{"id":176345,"date":"2026-03-03T14:26:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T14:26:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/176345\/"},"modified":"2026-03-03T14:26:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T14:26:10","slug":"florida-state-football-linked-to-big-ten-clash-in-early-bowl-projections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/176345\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida State Football Linked to Big Ten Clash in Early Bowl Projections"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"inline-text-0\" class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"5l\">Bowl game? That&#8217;s not a term Florida State fans have heard often as of late.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-1\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"5o\">It&#8217;s a real shame, as the Seminoles used to be a lock to compete in the postseason every year. FSU qualified for 36 consecutive bowl games from 1982 to 2017, an FBS record, winning three national championships during that span.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-2\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"5r\">Since the streak was snapped, Florida State has only gone bowling three times in the last eight years, winning just one of those contests.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-3\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"5u\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/college\/fsu\/florida-state-seminoles-college-football\/former-fsu-oc-predicted-seminoles-future-head-coach\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">READ MORE: Former FSU OC Predicted to Be Seminoles\u2019 Future Head Coach<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-5\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"61\">There&#8217;s no telling if head coach Mike Norvell will be able to get the program back on track in 2026. The Seminoles are only 7-17 overall since the beginning of the 2024 campaign, with plenty of embarrassing results in between.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-6\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"64\">A new slate provides at least a little optimism that Florida State will be more consistent next season.<\/p>\n<p>FSU Projected To Face Big Ten School In Bowl Game<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/01kjrympzew24qp9zbwm.jpg\" alt=\"Bret Bielema \" title=\"Bret Bielema \" width=\"4957\" height=\"4957\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"6h\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Illinois coach Bret Bielema during the Music City Bowl against Tennessee in an NCAA college football game on Dec. 30, 2025, in Nashville, Tennessee. | Andrew Nelles \/ The Tennessean \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-9\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6l\">On Monday, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbssports.com\/college-football\/news\/college-football-bowl-projections-2026-early-predictions-every-postseason-game-cfp-bracket\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">CBS Sports&#8217; Brad Crawford <\/a>released his way-too-early bowl projections.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-10\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6o\">Crawford included the Seminoles in the field, matching the program up against Illinois in the Duke&#8217;s Mayo Bowl.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-11\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6r\">Illinois is going through a shift this offseason with star quarterback Luke Altmyer moving on to the NFL. In his place, the program brought in former East Carolina signal-caller Katin Houser. However, the Fighting Illini will also have to replace four starters along the offensive line.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-12\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6u\">Under head coach Bret Bielma, Illinois has developed into a respectable program in the Big Ten. The Fighting Illini have won consecutive bowl games, posting a 10-3 record in 2024 and a 9-4 campaign this past season.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-13\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6x\">Last season, Wake Forest represented the ACC in the Duke&#8217;s Mayo Bowl with an 8-4 record, defeating Mississippi State 43-29. Eight wins would be a welcome sight for Florida State, considering that&#8217;s more victories than the program has seen in two years.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-14\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"70\">Florida State and Illinois have never faced off between the lines.<\/p>\n<p>2026 Florida State Football Schedule<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-16\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"76\">Saturday, August 29 vs. New Mexico State &#8211; Tallahassee<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-17\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"79\">Monday, September 7 vs. SMU \u2013 Tallahassee<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-18\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7c\">Saturday, September 19 at Alabama \u2013 Tuscaloosa, Ala.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-19\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7f\">Saturday, September 26 vs. Central Arkansas \u2013 Tallahassee (Family Weekend\/Hall of Fame)<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-20\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7i\">Saturday, October 3 vs. Virginia \u2013 Tallahassee (Cancer Awareness)<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-21\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7l\">Friday, October 9 at Louisville \u2013 Louisville, Ky.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-22\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7o\">Saturday, October 17 at Miami \u2013 Miami Gardens, Fla.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-23\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7r\">Saturday, October 31 vs. Clemson \u2013 Tallahassee (Military Appreciation)<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-24\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7u\">Saturday, November 7 at Boston College \u2013 Chestnut Hill, Mass.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-25\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7x\">Saturday, November 13 at Pitt \u2013 Pittsburgh, Pa.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-26\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"80\">Saturday, November 21 vs. NC State \u2013 Tallahassee (Homecoming\/Seminole Heritage\/Athlete Alumni Reunion)<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-27\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"83\">Friday, November 27 vs. Florida \u2013 Tallahassee<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-30\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8c\">Stick with\u00a0NoleGameday\u00a0for more\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/college\/fsu\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">FREE coverage of Florida State<\/a>\u00a0throughout the year.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-31\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-primary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"8f\">Follow NoleGameday on and<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NoleGameday\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">\u00a0Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/NoleGameday\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Facebook<\/a>,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/nolegameday\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">\u00a0Instagram<\/a>,\u00a0and<a href=\"https:\/\/www.tiktok.com\/@nolegameday?lang=en\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">\u00a0TikTok<\/a><\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.tiktok.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Bowl game? That&#8217;s not a term Florida State fans have heard often as of late. It&#8217;s a real&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":176346,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[28,30,29],"class_list":["post-176345","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-florida","tag-florida","tag-florida-headlines","tag-florida-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176345","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=176345"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/176345\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/176346"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=176345"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=176345"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=176345"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}