As the Florida State Seminoles conclude their 2023 season in the 90th Capital One Orange Bowl, the fifth-ranked team in the country will face what will likely be their most difficult matchup this season with the Georgia Bulldogs.
Under head coach Kirby Smart, the Bulldogs won the previous two national championships, going undefeated in the 2022 season. Despite reaching 12 wins and holding the No. 1 ranking going into their conference championship, the Bulldogs lost their first game in over a year to Alabama and fell to No. 6 in both the CFP and AP polls.
In a press conference held on Friday, Smart, alongside FSU head coach Mike Norvell, commented on what it means for both programs to be playing in such a historic bowl game and the challenges the team has faced throughout the season and will face playing an undefeated FSU team.
“I have a lot of respect for Mike and his staff. We’ve learned more and more about them recently as they’ve returned to prominence, and having grown up watching Florida State play, I went to a lot of their games, so I have a lot of respect, and I think it’s great for college football when Florida State is always in the conversation,” Smart said. “His staff has done a tremendous job. They recruit in our state; we recruit in their state. Have a lot of respect for them and looking forward to an outstanding game, an exciting game, to go play in Hard Rock.”
