2023 ACC Championship Game: Florida State, Louisville to meet with College Football Playoff implications

Louisville locked up its first-ever spot within the ACC Championship Game on Saturday with a wild 38-31 win at Miami that got here down to fourth-and-goal stand within the ultimate mins. The No. 10 Cardinals end their 2023 ACC agenda with a 6-2 file and can face undefeated No. 4 Florida State within the convention identify sport on Dec. 2 in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

The Cardinals were enjoying soccer within the ACC since 2014. Though they had been formally co-division champs in 2016 in the back of Lamar Jackson’s stellar Heisman Trophy-winning marketing campaign, they misplaced the head-to-head tiebreaker to a Clemson group that went on to win the nationwide championship. 

So now it is Florida State, making its 6th ACC identify sport look, and Louisville, making its first, in a sport this is anticipated to be packed with each College Football Playoff and New Year’s Six implications. 

Series historical past 

As former ACC Atlantic opponents, those two methods have observed a excellent bit of one another just lately with Louisville conserving a 5-4 edge within the collection since becoming a member of the convention. They weren’t scheduled to play in 2023, the primary 12 months of divisionless play within the ACC identify sport technology, and Florida State did win the newest assembly 35-31 in 2022. Thanks to their association with the Metro Conference in different sports activities past soccer all through the Bobby Bowden-led days of Independence, there was once an important run of video games between Florida State and Louisville within the Nineteen Eighties, all received by way of the Seminoles. In general, the collection historical past between those two groups stands with Florida State main 17-6. 

Keys to the sport 

Florida State has risen to the highest of the ACC with its first 8-0 league file and identify sport look since 2014 thank you to an offense that has been elite in convention play. The Seminoles averaged 425 yards in step with sport at 6.55 yards in step with play in opposition to ACC fighters, with quarterback Jordan Travis main the way in which and extensive receiver Keon Coleman serving as without equal X-factor in one of the vital group’s largest moments. Louisville’s best possible probability to knock off the Seminoles begins with restricting their passing assault and getting Travis out of rhythm. That’s the place the Cardinals do have the considered necessary equipment to execute the plan, boasting a defensive entrance that completed the season robust when it comes to making use of drive on opposing quarterbacks. 

On the opposite facet of the ball, a large component within the sport will probably be whether or not Louisville’s floor assault may have sufficient good fortune to keep away from third-and-long scenarios for quarterback Jack Plummer. Thanks to his in depth enjoy with trainer Jeff Brohm, Plummer has a excellent deal with at the offense and will post giant numbers. However, he is in a greater place to be triumphant when the offense is forward of the chains and opposing defenses cannot pin their ears again in obtrusive passing scenarios. 

Louisville was once simply 5 for 12 on 1/3 down within the win in opposition to Miami with a handful of the ones failed makes an attempt finishing in incomplete passes with Plummer underneath duress. Running again Isaac Guerendo additionally carried a heavier workload in opposition to the Hurricanes than starter Jawhar Jordan. Guerendo led the group with 93 yards and a rating on 15 makes an attempt, appearing that the placement has intensity must any accidents throw a wrench within the sport plan. 

Stakes for Florida State 

Florida State will probably be preferred in its ultimate two regular-season video games (North Alabama, at Florida), however it’s conceivable that the Seminoles may get tripped up earlier than dealing with Louisville in Charlotte. If the expectancies grasp, Florida State will probably be taking the nationwide level on Dec. 2 with a possibility to play its means into the College Football Playoff. Even as a possible one-loss group, Florida State’s frame of labor will call for attention if there may be an disappointed alongside the way in which somewhere else within the faculty soccer panorama. 

Stakes for Louisville 

With only one loss at the season up to now, Louisville may have a possibility on the final playoff darkish horse argument must the Cardinals defeat Kentucky of their contention sport to shut the steady season. But although the ones CFP hopes are narrow, there are nonetheless alternatives for Louisville to end the season in ancient type. A win in opposition to Florida State places the Cardinals within the Orange Bowl as ACC champions, however that is not the one trail to South Beach; Louisville may get the nod for the Orange Bowl as the following highest-ranked ACC group must the Seminoles make the playoff. That’s the place Saturday’s win in opposition to Miami was once most probably most vital: It preserves the Cardinals’ rating up in or close to the highest 10 heading into the general week of the steady season.