Florida State-Florida football showdown at Doak in 2022 moved to Black Friday – Tallahassee Democrat

The Florida State-Florida football game has long been played on Saturdays following Thanksgiving.

That tradition, however, has been tweaked for 2022.

The two state rivals will play this season on Friday, Nov. 25, at Doak Campbell Stadium, the Democrat has learned.

The showdown – which marks the debut of Florida coach Billy Napier to the rivalry – is expected to be a nationally-televised, primetime night game.

The 2022 ACC football schedule will be unveiled live during a two-hour special “The Huddle: 2022 Football Schedule Reveal” Monday at 7 p.m. on the ACC Network (Comcast 1325 HD). 

Each ACC team’s full 2022 schedule, along with key matchups and weeks, will be revealed. Coaches from across the conference will join live during the second hour of the show between 8-to-9  p.m.

The FSU-Florida game this season had been scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 26. 

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Fans, local businesses and high school football programs may not like the switch to Black Friday. 

During a typical FSU football season, out-of-town fans usually spend the weekend and bring nearly $50 million to Tallahassee in direct spending over seven home games.

Last year’s FHSAA football regional games were played on Friday night, Nov. 26, the day after Thanksgiving. 

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Television driving the decision to move Gators-Seminoles off traditional Saturday

However, television networks, specifically ESPN College Football Friday Primetime, embrace Friday games and the unique exposure they bring to programs and cities during the regular season. 

FSU and Tallahassee are expected to benefit from the prime-time narrative.  

Since debuting in 2004, the platform has broadcast Friday games from numerous conferences, including the Pac-12, ACC, Big Ten and the American.

Last year, three games were played on the Friday after Thanksgiving.

On ABC at 3:30 p.m., No. 4 Cincinnati beat East Carolina 35-13 in a game that attracted 2.3 million television viewers.

On ESPN at 3:30 p.m., UCF beat South Florida 17-13 (711,000 television viewers).

In the 7:30 p.m. slot on ESPN, North Carolina State beat North Carolina 34-30 (2.6 million television viewers).

Last year’s FSU-UF game in Gainesville – played at noon on Saturday, Nov. 27, on ESPN – attracted 1.69 million television viewers and a crowd of 88,491 at Florida Field. 

The Gators beat the Seminoles 24-21, knocking FSU coach Mike Norvell’s team out of bowl contention at 5-7 in his first meeting against UF. 

UF has won the last three in the series.

The rivalry game had been played annually since 1958 until the 2020 game was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

While the Gators have never appeared in a Friday night game, FSU beat Boston College 45-7 at Doak Campbell Stadium on Friday, Nov. 11, 2016, before an announced crowd of 73,917.

Reach Jim Henry at [email protected].

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