By Brenda June Temple
TALLAHASSEE – Despite improving to 13-0 with an ACC Championship Game win Saturday night, Florida State slipped to No. 5 in the College Football Playoff rankings and will face No. 6 Georgia in the Orange Bowl on December 30 at 4:00 p.m.
Behind a dominant defensive effort that included a season-high seven sacks, 14 tackles for loss and 10 pass breakups, the Seminoles beat No. 14 Louisville 16-6 to secure their 16th ACC championship and fifth ACC Championship Game victory. With 13 wins, the 2023 team joins the 2013 National Championship team (14-0) and the 2014 College Football Playoff team (13-1) as the only 13-win teams in program history.
At 19 games, Florida State will take the second-longest winning streak into its Orange Bowl matchup against Georgia. The 19-game win streak is the second-longest in program history and third-longest in ACC history.
With Saturday night’s win over Louisville, FSU’s eight wins over bowl-eligible Power 5 teams were the most in the country.
Florida State set a program record with 25 All-ACC selections – including at least one at every position – and led the conference in first-team, second-team and third-team selections.
FSU led the nation in opponent completion percentage (46.8), pass breakups (77), passes defended (87) and fewest turnovers (5), was second in sack yardage (316), third in sacks (45), fourth in passing touchdowns allowed (8), fifth in turnover margin (+0.92) and sixth in scoring defense (15.9 ppg).
The Seminoles have the top scoring defense and scoring offense (37.0, 13th nationally) in the ACC.
The Seminoles are 5-5 all-time in the Orange Bowl with a win over Michigan in their most recent appearance in 2016. FSU has faced Georgia twice in bowl games – the 1984 Citrus Bowl and the 2003 Sugar Bowl after the 2002 season.
FLORIDA STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
