2. Florida State
Few teams have experienced more whiplash than Florida State over the past two years. After narrowly missing the CFP after an undefeated regular season in 2023, the Seminoles crashed in 2024 with a disastrous 2–10 campaign. Entering 2025 unranked, expectations were tempered. That changed in Week 1 when FSU stunned Alabama 31–17 as a two-touchdown underdog.
Behind transfer quarterback Tommy Castellanos, the Seminoles have reemerged as one of the nation’s most dynamic offenses. Castellanos’ dual-threat playmaking—paired with a running back rotation ranked second nationally in rushing yards—has fueled an offensive explosion that put up 143 combined points in tune-up wins over East Texas A&M and Kent State.
Like Miami, FSU’s season hinges on October 4th. If the Seminoles beat Miami, they immediately become a favorite for an ACC title slot. The catch? Louisville doesn’t face Florida State this year. That leaves Cardinal fans in an unusual position: rooting for Miami to hand FSU a loss. The best-case path for Louisville is Miami knocking off Florida State, followed by the Cards taking down the Hurricanes head-to-head.
Related: ACC Title race explodes; Miami, Georgia Tech, Louisville rise as Clemson collapses