JD PicKell explains why Florida State vs. LSU is a very important game

Florida State and LSU will have a pretty good idea of what their College Football Playoff chances are like for the 2023 season by the end of Week 1, according to On3’s JD PicKell.

The CFP field won’t officially be announced until December, but PicKell says FSU-LSU is essentially a playoff game.

“Week 1, on a Sunday, Sept. 3 in Orlando, we’ve got LSU and we’ve got Florida State. … And a loss for either team in this scenario, you have to be perfect the rest of the way,” PicKell explained. “This is absolutely a playoff game, and I’m excited to see it.”

The two teams played a classic to open the 2022 season and most expect another tight game in 2023.

LSU and Florida State are in the top 10 of most preseason polls, but as PicKell points out, whichever team loses the opener will have a hard time winning out. Both programs have tough challenges the rest of the way.

“LSU, they still have to go to Ole Miss, they have to go to Alabama, they have to deal with the rest of an SEC schedule. Should they end up in Atlanta again, they’ve gotta play somebody in the SEC title game,” PicKell said. “Like it is an absolute gauntlet for LSU the rest of the way. Dropping a game to Florida State does not set you up for success.”

The ACC isn’t as challenging as the SEC, but the Seminoles do have to play at Clemson and could face the Tigers again in the ACC title game.

Miami and a couple of other teams in the league could also make a jump for the 2023 season.

“The same thing for Florida State. They have to go to Clemson. … But who knows what the rest of the ACC’s going to be, man. It’s college football. The best game in the entire world. It is so difficult to speak in absolutes with 18 year olds playing the game,” PicKell said. “We don’t know who’s going to show up week in and week out. We don’t know what the ACC’s going to be just yet.”

Mike Norvell is entering his third season as the head coach at Florida State and expectations are high after the Seminoles won 10 games last year.

FSU is the preseason favorite to win the ACC, despite Clemson winning the league seven of the past eight seasons.

Brian Kelly is entering his second season at LSU after leading the Tigers to the SEC West title last year. LSU also reached the double-digit win mark last year, finishing 10-4 (6-2).

“Both of these teams have College Football Playoff aspirations. And a loss here would just shrink the margin a ton. Think about it this way, too. Either team that loses, it forces a tremendous reset mentally. Because like I said, both teams, they’ve got their eye on the prize now. Conference title and go play for a College Football Playoff berth. That is both these team’s goals in their respective conferences,” PicKell said.

“You lose your first game of the year, whoa. OK we’re walking the tight rope now. Now we’ve really gotta pick it up now. Now we’ve really gotta play our game. The mulligan is gone. … Don’t let them tell you it’s not a playoff game. We’ve got a playoff game Week 1 of the regular season.”