It's been a disappointing season for both sides of the annual rivalry tilt. The game in Florida may come down to psychology instead of Xs and Os.
The Florida Gators (3-8) face the Florida State Seminoles (5-6) this Saturday in Gainesville. Kickoff at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is slated for 4:30 p.m. on ESPN2. The Gators are now 0-4 under interim head coach Billy Gonzales after last Saturday's loss Tennessee. FSU announced this week that it is retaining head coach Mike Norvell going into 2026, with the Seminoles one win shy of bowl eligibility.
Here is everything you need to know about the Seminoles ahead of the rivalry matchup.
Florida State Seminoles - the Names and Numbers to Know
2025 results: FSU started the season hot, upsetting Alabama and streaking from unranked to Top 5 in just four weeks. Then, the Seminoles cratered as penalties, turnovers, botched coverage and missed blocks plagued all three phases game after game.
When clicking, FSU's offense is one of the most dangerous in the country. Injury issues on the offensive line have held them back down the stretch, however. The Seminoles' weakness defensively has been in the middle of the field, where running backs and tight ends have had a field day.
By The Numbers: The Seminoles are scoring 34.1 points per game (24th of 136 nationwide), while allowing 20.4 points per game (30th of 136). FSU started the season off with an explosive offense and a porous defense. Since then, both sides have returned to the mean. The Seminoles are out-gaining opponents by an average of 159.3 yards per game, racking up 478 yards per contest.
Leading Passer: Tommy Castellanos - 163-for-281, 2,520 yards, 13 touchdowns, eight interceptions
Leading Receiver: Duce Robinson - 53 catches, 1,021 yards, six touchdowns, 19.3 yards per catch
Leading Rusher: Gavin Sawchuk - 105 rushes, 479 yards, eight touchdowns, 4.6 yards per rush
Leading Tackler: Safety Earl Little - 69 tackles, four interceptions
Game Analysis: This game is as much about the psychology on the sidelines as it is the play calls on the field. Both teams are moderately talented, both teams have underperformed, both teams have an eye on 2026 already, and presumably, both teams want to finish on a high note with a rivalry win. FSU looked better in recent games than UF, but the Gators are slight favorites at home. Win goes to the team that wants it the most?