Florida @ Florida State preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 30, 2013 ) Florida State 37, Florida 7

Florida has nothing left to play for except pride and the chance to ruin the undefeated run of one of their fierce rivals. The Gators will try to throw a big wrench into Florida State’s plans to repeat as national champions when they visit the Seminoles on Saturday. Florida already announced that coach Will Muschamp would not be back next season, and a win over Florida State is how his players would like to send their coach out.

The Seminoles are No. 2 in the coaches' poll but No. 3 in the College Football Playoff rankings, leading most to believe one loss would knock Florida State behind a one-loss Big Ten or Big 12 champion. It has been over two years since Florida State lost, when Florida came to Tallahassee and posted a 37-26 victory on Nov. 24, 2014. “They don't need fireworks to get ready for this one,” Muschamp told reporters. “They'll be ready to go. Our guys are excited about this game.”

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, ESPN. LINE: Florida State -7.5

ABOUT FLORIDA (6-4, 4-4): Florida brass let Muschamp know he would not return as coach after South Carolina edged the Gators in overtime on Nov. 15 – marking the team’s third straight home loss. The players responded last week, ripping Western Kentucky 52-3 and giving Muschamp a win in his final home game. Florida has a defense capable of giving the Seminoles fits and has recent experience beating a ranked opponent after posting a surprise 38-20 shellacking of Georgia on Nov. 1.

ABOUT FLORIDA STATE (11-0): Quarterback Jameis Winston gets most of the attention for the Seminoles and not all of it is positive, as the reigning Heisman winner sparked another debate about his maturity when he shoved a ref out of the way in last week’s 20-17 win over Boston College. “He didn’t push,” Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher told reporters. “He’s trying to get his shoulder in there and get the ball. It had never happened to us before.” The Seminoles needed a last-second field goal to knock off the Eagles at home and fell behind Miami 23-7 the previous week before pulling out a 30-26 win.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Winston threw for 327 yards and three TDs in a 37-7 win at Florida last season.

2. Gators QB Treon Harris, who left last week’s game with a knee contusion, is expected to start.

3. Seminoles WR Rashard Green needs 137 receiving yards to break the ACC record of 3,749 set by Connor Vernon at Duke (2009-12).

PREDICTION: Florida State 20, Florida 17