Florida State football faces one of the toughest schedules in the ACC.
The Seminoles are set to play three games on Friday night, four ranked opponents, and have two back-to-back losing seasons in their periphery. They will not get to ease into the season either, with two of their first three opponents being against top 15 teams.
The AP released its preseason top 25 for 2026, and if the Seminoles somehow manage to defeat all of these teams, their vote stock is going to go way up. They'll have to go on the road for a few of these, though, and FSU has not won a road game since 2023.
Here are FSU's opponents that are coming into this season ranked in the top 25:
No. 7 - Miami Hurricanes
The Hurricanes come into this season as the highest-ranked ACC team, and it's easy to see why. A trip to the national championship game last season will do that. If FSU can keep it close, it might be a miracle.
No. 13 - Alabama Crimson Tide
Make no mistake, FSU stunned Alabama last season. Like with Miami, it'll be a miracle if the Seminoles can keep it close this year, as this one's in Tuscaloosa.
No. 19 - SMU Mustangs
SMU's rise in recent seasons has been nothing short of extraordinary. From Sonny Dykes to Rhett Lashlee, the Mustangs have made the jump from the American to the ACC admirably. An 11-3 and 9-4 season in their first two seasons in the new conference has this team thinking a return to the College Football Playoff.
No. 24 - Louisville Cardinals
FSU last faced Louisville in the 2023 ACC Championship. The Cardinals have started their season ranked in the top 25 for the fourth straight year, but they've finished unranked in three of the last four.
Contact/Follow us @FSUWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of FSU news, notes, and opinions. Jacob Smith is a contributor for FSU Wire, part of the USA TODAY Network. You can also follow Jacob on X at @jsmith_sports.
This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: See the ranked opponents FSU will face in 2026