FSU’s national ranking a sham

By Lee Roberts  |   Thursday, September 18, 2008  |  Comments( 2 )

Florida State Seminoles
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Florida State spent most of the 1980s and the entire '90s in the top 10 of every major college football poll. Presently, its coach is in a neck-and-neck battle for the all-time wins record. History like that makes this next sentence strange to write. Florida State has no business being ranked in the Top 25 of any football poll right now.

Commentary: The Seminoles, currently 2-0, are 24th in the AP poll and 25th in the USA Today poll. Those polls' voters love tradition, which probably explains why rebuilding Michigan was ranked in the preseason. Florida State has done nothing this year to validate a national ranking beside put on those familiar uniforms.

The 2-0 record is nice, but look at whom the Seminoles have beaten this year. Regardless of suspensions or injuries, they played two teams in the Football Championship Subdivision, formerly 1-AA. As a matter of fact, FSU would currently be winning the Southern Conference with two wins over conference cellar-dwellers Western Carolina and Chattanooga. Western Carolina followed its defeat at FSU with a loss to Liberty. At least they have a 35-0 win over the Shorter Hawks. Meanwhile, Chattanooga is hoping to forget its 57-2 loss to Oklahoma by focusing on its big win over the Cumberland University Bulldogs.

Florida State is a young, inexperienced team with a lot of talent. And to its credit, FSU has looked absolutely dominant in all phases against two inferior opponents. That said, the nation will get its first real look at the Seminoles this weekend when Wake Forest comes to Tallahassee. If FSU can pull off a win Saturday, then we can discuss a possible ranking. Maybe.

Fan Pulse: Seminoles fans are feeling good about their team's chances this weekend. There might be a lot of disappointed fans leaving Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday night.

Injury Watch: Florida State kicker Graham Gano is questionable. If he can play, he will be limited to short field goal attempts.
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About Lee Roberts

Born in Richmond, Va, I moved south to UNC-Chapel Hill for college and received a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. I currently live in Charlotte, NC and cover Auburn, LSU and the ACC.
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