Replacement for Jordan Travis

There is no “replacement” for Jordan Travis, who left FSU as the record holder in total touchdowns. His development during his five years in Tallahassee was incredible, from a brilliant running quarterback to a game-changing miracle worker and leader. He is not someone you can just walk away from, but you can find an experienced alternative to replace him.

Mike Norvell and his coaching staff wanted to sign their old rival DJ Uiagalelei, who terrorized Florida State with 4 total touchdowns when he played for Clemson in 2022. He transferred to Oregon State last season and had a good but unspectacular year, finishing with 2,638 passing yards and 21 touchdowns against 7 interceptions. With Oregon State’s future in the conference at stake, many left the team, including Uiagalelei and another new Seminole, Sione Lolohea.

Uiagalelei has a cannon arm and is a massive quarterback, listed on FSU’s roster at 6’4″ and 235 pounds. If Norvell wants to call for a “tush push” like he did at times last year, he should have more success with DJ than Travis. He’s a veteran, rugged quarterback and should fit what Florida State wants to do on offense this year. He just won’t outright win games for the Seminoles like Travis has done countless times over the years.

No Alex Atkins

Alex Atkins, Florida State’s offensive coordinator and offensive line coach, is suspended for this game and the two games after it for a recruiting violation several years ago. While he can prepare the team throughout the week, he can no longer communicate with his offensive line on the sideline as he normally does. Coach Norvell will continue to call plays like he did last year, but the O-line will now meet with Gabe Fertitta, a veteran offensive analyst entering his third year in Tallahassee.

Whether there’s anything wrong with the first five guys will be one of the main things to watch. It’s a deep and experienced unit with eight different players who have real starting experience. They need to stay healthy and keep in touch, especially early on.

The running game was disappointing last year due to various issues along the offensive line, but many of Norvell’s signature counter plays were never executed properly. As good as the 2023 team was, it only ranked 47th in yards per carry despite a loaded running back room. Linemen would run into each other or let a free runner through. I expect that to be fixed this season.

Reloaded Defense

Florida State lost seven players to the NFL on defense this offseason, but this should still be one of the best units in the country, especially on the front line. The edge rushing trio of Marvin Jones Jr., Patrick Payton and Sione Lolohea will strike fear into the hearts of the offensive tackles, while Joshua Farmer and Darrell Jackson are two of the most athletic defensive linemen around.

Replacing Kalen DeLoach and Tatum Bethune at linebacker is no easy task, but DJ Lundy is up to the challenge. The big question is who can play alongside him consistently. Blake Nichelson and Auburn transfer Cam Riley are listed as co-starters and their playing time will likely vary depending on the opponent, but Riley’s ability to stop runs will be in demand in this first game against Georgia Tech.

As good as the front four is, FSU’s cornerback duo of Fentrell Cypress and Azareye’h Thomas has a chance to be the best in the country. They’ve kept the receivers under control all offseason and will have a tough task against Eric Singleton and Malik Rutherford. Shyheim Brown returns to anchor the safety position, while veteran Davonte Brown will play a more natural position as a safety than he did at cornerback for Miami last year. This should once again be a really good defense.

Can Florida State minimize Georgia Tech’s running game and force Haynes King to throw?

As someone who admittedly didn’t watch every Georgia Tech game last year, I was shocked to see Haynes King’s stats, which included over 700 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. He totaled 150 rushing yards in three seasons at Texas A&M, but GT unlocked that ability for him and it was huge for them in the final stretch of the season. Paired with fellow running back Jamal Haynes, the Yellow Jackets have a dynamic running duo.

In games where King ran for less than 60 yards, GT was 3-5, with the three wins coming against Miami (a game they would have lost if Cristobal hadn’t been such a jerk), a bad Wake Forest team, and South Carolina State. They were also 0-5 when he attempted more than 30 passes. This is a team that wants to run the ball, and Florida State will have the task of stopping him and forcing him to throw to a vaunted secondary.

Will Georgia Tech’s run defense improve?

Georgia Tech’s run defense was atrocious last season, allowing 221 yards per game and 5.4 yards per carry, both of which were in the top five worst in college football last season. They even allowed 2.6 yards before contact. They made some changes in the offseason, bringing in defensive coordinator Tyler Santucci from Duke, who had a great defense last year, but that unit was primarily run by Mike Elko. They also had more talent on offense than GT.

To replace some of that talent, they signed Tyler van den Burg from Penn State and Thomas Gore from Miami, but I’m not sure that will be enough. Van den Burg has a career missed tackle rate of nearly 30% and Gore was out in Miami’s bigger games last year, with his best games coming against Bethune-Cookman, Boston College and Temple. He was a blast for Georgia State early in his career and will be needed for Tech.

If they can’t catch up, Florida State should be safe with their incredible running backs. Norvell has a wealth of options at their disposal that can carry the ball, and their offensive line should be better than last year.

Who will fill in for FSU at wide receiver?

Malik Benson, by all accounts, had a stellar offseason for Florida State. Outside of him, things look bleak. This group is talented but has been marred by inconsistency during the offseason. Jalen Brown, a speedy LSU transfer, and Ja’Khi Douglas are listed in the rankings as starters, but this group will constantly rotate until someone steps up.

Fans have been pining for former five-star Hykeem Williams, who hasn’t been able to stand out from the crowd. Veterans Kentron Poitier and Darion Williamson have seen a lot and hope they stay healthy. Young rookies like Elijah Moore and Lawayne McCoy have all the talent in the world and hope they get playing time, but Norvell is leaning more on more experienced options. And then there’s Duece Spann, who I think I’ve given up hope on.

There is talent in this room, but someone has to prove it. Even though the offense is expected to be built around the running game, the players on the wings have to make an impact at some point.

Florida State is currently favored by 10.5 points, with an over/under of 55.5, according to FanDuel.

It’s a Week Zero game in another country. Crazy things are bound to happen. I still think Florida State wins this game while relying on the defense and special teams to pick up the slack. The offense may need some time to get going, but as long as they control the ball on the ground, they should come away with the win. I’m curious to see if FSU’s front four is as dominant as it looks on paper, and if so, things could get out of hand.

I’ll take a Noles win in opening week with a sneaky Yellow Jackets cover.

State of Florida 31, Georgia Tech Institute 23

The game odds are updated regularly and are subject to change.

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READ MORE: Florida State’s Mike Norvell recaps final USA practice ahead of opening game

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