Sep 6, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles wide receiver Duce Robinson (0) catches a pass over East Texas A&M Lions cornerback Kaleb Miles (1) during the first half at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images Melina Myers-Imagn Images

FSU football projected for playoff showdown with ACC team no one saw coming

Originally posted on Florida State Seminoles on SI
By Tommy Mire | Last updated Sep 15, 2025 8:30 AM ET

Down the line, one rematch Seminole fans would sooner exile to Mars than watch is a bowl game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Dublin wasn’t just a stumble; it was a Guinness-soaked freefall that sent FSU cartwheeling into a 2-10 fever dream, only to emerge as if the chaos was part of the master plan.

And once you move past the Alabama fan fellowship at the Piggly Wiggly after last weekend’s victory, the college football landscape has already started to take shape. UF has dropped out of the top 25, and Miami sits firmly at No. 5, staring at what could be a CFP appearance as they enter Week 4.

Where Does FSU End Up When It is All Said And Done?

If you had asked any Florida State fan before the 2025 season began, about 90% of the optimism would've been thrown out the window. A change in Tallahassee, Florida, has taken root again, and there is a lot of positivity surrounding the program.

Projections have ranged from FSU facing Notre Dame, Texas, Utah, and now Georgia Tech, which are all interesting in their own right. If the Seminoles continue on their trajectory, a playoff berth is more than imminent, and you could see the Garnet and Gold uniforms come December.

It is important to note that FSU is only two games into the season and will face Kent State this Saturday, then open ACC play with a road trip to Virginia before hosting a Miami team with College Football Playoff aspirations. That rivalry clash at Doak Campbell Stadium could carry national implications, or, at the very least, enough trash talk to power both fan bases through the holidays.

And now, enter No. 18 Georgia Tech, the very program that sent FSU tumbling in Dublin. Fresh off a 24-21 win over Clemson, Brent Key’s crew might be brewing something worth noticing in Atlanta.

On3's Brett McMurphy logged his prediction for the 'Noles to take on the Yellow Jackets in the first round of the College Football Playoffs, following that up with a top 5 showdown against the Hurricanes in the Orange Bowl.

How Far Could The Seminoles Go?

I am by no means a sensationalist, but it is hard to look at FSU and not see a team worthy of the playoffs. Their 2023 snub has only fueled Tallahassee, and with an influx of top-tier transfers paired with players itching for redemption, it is likely that a run is in store. Their next two games following Kent State will likely determine their position, although it isn't an easy road ahead after that either.

Whether or not the ’Noles and Jackets cross paths again, Georgia Tech has already proven it can tilt the ACC picture. For Florida State, that memory from Dublin still lingers, and the only way to bury it for good is to keep winning.