-up Oklahoma State 45-3 and played then-No. 6 Oklahoma close before losing 31-29. Their biggest losses during the season were to Kansas (22-51) and West Virginia (28-41). The Knights (6-6) ended the regular season by winning three of four.

    “This season, there’s been some roller coasters,” UCF redshirt senior quarterback John Rhys Plumlee said. “Everything you could think of that happens in a football season. So, we definitely want to end this thing the right way, go out on a high note and get some momentum going into the next year for the next guys up.”

    Georgia Tech (6-6) is also looking to end the season with a winning record after getting its first bowl berth since 2018.

    “I want to see our team not be satisfied right now just getting to a bowl game,” Georgia Tech coach Brent Key said. “Keep that hunger.”

    As of the day before the game, both teams will be mostly intact, with few key players leaving to enter the transfer portal or NFL Draft. UCF defensive back Corey Thorton did enter the portal.

    Key matchup

    Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King against UCF’s defense. King is one of only two players with at least 2,700 passing yards, 600 rushing yards, 25 touchdown passes and five touchdowns runs this season. The other is LSU Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Jayden Daniels.

    “Electric-type player.” Malzahn said. “A guy that I recruited out of Texas coming out of high school. He’s having a great year of throwing, running it and all that.”

    Memories

    Key spent 11 years (2005-15) as an assistant coach at UCF.

    “The greatest connection I have from Orlando is meeting my wife down there,” Key said. “Starting our family there.”

    Last dance

    Plumlee, limited to nine games by a leg injury, completed 145 passes in 227 attempts (63.9%) for 2,073 yards and 13 touchdowns in nine games.

    “Super excited,” Plumlee said of his final college game. “Every opportunity is a blessing, right?”

    Travel woes

    Malzhan saw the bright side after one of the UCF team buses blew a tire Tuesday while making the trip from Orlando to Tampa. Players and staff on that bus were moved to other ones.

    “It was a lot better than flying a long way,” Malzahn said.

    The Knights traveled almost 15,000 on road trips during their first season in the Big 12. The away schedule also included a game at Boise State.

    Quotable

    “People have this crazy notion there’s too many bowl games. There’s no way I would ever think that. Be a college football coach and sit at home and watch all those games. You’ll think a lot different, that’s for sure,” Key said.

    Associated Press

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  • AP source: FSU board to discuss athletics future, ACC affiliation

    AP source: FSU board to discuss athletics future, ACC affiliation

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State announced it will hold a Board of Trustees meeting on Friday and a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press the future of the athletic department and its affiliation with the Atlantic Coast Conference will be discussed.

    What You Need To Know

    • FSU’s Board of Trustees has scheduled a meeting for Friday morning

    • The future of the athletics program and its ACC affiliation will be discussed, an AP source says

    • The football team recently went undefeated but was not selected for the College Football Playoff

    • FSU also has said it’s unhappy with the ACC’s revenue distribution compared to the SEC and Big Ten

    The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the school had not yet published an agenda for the meeting.

    Florida State leaders have made it known they are displeased with the school’s current situation in the Atlantic Coast Conference, where revenue distributions lag behind the Southeastern Conference and Big Ten. That gap is likely to grow substantially in the near future as new media rights deals kick in for the SEC and Big Ten, while the ACC is locked into a deal with ESPN that still has more than a decade left.

    Earlier this month, Florida State won the ACC football title game but became the first Power Five conference champion to finish with an undefeated record and still be left out of the College Football Playoff.

    Any ACC school that wants to leave the conference would have to challenge the grant of rights that it previously agreed to in order to get out before joining another league. The grant of rights, which runs through 2036, gives the ACC control over media rights for its member schools — including the broadcasts of games in all sports.

    In addition, any school that wants to leave the ACC would have to pay an exit fee of three times the league’s operating budget, or roughly $120 million.

    Associated Press

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  • Florida AG Moody to subpoena College Football Playoff committee

    Florida AG Moody to subpoena College Football Playoff committee

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — After Florida State became the first undefeated Power 5 team in the 10-year history of the College Football Playoff to be excluded from a chance to play for a national championship, state Attorney General Ashley Moody is planning to subpoena the CFP’s selection committee.

    What You Need To Know

    • State Attorney General Ashley Moody is planning to subpoena the CFP’s selection committee following FSU’s playoff snub

    • Moody says the investigation is focused on possible conspiracy and antitrust violations

    • The Seminoles are slated to play the Georgia Bulldogs in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30 

    Moody is asking the committee to hand over documents and records on everyone involved in the selection process.

    She’s also looking into pay records, communication records and more.

    Moody says the investigation is focused on possible conspiracy and antitrust violations.

    “I recognize when there needs to be answers,” she said. “There needs to be transparency for the sake of college football and the purity of the sport. This is an important investigation going forward. I think not just Floridians, but folks nationwide will want answers.”

    She adds that the omission will cost Florida State University and the Atlantic Coast Conference millions of dollars.

    Previously, Gov. Ron DeSantis pledged $1 million for “any litigation expenses that may come as a result of this really, really poor decision by the College Football Playoff.”

    Sen. Rick Scott (R-Florida) also sent a letter to CFP Selection Committee Chairman Boo Corrigan demanding full transparency from the committee regarding how the decision was reached.

    The two teams knocked out of the CFP, FSU and two-time defending champion Georgia, will meet in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30.

    The Seminoles still have the opportunity to play for the third perfect season in school history. FSU went 14-0 in 2013 and 12-0 in 1999, both of those seasons ending with national titles.

    Spectrum News Staff

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  • Gators’ Etienne enters name into transfer portal

    Gators’ Etienne enters name into transfer portal

    GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida running back Trevor Etienne, who led the Gators with nine touchdowns and emerged as one of the team’s most dynamic playmakers, entered the transfer portal Thursday.

    The younger brother of former Clemson star and Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne ran for 753 yards and eight touchdowns as a sophomore, despite playing behind a shaky offensive line. He also had 172 yards receiving and a score while sharing time with Montrell Johnson.

    Etienne and Johnson, a junior who followed coach Billy Napier from Louisiana-Lafayette, have become close friends during their two years in Gainesville. And Etienne said he would like to see both become primary ball-carriers so they can improve their NFL draft stock.

    “My time as a Gator was an invaluable experience and one that I will cherish for years to come,” Etienne said in social-media posts announcing his decision.

    He will have two years of eligibility remaining. He joins a growing list of Florida players who have entered the portal, including pass rusher Princely Umanmielen, receiver Caleb Douglas and defensive linemen Will Norman and Chris McClellan.

    Associated Press

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  • Knights to begin preparation for Gasparilla Bowl on Friday

    Knights to begin preparation for Gasparilla Bowl on Friday

    ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — UCF will practice for the Gasparilla Bowl starting Friday, one of 11 that coach Gus Malzahn said the team will hold.

    What You Need To Know

    • The Knights are gearing up for the Gasparilla Bowl and will start practices Friday

    • UCF will play Georgia Tech in that game at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 22 in Tampa

    • O’Leary said the game is important to the players and to continue momentum

    • The Yellow Jackets’ coach is Brent Key, who was on George O’Leary’s UCF coaching staff for 11 years

    “That’s exactly what we did two years ago,” Malzahn said. “It worked out really well.”

    The Knights (6-6) will line up against Georgia Tech (6-6) at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 22 in the bowl game at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

    Originally, their opponent was revealed as Duke on ESPN’s bowl selection show on Sunday, but the matchup was switched because those teams played in the Military Bowl last year.

    In the 2021 Gasparilla Bowl, UCF defeated Florida 29-17, thanks to strong play by Isaiah Bowser, Mikey Keene and Ryan O’Keefe — who have all moved on since then. They also beat Marshall in the 2019 Gasparilla Bowl.

    “We’re excited to go back to the Gasparilla Bowl,” Malzahn said. “We had a great experience there two years ago. … I know our players are excited to play this game.”

    Playing in Tampa is a good spot for the Knights because the stadium is only about two hours away from UCF, so friends and family will have an easy time getting there. The proximity also will limit the amount of travel the team needs to do after completing a season in which it hit the road for 7,485 miles, the third-most among Florida Bowl Subdivision teams according to an analysis by Reddit.

    Plus, Malzahn said, they have had success at the Gasparilla Bowl in the past and feel comfortable there because they have played in the stadium.

    The opponent will be somewhat familiar to UCF and Georgia Tech.

    Yellow Jackets coach Brent Key was an assistant coach, including assistant head coach, for George O’Leary during his 11 seasons as the Knights’ coach. 

    “It’s cool to go back down there,” Key said.

    The teams also played each other in the 2022 regular season, and UCF won that matchup 27-10. But Key was not hired as head coach of Georgia Tech until two days after that game, and they have a new quarterback — Haynes King.

    During the regular season, the Yellow Jackets defeated two teams that were nationally ranked at the time — North Carolina and Miami — but neither of those teams finished among the Top 25. King threw for 2,755 yards with a 61.9% completion percentage, and Jamal Hayes ran for 931 yards.

    “It’s a great opportunity for these guys to play in a bowl game, no matter where it’s at,” Key said. “It’s the experience of getting to play another opponent and extend your season. People have this crazy notion that there are too many bowl games and too many things. I think that’s ludicrous.”

    Malzahn said he expects to come to the game with his regular-season roster mostly intact. Malzahn said no player who had not entered the transfer portal had told him that he planned to skip the game.

    “It’s important for our seniors, real important to our players to finish on the right track,” Malzahn said “…. I really think our guys will be extremely motivated to play this game.”

    The 30-day window for the transfer portal began on Monday, and fourth-year cornerback Corey Thornton was the most experienced player who has declared his plans to transfer as of Wednesday afternoon.

    While preparing for the bowl game, Malzahn and his staff also must keep up with players going in and out of the transfer portal and recruiting. The college football early signing period, when new incoming players can sign their national letters of intent for the 2024 season, opens Dec. 20 and continues through Dec. 22.

    “This bowl game is really important to keep that momentum,” Malzahn said. “Going in two years ago, we saw it end on a positive end. Last year, it was kind of a tough deal (loss to Duke in Military Bowl). So, we need to play well and gear up and do everything we can to get a victory.”

    The Knights were the only new addition to the Big 12 this season to become eligible for a bowl game this season. They won three of their last four games after struggling midseason, partially because of injuries.

    UCF quarterback John Rhys Plumlee missed three games with a leg injury but finished the regular season with 2,073 passing yards and a 63.9 pass completion percentage; he also rushed for 473 yards. Senior running back RJ Harvey ran for 1,296 yards, 10th among FBS players. 

    Malzahn said he hopes to see a sellout for the game, with a strong turnout by Knights fans. UCF has already sold out its initial allotment of tickets, he said.

    But Key said he could have the biggest name on his side of the stands.

    “No one asked the real question,” Key said at the end of his press conference.

    He said that question is which side of the stadium O’Leary would sit on.

    A reporter responded, “He’s your guy.”

    Key, who also played for O’Leary when he coached Georgia Tech, chuckled and replied, “You’re darned right.”

    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • USF releases 1st renderings of its new on-campus stadium

    USF releases 1st renderings of its new on-campus stadium

    TAMPA, Fla. — With “genuine excitement,” the University of South Florida on Tuesday released the first three renderings of its planned on-campus stadium.

    The Board of Trustees met Tuesday morning to receive an update on the plans after the university terminated a design-build agreement, and it opted for a more traditional construction management model.

    What You Need To Know

    •  USF released renderings of its planned on-campus football stadium

    •  Groundbreaking for the stadium is expected in fall 2024

    •  The first game played at the new stadium is set for August 2027

    So far, the school has raised more than $43 million of its $50 million goal for the stadium project. That includes a $6 million gift from the USF Federal Credit Union to name the walkway that will lead into the main entrance of the stadium, where the football team’s traditional pregame Bulls Stampede will take place.

    “To me, it’s just the next step in the evolution of the whole university, quite frankly, as an important engagement tool that will bring us together as one USF better than ever before,” said Michael Kelly, vice president of athletics.

    The stadium, which is scheduled to open in fall 2027, will include:

    • An east-west build to help maximize shade for daytime events.

    • A dedicated section for students in the west end of the stadium that includes a design featuring Bull horns and amenities that will cater to the student experience.

    • An open concourse around a majority of the stadium that provides views of the field, even as fans are walking to concession or restroom areas.

    • A large tailgating space on the north side of the stadium.  

    • A variety of premium seating options, including suites, loge boxes and club areas.

    The University of South Florida on Tuesday released the first three renderings of its new on-campus stadium.

     

    USF officials said the initial renderings are conceptual and will develop as the design process continues and more elements are finalized. The design process included feedback from students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members.

    “Since we first announced plans to build an on-campus stadium at the University of South Florida, it has become the topic I hear about most often from our passionate supporters. There is a genuine excitement within our community,” USF President Rhea Law said. “We’re thrilled to offer the first images of the stadium that will activate our campus in ways we never have before and will make a positive impact on our university for generations to come.”

    Students at USF are excited about the new stadium, and one pointed out that even if they won’t still be attending USF by the time the stadium is built, it will give them a reason to come back.

    “My dad graduated in ’96 so I’ve been coming to games. I went to my first game when I was 3 years old and ever since then I’ve been coming back,” Alisha Kurian said.

    In a picture her dad took at her first game, you see Kurian sound asleep in her seat. She said being a Bull is a family affair.

    “I think that giving students their own stadium, and student-athletes a space to call their own to play in, not only is that a great thing, but also alumni having a reason to come back to campus for games and for that environment really elevates the whole USF experience,” she said.

    Kurian said even though she won’t be a USF student when the stadium is built, it will give her and her dad a reason to keep coming back, and keep their tradition alive.

    “He absolutely cannot wait,” Kurian said. “He’s probably more excited than anyone else. I know and he’s hoping I have three younger siblings, so maybe one of them will be here when the stadium is built.”

    Signature signage will showcase the newly named USF Federal Credit Union Champions Way, located off USF Genshaft Drive.

    The University of South Florida on Tuesday released the first three renderings of its new on-campus stadium.

    The University of South Florida on Tuesday released the first three renderings of its new on-campus stadium.

    “Our university will proudly feature one of the nation’s most beautiful and community-centered stadium entranceways,” USF Foundation Chief Executive Officer Jay Stroman said.

    Stadium planning committee co-chairs Stroman and Kelly said the next major steps are to release more detailed stadium renderings in spring 2024 and to hold a groundbreaking ceremony in fall 2024.

    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • From coach to U.S. senator, FSU supporters condemn CFP selection panel

    From coach to U.S. senator, FSU supporters condemn CFP selection panel

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. —  The Seminoles and their backers are not going quietly after Florida State became the first undefeated Power 5 team in the 10-year history of the College Football Playoff to be excluded from a chance to play for a national championship.

    All the way to the U.S. Senate.

    Sen. Rick Scott (R-Florida) on Monday sent a letter to CFP Selection Committee Chairman Boo Corrigan demanding full transparency from the committee regarding how the decision was reached to choose Alabama, Michigan, Washington and Texas for the playoff this postseason and the factors at play in reaching that outcome.

    “Beyond the fury and heartbreak caused by the Committee’s decision, there are also financial implications that must be discussed,” Scott said in his letter to Corrigan. “The ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) and FSU have been denied $2 million of revenue distribution from the CFP due to the Committee’s decision to remove the Seminoles from playoff contention. While this is a significant amount of money, it is just a fraction of the total economic impact that playoff contention would have created for FSU. Beyond the benefit to the university and its athletic program, the Committee’s decision will also likely have profound impacts on the future earnings and opportunities for the players.”

    Scott, a former Florida governor who lived in Tallahassee both of his terms, requested that the committee respond by sending to his office “the ‘listing step’ and ‘ranking step’ votes of each member of the Selection Committee for the CFP rankings released on Sunday, December 3, 2023; any notes, recordings or reports detailing the deliberations of the CFP Selection Committee in deciding the CFP rankings released on Sunday, December 3, 2023 and any emails, text messages or other written communication exchanged between the members of the Selection Committee regarding the CFP rankings released on Sunday, December 3, 2023” and other documentation. He also requested a copy of the CFP ethical and conflict of interest standards.

    Current Florida govenor Ron DeSantis, who is running for U.S. president, spoke out on Twitter.

    Former President Donald J. Trump, who is running for president again in 2024, took a jab at DeSantis, too, on his Truth Social media site. “Florida State was treated very badly by the ‘Committee’. They become the first Power Five team to be left out of the College Football Playoffs. Really bad lobbying effort…Let’s blame DeSanctimonious.”

    The Seminoles aren’t the first Power Five team to be left out of the College Football Playoff, just the first undefeated one.

    FSU went 12-0 in the regular season and defeated Louisville in the ACC Championship Game on Saturday. The Seminoles overcame a season-ending left leg injury to starting quarterback Jordan Travis on Nov. 18 in a 58-13 victory against North Alabama, and they had to go to third-string quarterback Brock Glenn in the ACC title game after backup quarterback Tate Rodemaker sustained a concussion in their regular-season finale against Florida, a 24-15 victory. 

    In contrast, Texas lost to Big 12 rival Oklahoma 34-30 on Oct. 7, and Alabama lost to future Southeastern Conference rival Texas 34-24 on Sept. 9, but both made the CFP with one loss. Alabama defeated then-No. 1 Georgia 27-24 in the SEC Championship Game, and Texas won the Big 12 Championship Game by defeating Oklahoma State 49-21.

    The Atlantic Coast Conference and officials at FSU had plenty to say, too.

    In a statement released after the CFP Selection Committee made its decision, ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips said, “It’s unfathomable that Florida State, an undefeated Power Five conference champion, was left out of the College Football Playoff. Their exclusion calls into question the selection process and whether the Committee’s own guidelines were followed, including the significant importance of being an undefeated Power Five conference champion. My heart breaks for the talented FSU student-athletes and coaches and their passionate and loyal fans. Florida State deserved better. College football deserved better.”

    Seminoles coach Mike Norvell expressed his outrage, too.

    “I am disgusted and infuriated with the committee’s decision today to have what was earned on the field taken away because a small group of people decided they knew better than the results of the games,” Norvell said. “What is the point of playing games? Do you tell players it is OK to quit if someone goes down? Do you not play a senior on Senior Day for fear of injury?”

    Corrigan defended the committee’s decision to elevate Alabama to the No. 4 spot rather than selecting FSU.

    “Florida State is a different team than it was the first 11 weeks,” Corrigan told ESPN. “As you look at who they are as a team right now, without Jordan Travis, without the offensive dynamic he brings, they are a different team, and the committee voted Alabama four and Florida State five.”

    Travis, who has continued to be around the Seminoles after his injury to show his support, took to Twitter — going so far as to say he wished he had been injured earlier in the season, so the CFP could see that the Seminoles were a strong contender, even without him.

    The Seminoles’ defense ranked No. 14 in the nation through the championship games, ahead of every CFP team except No. 1 Michigan — including No. 8 against the pass. FSU held its opponents to 21 points combined after Travis’ injury.

    In addition, Rodemaker, who led FSU past Florida in the regular-season finale, is expected to be out of concussion protocol by the time the bowl games are played.

    The two teams knocked out of the CFP, FSU and two-time defending champion Georgia, will meet in the Orange Bowl on Dec. 30.

    Although the players are very disappointed and angry, the Seminoles still have the opportunity to play for the third perfect season in school history. FSU went 14-0 in 2013 and 12-0 in 1999, both of those seasons ending with national titles.

    Content from The Associated Press and ESPN contributed to this report.

     

    Spectrum Sports Staff

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  • FSU QB Rodemaker a game-time decision for ACC title game

    FSU QB Rodemaker a game-time decision for ACC title game

    CHARLOTTE, N.C. — No. 4 Florida State might have to turn to third-string quarterback Brock Glenn to start the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game against 15th-ranked Louisville on Saturday night.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida State quarterback Tate Rodemaker is questionable for the ACC Championship Game on Saturday 

    • Rodemaker is recovering from a concussion he sustained against Florida last week

    • If he cannot play, freshman third-string QB Brock Glenn would be called upon to start

    • Seminoles coach Mike Norvell said Rodemaker’s status will be a game-time decision

    Tate Rodemaker, who made his second career start in the team’s regular-season finale at Florida last Saturday, has been limited in practice this week while recovering from a concussion. It’s another potential setback at the quarterback position for the Seminoles, who appear to be one victory away from making the College Football Playoff.

    Rodemaker left the game briefly in the fourth quarter after getting hit in the head while sliding, a targeting call that resulted in an ejection. He returned a few plays later and handed off to Trey Benson for a game-sealing touchdown run in FSU’s 24-15 victory.

    Seminoles coach Mike Norvell said Friday at a news conference for the two ACC coaches that Rodemaker initially passed on-field concussion tests Saturday night but had symptoms a day later. Rodemaker has been able to participate in some parts of practice, but Glenn has gotten the bulk of the work leading into the game, Norvell said.

    “That’s going to be something that’s going to go up until game day, and we’ll continue on with our process of evaluation and see where it goes from there,” he said.

    Rodemaker completed 12 of 25 passes for 134 yards against the Gators. Rodemaker replaced Heisman Trophy candidate and ACC Player of the Year Jordan Travis a week earlier after Travis suffered a season-ending injury to his left leg against North Alabama.

    Now the Seminoles could be switching quarterbacks again.

    “The game plan doesn’t have to change a whole lot,” Norvell said. “It’s the same thing we faced a week ago, going and playing our last regular-season game. We knew that (Glenn) was going to be one play away. He had to be ready for that situation, and he was.”

    Glenn, a freshman, has played in just three games this season and only completed two passes for 35 yards in mop-up duty against North Alabama. The Seminoles surely would prefer to get Rodemaker back, but he has hurdles to cross before being cleared.

    “We know the process we have to go through, and there’s certain benchmarks that we’ll go through and see as we lead up to the game day or to game time, and we’ll see where he’s at,” Norvell said. “But all those guys are ready and they’re prepared if their number gets called.”

    Associated Press

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  • Seminoles’ Travis wins 2 ACC awards, including Player of the Year

    Seminoles’ Travis wins 2 ACC awards, including Player of the Year

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis was selected Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year, the league announced Wednesday.

    Voting for the awards was conducted by a 65-member voting panel made up of 51 selected media and the conference’s 14 head coaches. 

    The redshirt senior led the Seminoles to an 8-0 mark in ACC play, the program’s 10th unbeaten conference record and first since 2014, and was the quarterback of record for each of FSU’s first 11 victories in 2023.

    Travis threw for 2,755 yards and 20 touchdowns and rushed for seven more scores before sustaining a season-ending injury to his left leg during FSU’s 58-13 against North Alabama on Nov. 18.

    He led the ACC in fewest interceptions thrown, the second-lowest total among quarterbacks nationally with at least 200 attempts, and ranked second in the conference in passing efficiency, yards per pass attempt and passing yards per game. He ranked third in the ACC in points responsibility per game, yards per completion, total offense per game and completion percentage.

    He is the first Seminole to win ACC Player of the Year since Jameis Winston in 2013.

    Travis responded to the honor on X, formerly known as Twitter.

    Spectrum News Staff

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  • FSU heads to ACC title game looking to ‘finish for 13′

    FSU heads to ACC title game looking to ‘finish for 13′

    TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Kneeling in the south end zone at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Florida State running back Trey Benson tried to cut out a chunk of grass with scissors. It wasn’t working on the orange-painted turf, so teammate Jared Verse stepped in to help.

    What You Need To Know

    • Florida State is preparing to play Louisville on Saturday for the ACC title

    • The victory would be the Seminoles’ 13th, the same number as injured starting quarterback Jordan Travis

      •  

    • Travis’ decision to return to FSU for an extra season last year sparked the team’s undefeated run in 2023

    • No. 4 FSU also needs a win to keep alive its hopes for reaching the College Football Playoffs

    Together, and despite a police officer trying to dissuade them from finishing the task, they found success with their bare hands. They ripped out a keepsake destined for the program’s famed “Sod Cemetery” in Tallahassee.

    It could be the first of several souvenirs for the fourth-ranked Seminoles (12-0) over the next month.

    Nearly a year after several key players opted to stay in school and chase championships — Verse and star quarterback Jordan Travis led the way — FSU is on the verge of another one. The ‘Noles will play No. 15 Louisville (10-2) in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game Saturday in Charlotte, N.C.

    Florida State has a spot in the College Football Playoff on the line, and even with Travis now a spectator because of a gruesome left leg injury sustained in the team’s home finale Nov. 18, players and coaches refuse to settle for anything less. They have even embraced a “finish for 13” mantra that is a shoutout to Travis’ jersey number and all he has done for the program.

    “It means a lot,” Verse said. “The whole season, 11 games, he was there every step of the way. … He’s still there. It means so much for us to go out there and put on (a show) for him. We gave everything we had. I feel like everybody hit another mental gear, another physical gear, that we don’t talk about enough. That’s what we’re capable of.

    “After the game, you look him in the eyes, and we’re like, ‘Hey, we did that for you.’ He’s smiling and just feels genuine joy. Even though he wasn’t on the field with us, he was still there.”

    Travis got FSU’s special season started last December when he announced he would return for a sixth year, the last five in Tallahassee after beginning his college career at Louisville. Standout receiver Johnny Wilson made a similar announcement the following day, and then Benson joined them two days later.

    Verse waited until January to declare his intentions. A first-team All-ACC selection after leading FSU with 14-1/2 tackles for loss in 2022, including 7-1/2 sacks, Verse turned down NFL millions to run it back with teammates.

    All those guys surely helped coach Mike Norvell land transfers like receiver Keon Coleman (Michigan State), tight end Jaheim Bell (South Carolina), defensive tackle Braden Fiske (Western Michigan) and cornerback Fentrell Cypress II (Virginia).

    Now, the Seminoles have won 18 consecutive games and capped their seventh undefeated regular season with a 24-15 victory against Florida in the Swamp. It gave Norvell’s team a second “state championship” in as many years for beating both in-state rivals (including ACC foe Miami).

    “It’s just an awesome opportunity that I’m real thankful for,” Fiske said. “That is why I came here. I came here to play in bigger games like this, and we’re undefeated now. … It’s unbelievable. Just got to keep this rolling.”

    Added Verse: “I’ve been defeated; I ain’t never been undefeated.”

    No one on the team has. It was just four years ago that Norvell took over one of college football’s laughingstocks. He lost 10 of his first 13 games with FSU and then slowly — and now suddenly — started to turn things by developing young talent and filling holes through the transfer portal.

    He won three games in 2020, five in 2021, 10 in 2022 and now he has the team playing for its first conference title since 2014.

    “It all goes to the players,” Norvell said Monday. “They’ve made the commitment. They put in the work. You can set a standard, but if people aren’t willing to push to the standard and hold themselves accountable to it. …

    “Where do you go from here? There’s nothing to be satisfied with. You’re appreciative of the work you put in. But I want better, and these players want better. We want to see that next step to be taken. And this week, you get to play in a conference championship. You win the game, all things are in front of you.”

    Including more sod souvenirs.

    Associated Press

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  • AP source: Florida coach fires 2 assistants, begins defensive overhaul

    AP source: Florida coach fires 2 assistants, begins defensive overhaul

    GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida coach Billy Napier began a defensive makeover by firing two assistants Monday.

    What You Need To Know

    • 2 Gators defensive assistants get fired, AP source says

    • Cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond and defensive line coach Sean Spencer are out

    • In one four-game stretch, Florida gave up 41.75 points per game

    • The Gators (5-7) won’t play in a bowl game for the third time since 1990

    Napier parted with cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond and defensive line coach Sean Spencer two days after a season-ending, 24-15 loss to rival and then-No. 5 Florida State, according to a person familiar with the decision. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the coach nor the assistants had made the moves public.

    The Gators (5-7) lost five consecutive games to end the season and missed a bowl game for the third time since 1990. Defense was the biggest issue down the stretch, with Florida allowing 41.75 points a game in the first four of those losses.

    The unit was better in the finale against the Seminoles, who were playing without star quarterback Jordan Travis, but it was too little, too late to save the assistants.

    Defensive line, secondary and offensive line were Florida’s worst positions by far in 2023, and Napier made it clear that he planned to make moves in hopes of turning around a program that took a step back in his second season.

    The Gators fell to 11-14 under Napier, who surely will enter 2024 on the hot seat in Gainesville.

    Napier hired Raymond and Spencer before his first season. The addition of Raymond was a ballyhooed move, considering he had been one of the country’s top secondary coaches at LSU since 2012.

    But Florida’s pass defense ranked 11th in the Southeastern Conference in 2022 and ninth in 2023. The Gators managed just three interceptions this past season, four fewer than any other team in the league.

    Spencer, known as “Coach Chaos,” arrived after two seasons with the New York Giants and following a six-year stint at Penn State. But with Spencer in charge, Florida’s run defense ranked 12th in the SEC in 2022 and 11th in 2023.

    Associated Press

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