Jordan Travis, the starting signal caller for Florida State, sustained an injury that prevented the team from participating in the College Football Playoffs, despite finishing the regular season unbeaten. When called upon last season, Tate Rodemaker stood in excellently for Travis; he is now firmly established in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, home of the Southern Miss Golden Eagles.

Reporter Matt Zenitz provided the most recent information on Rodemaker in Hattiesburg on Tuesday. The former Florida State quarterback is expected to start this coming season for Coach Will Hall’s squad in the Sun Belt Conference, according to Zenitz. Meanwhile, it was revealed who the Seminoles’ biggest x-factor for the upcoming season is—and it’s not DJ Uiagalelei.

The disclosure of the fatal fault that will end Florida State football’s prospects of making the College Football Playoffs in 2024–2025 coincided with the Rodemaker news.

With the Seminoles last season, Rodemaker passed for 510 yards, five touchdowns, and zero interceptions. The Golden Eagles’ season opener is set for Saturday, August 31 at 7:45 p.m. ET versus Kentucky.

Florida State was ready to move on.

Coach Mike Norvell and Florida State football are ready to move on with the ex-Oregon State and ex-Clemson transfer Uiagalelei now that the gifted transfer Rodemaker is in Hattiesburg. Uiagalelei, a California native, has improved over his previous three college football seasons in both throwing yards and quarterback rating.

With Coach Jonathan Smith’s Beavers, he passed for 21 touchdowns versus 7 interceptions last season while being sacked just half as frequently (11 times total) as he had the year before.

These are encouraging numbers for Uiagalelei, who might produce results with Florida State football that are considerably more productive than Rodemaker’s numbers from the previous season.

In Week One, Florida State football takes on Georgia Tech.

In the first game of the 2024–2025 college football season, Florida State football will play the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Dublin, Ireland.

With Uiagalelei leading the offensive, Coach Mike Norvell’s team will be looking to gain ground on the other ACC teams in the standings.

In Week One, Florida State football takes on Georgia Tech.
In the first game of the 2024–2025 college football season, Florida State football will play the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Dublin, Ireland.

With Uiagalelei leading the offensive, Coach Mike Norvell’s team will be looking to gain ground on the other ACC teams in the standings.

Pania Davis from New Mexico Junior College gets recruited by the FSU women’s basketball team.

With yet another recruit, Florida State women’s basketball strikes again. The coaching staff is recruiting for the future in addition to getting the club ready for the 2024–25 season. After snagging transfer forward Pania Davis from New Mexico Junior College, the Seminoles pulled off another coup.

Brooke Wyckoff and the coaching staff focused their efforts on finding a center. Building a greater inside presence is always crucial, especially in a competitive ACC conference. Pania Davis, an Australian native, was a steal for the Noles. Davis, who is 6’6″, gives the Noles a presence that has the ability to take them to the next level.

Davis is the genuine article. She rose to prominence as an Australian player and maintained that status during her time as a student at NMJC. Before her rookie season began, Davis was expected to perform at a high level. Yes, players must always get used to the adjustment from high school to college. Davis’ early success in college can be attributed to her fortunate early exposure to intense competition.

Pania Davis, who is 6’6″, is a versatile player on the court. She is a strong natural rim protector on defense. Because of his adept floor scanning, Davis can identify when the other team is attempting to run a half-court offense. Her ability to communicate is crucial to a team, and she does a fantastic job of letting her teammates know what’s going on defensively. The intention of New Mexico was to restrict simple chances within. Davis’s defensive presence allowed the squad to control that end of the court.

Davis is a talented offensive player as well. She is a center who will outmuscle opponents with timing and accuracy rather than strength. A player that always looks for high-percentage shots is Davis. In addition to demonstrating her ability to step out and take down mid-range jumpers, she can enforce her will beneath the hoop. Her footwork is one of Davis’ most underappreciated skills. When she looks to score, it gives her good placement and an advantage over the opposition.

That’s where accuracy and timing are important. Davis has a higher chance of scoring on an offensive possession when she gets a first step versus a defender.

After playing for New Mexico for two seasons, Davis has had a significant influence on the Thunder Birds. The squad had a stellar 2023–24 season, going 27–7 overall and dominating the WJCAC with a 13–1 record. With averages of 13.6 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks as a rookie, Davis was exceptional. She has six games with 20 points or more, and ten games with 13 rebounds or more.

According to the stat sheet, Davis was one of New Mexico’s most important X-Factors in the 2023–24 campaign. It also contributes to the fact that she was named to the NJCAA All-Tournament Team, WJCAC Freshman of the Year, and other honors.

Prospects aim to be recognized by elite universities when they start their college careers at the JUCO level. To be recruited at the Division I level, they must demonstrate their ability to compete at a high level. Several universities, notably UConn and Virginia Tech, took notice of Davis right away. Fortunately, the university that caught her attention the most was Florida State.

Coach Wyckoff has led the Seminoles to success for many years, and Davis had faith in him to help her reach her full potential as a basketball player.

Regretfully, Pania Davis’ Seminoles debut will not happen for another season for Florida State supporters. After one more season at New Mexico, fans will receive a better product from Davis, therefore the wait will be worthwhile. The objective is to keep developing as a whole talent. She can continue to establish her presence on the defensive end and hone her offensive skills. Davis will be ready to contribute significantly to the Florida State Seminoles’ success by the 2025–2026 campaign.