Florida State can add yet another accolade to its already impressive trophy case. On Sunday, FSU Splatoon (Esports) clinched Group 3 in Division 7 of the 2026 Collegiate Cephalopod Association league regular season, posting the news to X. This marks their third group championship in program history, with the program having clinched a playoff berth for the 5th straight season.

Now, I’m sure you’re probably wondering what this is all about. I got you. Esports are basically sports, but on a screen. Instead of footballs and basketballs, it’s competitive video games. Esports teams behave similarly to how traditional athletics do, and colleges around the United States now have full programs. Students at Florida State participate through the campus esports club, where any student is free to join and create a team from scratch. Freshmen to grad students alike have formed teams for 15 different games, such as League of Legends, Rocket League, Valorant, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. With the recently opened Garnet Gaming Lounge, gamers at Florida State now have a venue to call home.

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Esports have grown into a massive industry with millions of fans and equally millions of dollars in prize money. College scholarships are even being given out to some students. Think of it as the NCAA, but for gamers, and Florida State is right there, competing at the highest level. While the NCAA doesn’t yet have an established presence in this sphere, organizations like the National Association of Collegiate Esports do have some governing power over their members. Indeed, you won’t find the wild west of the transfer portal here.

For those unfamiliar with Splatoon, it is a game developed by Nintendo. Now on the third iteration, released in 2022, the series has garnered massive popularity on the Nintendo Switch family of systems both here and internationally. It’s bright, fast, colorful, and very strategically-minded. It’s basically paintball meets Call of Duty, if you will – and FSU’s team plays in the most active collegiate league for it.

Florida State has been building a serious legacy, having won the CCA Division 4 National Championship in the fall of 2023 as well as placing 3rd in the fall of 2022. They have also won their group in both fall 2023 and spring 2024. They can now add 2026 to that list of group titles.

Revolution, in his first season with Florida State, said about this title: “I’m surprised, it feels so surreal because I never expected to get so far in Splatoon. With how much work we put in and the performances we’ve had, we managed to make it and win, and I’m glad to be able to contribute and be a part of that outcome. That’s what makes Esports so engaging, is that at the end of the day, it’s another competition to grow, to challenge, and to have those sporting bonds together like any other sport.”

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Seminoles fans cheer for them whether they are inside the Tucker Center or at Doak Campbell. The Esports program as a whole has been representing the university on the biggest stage for nearly a decade now. They have been bringing home hardware, just like any other championship squad. In 2023, FSU Panama City won the East Coast Conference’s Super Smash Bros. 3v3 title.

Clover, a first-year member of the Splatoon team, said it best, “I can’t say for everyone, but esports has been a great way to meet new people and hang out with a common interest. Even just the space around esports has so far been very welcoming and encouraging, and I’ve been much happier since joining.”

“[The Houston match] was our toughest one so far,” he added. “We probably have a long way to go, but it’s definitely shown how much we’ve improved as a team in such a short period of time, which, as a new player, makes me really happy to see.”

Florida State defeated Houston in a 4-3 set that saw Florida State take an early 2-0 series lead, pushing it to a 3-1 lead before UH went on a furious comeback attempt. At 3-3, the Seminoles rallied in the final game to take the series and the group title. It also cemented an undefeated regular season, with wins over Utah Tech and Cal State Dominguez Hills, just to name a few.

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Florida State Splatoon will advance to the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season in CCA play. The playoffs are their opportunity to win a second national championship; their quarterfinal opponent is yet to be determined. But in any case, Florida State will celebrate this title like it’s any other title. You can follow Esports at FSU on Instagram here. FSU Splatoon’s X account can be followed here.

Contact/Follow us @FSUWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida State news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow Jacob on X at @jsmith_sports.

This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU Esports: Splatoon team wins third group championship