Florida State’s news cycle has a little bit of everything right now, starting with a recruiting win and rolling straight into a busy stretch across football and volleyball.
The biggest splash on the recruiting front came when four-star ATH Za’Kari Johnson committed to Florida State, according to Zach Blostein of 247Sports. That adds another name to a 2027 class that already features a mix of talent at every level of the field.
FSU’s current 2027 commitments include 3-star quarterback Logan Flaherty (FL), 4-star running back Jayden Miles (LA), 3-star tight end Connor Winn (FL), 4-star wide receiver Sean Green (GA), 3-star wide receiver Majay Thompson (NC), 4-star defensive lineman Sam LeJeune (MS), 4-star edge Anthony Cavallaro (FL), 3-star edge Jaxon Holly (GA), 4-star linebacker Jernard Albright (MD), 3-star linebacker Olrick Johnson III (GA), 3-star defensive lineman Eric Vaulx Jr. (MS), 3-star defensive back Jemari Foreman (FL), and kicker Vance Fones (FL).
On the football side, Florida State is headed to the podium today as part of the first day of the ACC Kickoff. The full schedule runs Wednesday, July 15 through Friday, July 17.
USA TODAY Sports projected FSU to finish ninth in the ACC and placed wide receiver Duce Robinson on its First Team Preseason All-ACC Team. The outlet also gave honorable mention recognition to DL Mandrell Desir, DB Ja’Bril Rawls, DB Ashlynd Barker and LB Chris Jones.
There’s also a familiar name back in the mix, with John Abraham returning to FSU, per Brett Nevitt of Noles247.
Florida State volleyball unveiled its full schedule Tuesday, and the slate gives the Lindsay Allman era an immediate rhythm. The Garnet and Gold scrimmage is set for Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. inside Tully Gym.
The regular season starts with a demanding road swing. FSU opens at FGCU against 2025 NCAA Tournament qualifier BYU on Aug. 28, then plays VCU on Aug. 29 and closes that weekend against host FGCU on Aug. 30.
The second weekend takes the Noles to Nashville, Tenn., where they’ll meet 2025 Round of 16 qualifier Kansas on the campus of Lipscomb on Sept. 4 before facing Lipscomb on Sept. 5.
After that, Florida State settles in at home for a long stretch, playing 12 of its next 13 matches in Tully Gym. The home opener comes Sept. 8 against Auburn, followed by Louisiana on Sept.
9, FIU on Sept. 13 and North Alabama on Sept. 14 before the rivalry matchup with Florida on Sept. 18.
ACC play begins at home on Sept. 23 against Miami, with the return trip to Coral Gables set for Sept. 27.
From there, the schedule keeps moving fast: NC State and Wake Forest on Oct. 2 and Oct. 4, Georgia Tech and Clemson on Oct. 9 and Oct. 11, then a road trip that includes Pitt on Oct. 16 and SMU in Dallas on Oct.
The back half of the month brings Louisville and Notre Dame to Tully Gym on Oct. 23 and Oct. 25, followed by road dates at Virginia Tech and Virginia on Oct. 30 and Nov. 1.
FSU finishes its home portion of the regular season against Cal and Stanford on Nov. 6 and Nov. 8, then heads into a five-match road stretch at Boston College, Syracuse, Duke, North Carolina and Clemson from Nov. 13 through Nov. 24.
The regular season ends at home against Virginia on Nov. 28.
In Other News...
Florida State Just Got Another ACC Break It May Not Use
The ACC has a new way to sort out the mess at the top of the standings, and on paper it looks like a boost for the leagues biggest names. Head-to-head results now come first in the tiebreaker chain, and if that still leaves teams tied, the conference will turn to Sports Source Analytics, the same metric used in the College Football Playoff rankings, to decide who gets into the championship game and the automatic CFP bid that comes with it.
The change is being sold as a way to keep the conferences most recognizable programs in the hunt, especially Miami and Florida State. For Florida State, it is another reminder that the ACC keeps adjusting the rules in ways that could help the Seminoles, even as the bigger question remains whether they will actually take advantage of the opening when it matters most. [Read more 🡒]
Florida States Tom Herman Move Feels Bigger Than A Typical Hire
Florida States addition of Tom Herman has drawn more attention than a typical staff move, and it is easy to see why. Mike Norvell clarified at ACC Media Days that Herman is coming aboard as an assistant to the head coach, a title that leaves room for plenty of interpretation inside a program that is trying to steady itself after a difficult stretch and a lot of outside noise.
Herman arrives with plenty of head-coaching experience, but also with a recent stop at FAU that ended after a rough second season. For Florida State, the hire feels notable because it adds a veteran voice to the room at a time when every move around Norvell is being scrutinized, and because the exact shape of Hermans role still leaves one big question hanging over the program. [Read more 🡒]