It’s that time of year again as the dog days of summer approach and the football well begins to run dry. Fans across the country anxiously await updates on their favorite teams, schedule releases, and late roster additions to help fuel their excitement ahead of the rapidly approaching season.
This time of the year also marks a period where analysts and news pundits rank upcoming matchups, teams, coaches, and schedules as they work to give fans an idea of what is to come and spark conversation (hopefully polite) among rivals about who’s team is better and which team would win in this or that said fictional scenario.
In comes Florida State, which enters the season with one of the toughest schedules in the ACC and the No. 30 overall in the country. There are numerous reasons behind those evaluations, and one of them is the man on the sidelines calling the shots.
After polling fans and sports reporters, ESPN recently ranked the best college football coaches in 2025, and the Seminoles are slated to face two of them this season in Clemson’s Dabo Swinney and Alabama’s Kalen DeBoer.
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Clemson took the No. 3 spot on the list, led by Swinney. He holds a 180-47 record and currently has the most career bowl wins in ACC history. The Seminoles are set to travel to Death Valley in early November to settle the score of last year’s 29-13 loss. Swinney is one of the select few active coaches with a National Championship under his belt. Despite making the playoffs last year and winning the ACC, ESPN lowered his ranking for his “recent success” not matching his “peak success.”
“No shade here. There’s not a clear line of delineation between No. 3 and No. 6, and there are logical arguments that could be used to advocate for Swinney as high as No. 1. So when splitting hairs, I think I dropped Swinney below the consensus because his recent success hasn’t matched his peak success. But, again, this shouldn’t be misconstrued.” –Kyle Bonagura
Second-year Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer is coming off of a 9-4 season while getting the laces tied on perhaps some of the biggest shoes to fill from departing Alabama legend Nick Saban. Over the past five seasons, DeBoer has gone 15-3 against top-25 opponents, which ranks him the third-most wins among active FBS coaches during that span, landing him the No. 7 spot on the list.
“I think what has impressed me the most about DeBoer is that every program he’s been at — including several stops as a coordinator — has achieved historic levels of success. That track record of elevating multiple programs to new heights shows he hasn’t necessarily benefited from inherited infrastructure or resource advantages like many on this list. Sure, Year 1 at Alabama was a disappointment, but I’m still very confident that he’ll be successful in the long term, especially with all the advantages that come with being at Alabama.” –Bonagura
Florida State kicks off the first of a home-and-home series against Alabama on August 30 and is a heavy underdog to start the season. How FSU head coach Mike Norvell’s season goes, beginning with Alabama, could place him on ESPN’s list this time next year.
READ MORE: FSU football officially announces kickoff time against Alabama
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