In one of the latest takes about the recently released preseason AP Top 25 poll, ESPN’s Paul Finebaum shared that he believes Florida State will drop out of the rankings by the end of the season.

In fact, he doesn’t even think that the Seminoles should be in the top 10 before the season has started.

“They used up too many tears about not getting into the playoff,” Finebaum said. “That may slow them down a little bit this year.”

Yes, a lot of last season’s playoff saga involved the Seminoles complaining about the fact that they deserved a spot in the CFPs over Alabama or Texas.

However, is Finebaum correct when he says that Florida State really has “no business being in the top 10”?

At the end of the day, the Seminoles are coming off of a 13-1 season with a first-place finish in the ACC and a win in the conference championship game.

No, they don’t have star quarterback Jordan Travis anymore but they did pick up elite transfer QB DJ Uiagalelei from Oregon State.

Mike Norvell is still one of the premiere head coaches in the country and the Seminoles aren’t exactly lacking in depth as they head into 2024.

A top 10 spot ahead of the season isn’t cementing the Seminoles in the College Football Playoffs this year but it does give them a leg up, they just have to earn the wins to prove it.

Finebaum may have gone too far when he said that FSU has no business being where they are in the rankings and even if the Seminoles finish the year at 9-3 overall, they would still have an argument for a spot in the Top 25.