ESPN projection has Florida State as slight preseason ACC favorite over Clemson |
Another ESPN 2023 projection sees the Florida State Seminoles as dethroning the ACC champ Clemson Tigers.
ESPN's SP+ rankings ($) have Florida State as a slight favorite on a neutral field over Clemson at No. 11 overall (20.9) to Clemson's No. 12 spot (20). The Tigers are projected the No. 28 offense and No. 12 defense nationally, against a No. 26 offense and No. 8 defense for the Seminoles. ESPN's Bill Connelly expounded on what he's feeling with the projections surrounding FSU. "I could have put FSU on the Sell! list because, like TCU, the Seminoles are projected seven spots worse in SP+ than on (ESPN writer Mark) Schlabach's list. It's the only real disagreement in Schlabach's top 10. But the schedule hands them a massive opportunity. They are projected favorites of at least nine points in nine of 12 games, with only three relative tossups (vs. LSU in Orlando, at Clemson, at Florida)," said Connelly. "They will only need a break or two to live up to top-five(ish) hype, even if SP+ still has trust issues because of the Noles' iffy overall recent history." Georgia is projected on top of the college football world again (31.7), ahead of Ohio State (30), Michigan (28.8), Alabama (27.5) and Penn State (24.4). Outside of FSU, Clemson's FBS schedule goes like this in the SP+ rankings: Notre Dame (15th; 18.9), North Carolina (28th; 13), South Carolina (33rd; 11.9), Miami (42nd; 8.9), NC State (46th; 6.1), Wake Forest (52nd, 4.1), Duke (56th, 3.2), Syracuse (59th, 2.4), Georgia Tech (70th, -2.4) and Florida Atlantic (81st, -6.5). Ohio State was the preseason favorite last February, followed by Georgia, Alabama and Michigan. Clemson was rated fifth preseason with the No. 41 offense and No. 1 defense. The Tigers finished 14th there with the No. 39 offense and No. 25 defense (and No. 32 special teams group).
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