Florida State’s trip to Louisville is the centerpiece of Friday night’s college football board, and it comes with the kind of stage that tends to sharpen everything. The Seminoles and Cardinals kick at 7:00 PM ET on ESPN, with Mike Monaco and Jordan Rodgers on the call, in a primetime ACC matchup that doubles as a major road test for Florida State. Louisville’s home atmosphere has been one of the league’s toughest, and with the lights on Friday night, the pressure only climbs.
That game also gives the state of Florida a clear Friday focal point. Miami is idle this week, while Florida’s meeting with South Carolina is set for 12:45 PM ET on SEC Network and sits in Saturday’s early window. On Friday, though, the national attention starts with FSU and Louisville before the schedule stretches west for the late games.
The night slate brings plenty more after that. FOX has 20 Iowa at Washington at 9:00 PM ET, with Connor Onion and Robert Griffin III handling the broadcast.
At the same time, Washington State visits Utah State on CW, and Wyoming heads to San Jose State on CBSSN. ESPN wraps up Friday with Iowa State at 8 BYU at 10:15 PM ET, featuring Anish Shroff and Andre Ware.
Saturday opens fast and loud with a packed noon window. Texas A&M visits 14 Missouri on ABC at noon, while 7 Indiana goes to Nebraska on FOX with Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt.
North Carolina plays 25 Pittsburgh on ESPN, and UCF visits 18 Oklahoma State on ESPN2. Wake Forest at N.C.
State is on CW, Arizona at West Virginia on TNT, Tulane at Army on CBSSN, and Dartmouth at Yale on ESPNU.
That opening stretch also includes Sacramento State at Bowling Green and Ball State at Northwestern, plus South Carolina at 16 Florida at 12:45 PM ET on SEC Network.
The 3:30 PM ET window is loaded, too. The Red River game - 1 Texas vs Oklahoma in Dallas - airs on ABC with Sean McDonough and Greg McElroy. Stanford goes to 3 Notre Dame on NBC, 21 UCLA travels to 13 Oregon on CBS, FOX has 22 Houston at Kansas State, and ESPN carries 9 Ole Miss at Vanderbilt.
Elsewhere in that block, Duke visits Georgia Tech, Illinois plays Michigan State, Virginia Tech heads to California, Tulsa is at Navy, and ESPN+ carries a full slate of MAC and American games.
Then comes the night’s biggest collision. 2 Georgia meets 6 Alabama at 7:30 PM ET on ABC, with Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit on the broadcast. ESPN has 10 LSU at Kentucky at 7:00 PM ET, NBC features 19 USC at Penn State, ACC Network carries Syracuse at Virginia, and ESPNU shows James Madison at Georgia Southern.
In Other News...
Mike Norvell Faces More Heat After Another Road Collapse
Florida State went into Louisville with a chance to steady itself away from home, and for a little while it looked capable of doing exactly that. The Seminoles started strong, but the game quickly flipped once Louisville got rolling, and the final 44-20 result sent Florida State to its 11th straight road loss while raising fresh questions about a team that still has trouble holding up when the setting changes.
The collapse was especially jarring because of how quickly the Seminoles lost control, as Louisville ripped off 35 unanswered points and repeatedly found room for long touchdown runs against Florida States defense. The loss left Mike Norvell at 41-37 overall in Tallahassee and 23-28 in ACC play, a reminder that the pressure around the program is not easing anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]
Florida States Norvell Problem Isnt Just About The Losses
Florida States latest collapse against Louisville was the kind that deepens the frustration around a season that already feels well off track. The Seminoles built a 14-point lead and still walked away with another damaging loss, the second time this year they have let a double-digit advantage slip away in a defeat by more than 14 points after being in front by at least 14.
Mike Norvells future is no longer just a football question, though, because the schools hesitation to make a move is tied to more than results on the field. His $46.7 million buyout is a major obstacle, and the uncertainty inside the athletic department after the firing of the athletic director has only added another layer to the situation, with upcoming games now carrying added weight as Florida State sorts through both its record and its leadership. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State's Blowout Loss Still Left Fans Debating One Offensive Positive
Florida States trip to L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium ended with another lopsided result, a 44-20 loss to Louisville that kept the focus on the larger problems around the Seminoles offense and defense. Still, amid the frustration, Ashton Daniels carved out a small bright spot in the aftermath by adding to a season that has already made him part of the programs record book.
Daniels latest rushing score pushed him to 10 on the year, setting a Florida State single-season record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback. In a game where the final margin and the key plays all pointed Louisvilles way, it was one of the few individual positives Florida State could point to, even if it did little to change the bigger conversation about where the offense goes from here. [Read more 🡒]