Georgia Tech will face No. 10 Florida State on Saturday, August 24, 2024 (8/24/24) at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland.
Fans can watch the game for free via a trial of DirecTV Stream and fuboTV.
What you need to know:
What: NCAA Football, Week 0
WHO: Florida State vs. Georgia Tech
When: Saturday, August 24, 2024
Where: Aviva Stadium
Time: 12pm ET
TV: ESPN
Station finder: Verizon Fios, AT&T U-Vers, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice,Helmsman,DIRECTV, Court, Hulu, fuboTV, loop.
Live stream: fuboTV (free trial) and DirecTV Stream (free trial)
AP Preview FSU:
When ike Norvell entered the Jacksonville Jaguars’ practice facility, he felt a chill run through him. This was not at all what the Florida State coach wanted.
So Norvell had the air conditioning turned off. With more than a hundred players milling around inside, it didn’t take long for the cozy room to turn into a sweltering sauna.
“I wish they would have just turned up the pressure,” Norvell said. “We try to find opportunities as often as possible where our team can make tough decisions and get better.”
Things couldn’t have been more difficult for the Seminoles last season. They went 13-0 in the regular season, beating Louisville in the Atlantic Coast Conference final, but were eliminated in the four-team College Football Playoff.
For Norvell and his team, it was the ultimate punch in the stomach.
Now the 10th-ranked Seminoles will try to do it again. A repeat of the ACC title would guarantee them a spot in the expanded 12-team playoff field.
“Our goal for this year is to get better,” Norvell said. “(Last year) was really a special experience for our entire program. It gives us an opportunity to continue to move forward and get this program where it belongs — among the elite in the country.”
New faces
With four-year starter Jordan Travis gone, the Seminoles signed former Clemson and Oregon State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei in the transfer portal. The 6-foot-4, 255-pound Uiagalelei has thrown 57 touchdown passes and 21 rushing scores in 40 college starts.
“He’s a big guy; nobody wants to tackle him,” said senior running back Lawrance Toafili.
The Seminoles expect to run the ball early and often, with Toafili behind an experienced line. With a strong defense and above-average special teams, Uiagalelei and several new receivers should have time to develop and get better when the real schedule begins in October.
Former Georgia defensive end Marvin Jones Jr. and three potential starters from Alabama – running back Roydell Williams, receiver Malik Benson and defensive back Earl Little Jr. – are also rookies to keep an eye on.
“We have several weapons with different capabilities,” Toafili said. “We have no limits.”
Potential Stars
Junior defensive end Patrick Payton was second on the team last year with seven sacks, including four in FSU’s final three games, and appears poised for a breakout season as he steps out of Jared Verse’s shadow. Cornerbacks Shyheim Brown and Fentrell Cypress II could become the best duo in the ACC, maybe even in college football.
On the other side of the ball, center Maurice Smith, left tackle Darius Washington and right tackle Jeremiah Byers have a combined 122 college starts. Byers has started 40 consecutive games, making him his team’s best player.
The future of the FSU
Florida State’s future in the ACC remains unclear. The Seminoles are suing the conference to reach a rights-granting agreement that would bind them together through 2036. If the rights are with FSU, the exit fee would be $140 million. If the rights are with the league, the Seminoles estimate the total price would be at least $572 million and possibly as high as $700 million.
Even if the FSU comes out, it is unknown where it would end up.
The schedule
The Seminoles open the season on Saturday against Georgia Tech in Dublin, Ireland. FSU is an 11 1/2-point favorite, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, and will be the away team at Aviva Stadium. The ‘Noles also have important games against Clemson (Oct. 5), at Miami (Oct. 26), at Notre Dame (Nov. 9) and against Florida (Nov. 30).
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You can reach Cayden Steele at [email protected]
