With only six weeks left in the regular season, bowl projections are starting to run rampant. For No. 12 Florida State, a New Year’s Six bowl is still likely in play, but the majority of experts have the Seminoles ending the 2016 season where they began it — in Orlando.
ESPN’s Mark Schlabach, Jerry Palm of CBS Sports and SB Nation’s Jason Kirk all have the Seminoles headed to the Russell Athletic Bowl.
Palm and Kirk each have the Seminoles taking on West Virginia. It would mark the third time in 13 years that FSU met the Mountaineers in a bowl. The Seminoles beat West Virginia in the 2004 and 2009 Gator Bowls — both by 12 points. West Virginia is tentatively set to meet the Seminoles to open the 2020 season in Atlanta.
Schlabach has FSU also headed to the Russell Athletic Bowl, but to face Oklahoma State. The Seminoles beat the Cowboys 37-31 in Dallas to open the 2014 season. FSU also beat Oklahoma State in the Gator Bowl at the conclusion of the 1985 season. The Russell Athletic Bowl is scheduled for Dec. 28 at 5:30 p.m. EST at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
Brett McMurphy of ESPN also had Florida State headed to Orlando, but not for the Russell Athletic Bowl. McMurphy projected that the Seminoles will play in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl against Tennessee. FSU hasn’t faced the Volunteers since losing to them in the Fiesta Bowl for the 1998 national championship. The Citrus Bowl is scheduled for 11 a.m. on Dec. 31 at Camping World Stadium.
Bill Bender of Sporting News has FSU currently slated to play in the TaxSlayer Bowl in Jacksonville against Iowa. The Seminoles and Hawkeyes have never played. David Hale, who covers the ACC for ESPN, also has the Seminoles heading to Jacksonville. Like the Citrus Bowl, the TaxSlayer Bowl is scheduled for Dec. 31 at 11 a.m. EST.
Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson
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