Greg McElroy names toughest schedule in the ACC

The Seminoles are hungry for redemption this year after a lackluster 2024 campaign, but it won’t be easy. On Thursday, ESPN’s Greg McElroy claimed Florida State has the toughest schedule of any team in the ACC this year.

While there’s no way to definitely prove McElroy’s opinion, it’s certainly difficult to argue against him. Florida State will kick off the upcoming season with a showdown against No. 8 Alabama.

The impending showdown is far from a ramp-up game and will immediately pit the Seminoles against one the top teams in the country. Win or lose, the Seminoles should be able to decompress in Weeks 2 and 3, with games against East Texas A&M and Kent State.

However, any leisure in the Seminoles’ schedule ends there. After three games, Florida State will dive head-first into conference play, with opponents like Miami and Clemson waiting ahead.

Worse, the Seminoles will cap off their season against in-state rival Florida. The Gators are entering the 2025 campaign as the No. 15 team in the country.

Simply put, Florida State has nothing short of a gauntlet ahead of it. Alas, McElroy believes the team could find a way to make the most of their brutal schedule.

“If you really look at their schedule, it is entirely possible that they are 7-1, 6-2 after the first eight weeks of the season,” McElroy said. “Florida State, I think, has a chance to bounce back in a big way, but they’re going to have to win some of those difficult games at home like against Miami, against Virginia Tech. And then, try to take care of business against somebody on the road there in the meat of the schedule.”

McElroy’s vision is a nice one for Seminoles fans, but it’ll require Florida State to maximize its potential. The team has 23 transfers and two new coordinators with the program this year. Norvell knows he can demand nothing short of excellence from the fresh faces.

“I want every bit of who they are to go be what they can become,” Norvell said. “There’s not going to be a player who stands up and says they want to be mediocre or they want to be average. Everybody’s going to say the same things.

“are you truly willing to give everything? As important of the one play, the one moment, the one day, the one opportunity that you have, are you willing to give all with a sense of desperation to make it happen? It might not look good, might not feel good. The odds might be stacked against you, but are you willing to rise up and overcome?”