Internation-Noles! FSU to open 2024 season in Ireland

In an interesting yet exciting move, Florida State announced today (3/15/23) they will open the 2024 college football season against Georgia Tech in Dublin, Ireland on August 24th. The week zero game will take place inside Aviva Stadium which is no stranger to hosting college football events. In 2022, the 51,700-seat stadium hosted Northwestern vs Nebraska and Notre Dame will face Navy there in 2023 as well. This will be Florida State’s first game outside of the United States.

Mike Norvell had the following to say about the announcement, “I am so excited for our student-athletes, coaches, staff, administration, and fans for this opportunity. When this idea was first presented to me, I was immediately intrigued by a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the people in our program. The way the 2024 season lays out with a third open date, the trip made sense from a football perspective as well. Very few people have the chance to travel to a different continent and experience another culture, much less take an entire team, so I am appreciative of everyone’s hard work and support to make this game happen.”

The Seminoles were already slated to face Georgia Tech in Atlanta during the 2024 season so there is no loss of a home game for FSU. A trip to Ireland was hinted at on social media earlier this year by AD Michael Alford who had the following to say about the international contest, “Florida State is a global brand, and this game further enforces that. “This game allows us to provide an unmatched athletic and cultural experience for our student-athletes while representing Florida State on a global stage. I am looking forward to seeing our fans in Dublin while also making new fans across the Atlantic. We are appreciative of all the efforts that have already gone into the planning of this game and are excited for what is to come over the next year and a half.”

It does seem like an odd move, especially with Atlanta being close proximity to a large base of Nole fans. However, I think it presents an exciting opportunity for FSU to not only expand its brand, have a nationally televised game in the spotlight during week zero when there likely won’t be much competition for viewers, but also the opportunity for an awesome trip for those able to make the trek!

For those unable to make it, FSU will still have plenty of exciting games closer to home in 2024 with a home slate of Memphis, Charleston Southern, Boston College, Clemson, North Carolina, NC State, and Florida. Their away games include Notre Dame, Miami, Syracuse, and Virginia.

Keep in mind similar to 2022 when FSU had a week zero game against Duquesne, they will also have an extra bye week during the season which I like. It may be different and has been met with both positive and negative reactions so far on social media, but in the end, I think it is a one-off game that will be fun and exciting for the players, staff, and fans alike. Thanks for reading and Go Noles!

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