It’s an exciting time to be a college football fan, and one fan base that is excited for the season is Florida State football fans. The Seminoles have a lot of hype coming into the 2024 season. We're almost there. Another long college football offseason is almost over as the calendar now reads August, and the first games will begin on the 24th. College football fans everywhere are eager for the new beginning. College football fever is rampant across the country as we get closer to the season, but this offseason was a bit easier than others because of the new EA Sports NCAA 25 video game that just came out in mid July.
This college football season is a big one, and it's going to look a lot different than past years. The sport is going through some major changes, and some of those changes are going to be seen for the first time during the 2024 season. Let’s take a look at what some of the most notable ones are.
First off, there are going to be some rules changes this year in college football, and some fans aren’t going to like them. Perhaps the biggest change is the addition of the two-minute warning, like in the NFL. If you are like most college football fans, you're getting sick of the amount of commercials that we see during games. Well, the two-minute warning is just another way for TV Networks to pack another break into the action.
There are more changes, however, and these are ones that more fans in favor of, but some still don't like them. College football is going to look completely different next year because of expansion to the College Football Playoff to 12 teams and conference realignment. California schools playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference? Yeah, things are changing.
Conference realignment has made things look a lot different. The power five is no longer a thing as the Pac-12 is essentially dead. Every team left for a new conference except for Oregon State and Washington State. Those two teams have scheduling alliances with the Mountain West, but they aren't actually in the conference.
Every other Pac-12 school found a new home. Utah, Colorado, Arizona and Arizona State are now in the Big 12. Oregon, Oregon State, USC and UCLA joined the Big Ten. Lastly, Cal and Stanford joined the ACC (makes a ton of sense, right?).
The other big change with conferences comes in the SEC. Oklahoma and Texas are both leaving the Big 12 and they will join the SEC. The Big Ten and the SEC are loaded with good teams, and some think that things could be heading in the direction of two super conferences.
This season, we will also see 12 teams make the College Football Playoff instead of just four. For about a month, the College Football Playoff will be happening. Some people aren’t in favor of the big expansion, but there will be more marquee college football games, and it’s hard to be too upset about that.
All in all, this is going to be one of the biggest college football seasons of all time. The game is changing, and this is the start of a new era.
Florida State football is hungry
When the four-team College Football Playoff era was first introduced, college football fans all had one common thought: What would happen if all five power conferences had an undefeated champion? That was the only scenario that people thought of where an undefeated power five conference champion would be left out of the playoff. The years went on, and the situation never came up. Then, in the final year of the four-team era, the committee was put in their most difficult spot yet.
There weren't five undefeated power five champs. There weren't four either, there were three: Michigan, Washington and Florida State football. Going into the selection show, it was clear the fourth spot was down to 13-0 ACC champ Florida State or 12-1 SEC champ Alabama. One team was going to be very mad. The fourth spot went to the Crimson Tide.
Florida State won every game on their schedule, including the ACC title game, and they did not qualify for the College Football Playoff. It was something that we never thought we would see, but it happened. The reason why they were left out was because of an injury to quarterback Jordan Travis. Their offense wasn't the same without him, so the committee gave the nod to Alabama, the team that they thought was better.
Now, the Seminoles have a golden chance to get into the playoff as it has expanded to 12 teams. The QB will once again be a crucial aspect of their season, and the Seminoles will have a transfer stepping in this year. He is the transfer that will have the biggest impact on their season.
DJ Uiagalelei, QB, Oregon State
Related NewsArticle continues below
This is an easy one. Obviously, DJ Uiagalelei is the pick for the Florida State football transfer that will have the biggest impact. Uiagalelei started his career in 2020 at Clemson, and he ended up playing for the Tigers for three seasons. Then, he transferred to Oregon State and he spent the 2023 season with the Beavers.
DJ Uiagalelei has had a ton of hype in his college career, specifically at Clemson. However, after some elite QBs went through that program, Uiagalelei didn't really meet expectations, and he left for Oregon State. He didn't really put up much different numbers with the Beavers, but he did seem to play a lot better, and it was impressive what he was able to accomplish with that team as they aren't typically a threat in the Pac-12.
Now, DJ Uiagalelei once again is surrounded by big expectations. This Florida State football fan base is hungry after what happened last season, and they are expecting big things for their transfer quarterback. There is a lot of pressure on Uiagalelei, but he is a college football vet, and he is more than capable of leading the Seminoles to another ACC title.
Florida State picked up a lot of good transfers this offseason, but DJ Uiagalelei is certainly the most important one.
