In less than two weeks, the Florida State Seminoles will open their 2023 season against the LSU Tigers in Orlando.

It’s the second time in as many years the two will face off against each other, but the stakes feel much different this go around.

Both teams have found themselves ranked in the top ten of the AP and Coaches poll to start the year — last season, both were unranked.

LSU and FSU are in the top seven best odds to win the College Football Playoff this season, according to DraftKings Sportsbook — last season, ten wins for either team felt like a long shot.

The questions from last season around the two quarterbacks are now all but gone as LSU’s Jayden Daniels and FSU’s Jordan Travis are in the top five favorites to hoist the Heisman trophy.

A lot of the perceptions around the teams have changed, but what really makes them so different from a year ago?

On this week’s episode of the Seminole Wrap podcast, Brian Pellerin is joined by Grant Chachere, an LSU beat writer from And The Valley Shook, to talk about the Tigers.

What changed after last year’s game?

Last year’s contest was an ugly 24-23 Florida State win. Neither team amounted much in the way of explosive plays, but it was LSU who really couldn’t find their footing.

The Bayou Bengals lacked anything that resembled a dangerous offense until late in the contest. Outside of those final two drives, it was anything but pretty. The offense had errant snaps. The kicking unit had multiple kicks blocked. The punt return team muffed multiple returns.

Like I said, not pretty.

But LSU ended up winning 10 games in route to claiming the SEC West title over Alabama.

Now, the Tigers are expected to compete for the SEC and national titles. So what’s changed?

Jayden Daniels

As mentioned above, Jayden Daniels is among the favorites to hoist the Heisman this year, but you wouldn’t know it from last season’s game against FSU. By all accounts, he’s taken to Brian Kelly’s staff and taken control of the offense.

So what allowed him to blossom last season? What does he look like so far this year? And is the hype warranted?

LSU offensive weapons

Kayshon Boutte was the talk of the town last season, but it was Malik Nabors who showed out. He blossomed as the year went along and is now the most dangerous weapon on the Tigers’ offense. What does he bring to the table and who else do the Noles need to look out for?

LSU defense

The LSU defense was solid in last year’s contest, but there were a few faces that became stars that were not on the field that night. Who are Harold Perkins, Maason Smith and Mekhi Wingo? And how could their presence impact Florida State’s offense this year?

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