Miami, UCF, and USF are making New Year’s Six runs. FAU and FIU are C-USA East contenders. Meanwhile, the loser of Florida and Florida State might miss the postseason entirely.
As the whole rest of the state makes big postseason runs, FSU vs. Florida could be a battle for bowl eligibility
It’s been a long time since both teams missed the postseason.
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Oh, and Florida rival Georgia could make the Playoff. Oh, and FSU rival Clemson could make the Playoff.
Let me take you back to 1978. I’ll save you all the “gas was X dollars, and the song at the top of that charts was Y” crap, and just make this point: 1978 was the last year both Florida and Florida State missed bowl season.
It was Bobby Bowden’s third in charge in Tallahassee. We could see a repeat of that performance if both teams continue to play like they are this season.
Florida State just lost to Louisville, 31-28. FSU is now 0-3 at home and 2-4 on the season.
Florida was off during Week 8, but has lost two straight and is 3-3 with No. 3 Georgia up next.
Here’s a look at both teams’ schedules the rest of the way before they meet on Thanksgiving weekend.
For the Noles:
- at a rapidly improving Boston College
- vs. Syracuse, which beat Clemson and tested Miami
- at potential Playoff team Clemson
- vs. Delaware State
For the Gators:
- vs. Georgia, a potential Playoff team
- at Missouri, which can at least score a lot
- at a currently 5-2 South Carolina
- vs. UAB
Remember that both teams lost a game due to Hurricane Irma because of canceled non-conference tilts. They’ll each finish a season with 11 games played, and S&P+ projects both to land around 5-6.
Neither team is in particularly good standing to get an APR eligibility waiver with only five wins.
This leaves us with a very real chance that one of college football’s best rivalry games will be for bowl qualification.
Florida’s 22-year bowl streak broke in 2013, but Florida State’s 35-season bowl streak is very much in jeopardy.
What’s even more embarrassing?
Either team could reschedule its canceled game from earlier in the season to get to 12. FSU could host ULM, or Florida could host Northern Colorado on a Saturday when neither team will have to worry about a scheduling conflict: conference championship weekend.
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