Florida State’s 2024 season has taken a shocking turn as the Seminoles find themselves out of the AP Top 25 after starting 0-2. The team, ranked No. 10 in the preseason, has had a rough opening, losing back-to-back games to unranked opponents, Georgia Tech and Boston College. These losses, both as double-digit favorites, have placed the Seminoles in rare company. Florida State becomes just the third team since 1989 to fall from the preseason top 10 to unranked in the first regular-season poll. Historically, similar collapses were experienced by Michigan in 2007 and Clemson in 2008.
What Went Wrong for Florida State? The defending ACC champions were expected to contend for the conference title again but stumbled early. Their Week 0 loss to Georgia Tech in Dublin set the tone for a challenging start. The team’s performance against Boston College further exposed vulnerabilities. Coach Mike Norvell remained optimistic after the defeat, stating, “You’ve got a football team that nobody envisioned being where we are, but I do believe in what this team can do.” The Seminoles will now have a bye week to regroup before facing Memphis and new ACC member California.
Top 25 Shifts After Week 1
While Florida State tumbles out of the rankings, other teams are surging. Georgia continues to hold the top spot, receiving 57 first-place votes after an impressive start. Ohio State comes in at No. 2 with five first-place votes. Texas, after a dominant start to their season, moves up to No. 3, pushing Alabama to No. 4. This puts three SEC teams in the top four, marking a strong presence for the conference early in the season.
Notre Dame climbed to No. 5, benefitting from a victory over Texas A&M, which dropped out of the rankings. Mississippi holds steady at No. 6, while Oregon slid to No. 7 despite narrowly defeating Idaho. Penn State, Missouri, and Michigan round out the top 10, with Missouri jumping two spots and Michigan slipping slightly.
Big Movers in the Rankings Several teams made significant jumps this week. Miami soared seven spots to No. 12 following a commanding win over Florida at The Swamp, making them one of the biggest movers of the week. USC also enjoyed a rise, jumping 10 places to No. 13 after a dramatic victory against LSU, which dropped to No. 18. Both teams are looking to build on these wins as the season progresses.
New Faces in the Top 25 This week’s rankings also welcomed two new teams. Georgia Tech, which has started the season 2-0, entered the poll at No. 23 for the first time since 2015. Joining them is Louisville, debuting at No. 22, as both ACC teams are showing early season promise.
Upcoming Matchups Fans have plenty to look forward to, with a top-10 showdown between Texas and Michigan on the horizon. This will be the first regular-season meeting between the two storied programs, adding excitement to an already compelling college football season. Other ranked matchups in Week 2 include USC looking to maintain their momentum, and Missouri aiming to keep climbing up the rankings.
In conclusion, while Florida State grapples with its sudden fall from grace, other teams are capitalizing on the early-season chaos to rise in the rankings. The road ahead is filled with high-stakes matchups that will continue to shake up the AP Top 25 as teams fight for playoff positioning.
