Florida

Early look at Florida State football’s season opener opponent Georgia Tech

Published

2 years ago

July 4, 2024

Press Room

Early look at Florida State football’s season opener opponent Georgia Tech

Before you renew your passport and book your flight to Dublin, Ireland, lets take a dive in Florida State’s football ACC opponent Georgia Tech.

The 2024 football season is only about a month away.

Florida State football will soon start fall camp to prepare for its season opener against Georgia Tech in the annual Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland, at Aviva Stadium.

The game is set for Aug. 24 at noon EST on ESPN.

It is the second time two ACC teams face off in Dublin. For FSU, it will be the first time in program history that Seminoles participate in an international game.

Georgia Tech will be the second time it has played at Aviva Stadium. The last time the Yellow Jackets played in Ireland was in 2016, when they lost to Boston College, 17-16.

The ACC opener can set the bar for either side.

FSU is coming off a 13-1 season, missing the College Football Playoff. Its only loss was to Georgia in the Capital One Orange Bowl.

This season will be a clean slate for Mike Norvell, who is entering his fifth season as head coach of the Seminoles.

So, what does Georgia Tech look like? We take an early look.

Who is Georgia Tech’s head coach

Brent Key will be entering his second season with Georgia Tech. In his first year, the Yellow Jackets went 7-6 (5-3 in the ACC).

FSU-GT all-time record

15-11-1, FSU

Last meeting between FSU and Georgia Tech

FSU defeated Georgia Tech 41-16 in the last meeting on Oct. 29, 2022.

Georgia Tech’s top players

Offense:

QB Haynes King (2,842 passing yards, 27 TDs, 737 rushing yards, 10 TDs), RB Jamal Haynes (174 carries, 1,059 yards, 7 TDs), OG Joe Fusile

Defense:

DL Zeek Biggers (40 tackles, 4 TFLs, 1 sack, 1 INT), LB Kyle Efford (81 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT)

Georgia Tech’s key losses, additions

Key losses:

S Jaylon King, DL Eddie Kelly,

Key additions:

TE Ryland Goede, TE Jackson Hawes, OL Keylan Rutledge, DL Thomas Gore, DL Jordan van den Berg, DE Romello Height, DB Warren Burrell, DB Syeed Gibbs,

Remember former FSU QB and Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke?

Of course, FSU fans certainly remember Weinke.

Weinke is in his third year as Georgia Tech’s quarterbacks coach, his second year as the Yellow Jackets’ co-offensive coordinator and his first year as Tech’s assistant head coach.

As a player, Weinke won the 2000 Heisman Trophy as a quarterback at FSU and led the Seminoles to a national championship in 1999. He went on to be selected in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft and enjoyed a seven-year career with the Carolina Panthers (2001-06) and San Francisco 49ers (2007)

Outlook on Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech was young last season but with great potential.

The Yellow Jackets played in tight ballgames and can open the season with an ACC upset. For the Seminoles, it will be an opportunity to pick up where they left off and make a statement as playoff contenders.

Florida State Seminoles 2024 Football Schedule

Aug. 24 vs. Georgia Tech *Dublin, Ireland at 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Sept. 2 vs. Boston College at 7:30 p.m., ESPN
Sept. 14 vs. Memphis
Sept. 21 vs. California
Sept. 28 at SMU
Oct. 5 vs. Clemson
Oct. 18 at Duke
Oct. 26 at (U) Miami
Nov. 2 vs. North Carolina
Nov. 9 at Notre Dame
Nov. 23 vs. Charleston Southern
Nov. 30: Florida
Dec. 7: ACC Championship

BOLD = ACC

* = Neutral Site

Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics for Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol.

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Florida

Man killed in Florida train crash railroad crossing in Indian River

Published

8 hours ago

March 29, 2026

Press Room

Man killed in Florida train crash railroad crossing in Indian River

The train hit a pedestrian about 7:20 a.m. March 29 at the 77th Street railroad crossing, just west of Old Dixie Highway.

A man died in a freight train crash on the morning of March 29 in Indian River County, according to sheriff’s officials.

The Florida East Coast Railway train hit the man, identified as a pedestrian, about 7:20 a.m. at the 77th Street railroad crossing, just west of Old Dixie Highway, according to officials.

The man was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to officials. His name was withheld pending notification of his next of kin.

Because of the length of the train, several crossings in the area remain closed until the train can be moved. Drive alternate routes if traveling in the area.

County Road 510 at the crossing and 77th Street at 58th Avenue are currently closed.

A Brightline train was seen stopped just south of 69th Street unable to travel north.

Sheriff’s deputies and railroad officials remain at the scene investigating the cause of the crash.

No further information was immediately available.

Laurie K. Blandford is a breaking news reporter with TCPalm. Email her at laurie.blandford@tcpalm.com.

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Florida

Commandment wins the Florida Derby, now eyes Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown trail

Published

20 hours ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Commandment wins the Florida Derby, now eyes Kentucky Derby and Triple Crown trail

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. — Commandment broke his maiden last fall at Churchill Downs. He’ll soon be headed back there, looking for a much bigger victory.

By the slimmest of margins — a photo finish — Commandment won the Florida Derby on Saturday, completing a worst-to-first rally in the six-horse field and overtaking The Puma with the final bob of his head.

It was the fourth consecutive win for Commandment, who had jockey Flavien Prat aboard on Saturday. Next up: the Kentucky Derby, the start of the Triple Crown series on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

“He’s a racehorse, bottom line,” said trainer Brad Cox, who saddled the Florida Derby winner for the second consecutive year. “He always shows up. … He’s a Grade 1 winner. Florida Derby’s a big race. Proud of the horse. Very proud of the horse.”

The Puma took the lead at the top of the stretch and was maybe an inch or two shy of keeping it the rest of the way. Bettors roared when the official order of finish was announced, and Cox could finally exhale.

“Little too close for comfort,” Cox said.

Commandment returned $5.80 for the win. Chief Wallabee was third, favorite Nearly — the 7-5 top choice — was fourth and Wayne’s Law was fifth.

Commandment got 100 points toward the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. The Puma got 50 for finishing second, Chief Wallabee got 25 for third, Nearly got 15 for placing fourth and the fifth-place showing by Wayne’s Law earned him 10 points.

The Puma and Commandment went into Saturday’s race with spots for the Kentucky Derby basically secured, based on their point totals coming in — The Puma had 56, Commandment 50, and those likely would be enough to make the field.

Now, assuming both emerge from Saturday healthy and stay that way, they’re locks for the Run for the Roses.

“He’s got a great mind,” said Cox, just the fourth trainer to win the Florida Derby in back-to-back years, joining Todd Pletcher (who did it three times), Nick Zito and Horace Jones. “That’s going to take him a long way, the first Saturday in May.”

History has shown there’s a clear path from the winner’s circle at Gulfstream Park to the winner’s circle at Churchill Downs. The Florida Derby has been run by 26 eventual Kentucky Derby winners, more than any other prep race — most recently Sovereignty last year. Sovereignty was second in last year’s Florida Derby.

And Florida Derby winners have gone on to win 31 Triple Crown series races, including the Kentucky Derby on 15 occasions — the last of which was when Always Dreaming pulled it off in 2017. Those 31 victories in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont have come from 21 different Florida Derby winners.

UAE Derby

On Dubai World Cup day at Meydan, Wonder Dean won the UAE Derby for trainer Daisuke Takayanagi.

Wonder Dean is the fifth consecutive Japanese-trained winner of the UAE Derby. All four of the others went to the Kentucky Derby and Takayanagi — who guided T O Password to a fifth-place finish at the Run for the Roses in 2024 — said Wonder Dean is on his way as well.

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Florida

Man shot to death in Wabasso, Indian River sheriff seeks help

Published

1 day ago

March 28, 2026

Press Room

Man shot to death in Wabasso, Indian River sheriff seeks help

A man is dead, found by Indian River County sheriff’s deputies with multiple gunshot wounds early March 28, Sheriff Eric Flowers said in a social media post by the agency.

The victim was not publicly identified.

Authorities believe the shooting happened about 5:30 a.m. near the 8500 block of 64th Avenue in the unincorporated area of Wabasso, Flowers said in the video, where he stood at the scene of the shooting.

The victim, Flowers said, was “transported to the emergency room, where he succumbed to his injuries.”

Flowers also asked for assistance from the public in piecing together what happened.

“Anybody who knows anything about this, anybody who lives in the Wabasso area who may have seen something or heard something, any delivery drivers, we’re looking for information from you,” Flowers said.

Anyone with information should call Crime Stoppers, 800-273-8477.

This story will be updated.

Wicker Perlis is TCPalm’s Watchdog Reporter for St. Lucie County. You can reach him at Wicker.Perlis@TCPalm.com.

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