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Another Blow for Florida State

Another Blow for Florida State

FSU football is down bad right now. Since completing an undefeated regular season capped off with an ACC Championship, little has gone right in Tallahassee. The CFP Selection Committee left the undefeated Seminoles out for a 1-loss Alabama. Georgia delivered the largest beat down in bowl history. and now Alabama is circling Mike Norvell to replace Nick Saban. Thursday there was another blow for Florida State. FSU is the first school to receive sanctions from the NCAA for violating rules around Name, Image and Likeness. The NCAA released the findings of their investigation on Thursday afternoon leading to multiple penalties for the Noles. It's another blow for Florida State who will see a two-year probation period and disassociation with it's NIL collective for one season. Additionally, one assistant coach received a 3-game ban, the loss of five scholarships over 2 years, and multiple recruiting restrictions.

In the NCAA report, none of the names of the assistants, boosters involved, or players were named. However, the AP reported that the assistant coach Alex Atkins is the assistant. They say that he drove a player in the transfer portal (rumored to be Amarius Mims) to a boosters' house who offered Mims $15,000 per month to come to FSU. That booster involved must also disassociate with the University for 3 years. The report also stated that Mike Norvell had no knowledge of the interactions.

This is just another blow for Florida State in the last 6 weeks. And with Mike Norvell rumored to be on the short list of coaches to succeed Nick Saban at Alabama, it could get worse. However, if Mike Norvell stiff arms the Tide and stays in the Florida "T-Town" the Noles have to feel like Mike will never leave them. There might be more good news on the horizon for the Seminoles. There are reports that the ACC Grant of Rights deal might not be as iron clad as once thought. If FSU can get out of that without having to pay the $150 million buy out, then maybe this 6-weeks stretch was a speed bump on your way to much better days.

1 Florida College Made The List Of 10 Best Public Universities In The U.S.

It's only fall, but high school seniors in Florida need to lock down their college choices. And if you're a parent, you know that sending your child to an in state school is going to cost a lot less. But you're also looking for the best public universities for your kid. Both in and outside of Florida. US News did the legwork and ranked the top public colleges going into the 2024 school year. Their rankings took into consideration a lot of data including graduation rates, first year retention rates, and graduate performance. On the money side they also looked into borrower debt and the likeliness that one of their grads will out earn someone with only a high school diploma. You can find the full methodology here. One Florida school cracked the top 10.

Coming in at number 6 on the list of Best Public Universities is the University of Florida.

The University of Florida has an enrollment of 34,552 on a 2,000 acre campus. It comes in at number 6 on the Top Public Universities list and number 28 in national Universities based on similar criteria.

If UF is on your list, note the deadline for enrollment is March 1st and that only 23% of applicants are accepted. In state tuition fees are $6,381 and room and board is another $11,500. If you make it in, your odds are good. UF has a 72% graduation rate and the top major is engineering.

Overall, as a Florida resident, UF looks like a great choice, as highlighted by this study. The next public university on this list is Florida State University, which comes in at number 23. Florida Gulf Coast University comes in at number 162.

Let's take a look at the rest of the top 10, and how much it would cost to send your kid to one of these out of state schools.

1 University of California, Berkeley

This school overlooks the San Francisco Bay in Berkeley, California. It's top major is Social Sciences, and out of state tuition & fees is$48,465. Unfortunately, one reviewer feels that the crime of San Francisco is encroaching on the school "Overall, the city of Berkeley is crime-ridden, and safety is a significant concern for students."

1 (tie) University of California, Los Angeles

Located just just five miles away from the Pacific Ocean. It's top major is also Social Sciences, and out of state tuition & fees is $46,326. "Great school, great people, great vibes!"

3 University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor is a really cool place. And if you crave some excitement, Detroit is just 45 minutes away. It's top major is Computer and Information Sciences but out of state tuition & fees is a brutal $57,273. "Strong academics in basically any field, so you have flexibility if you decide to change your major."

4 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Great history in this school that was founded in 1789. It's top major is  Social Sciences, and out of state tuition & fees is $39,338. 

5 University of Virginia

You want history? This school was started by Thomas Jefferson. It's top major is Liberal Arts and Sciences/Liberal Studies and out of state tuition & fees is $58,950.     Indeed.com made a list of jobs you can land with a liberal arts degree. The first one listed is a  Customer service representative which carries a salary of $13.17 an hour.

6 University of California, Davis

Was originally a part of UC - Berkeley. It's top major is Biological and Biomedical Sciences and out of state tuition & fees is $46,043. 

6 (tie) University of California, San Diego

Located in La Jolla, California it's top major is Biology. Out of state tuition and fees is $48,630.

9 University of Texas at Austin

One of the largest schools in the nation. Everything's bigger in Texas. It's top graduating majors are Biological and Biomedical Sciences and Engineering. Traveling from Florida, out of state tuition and fees is $41,070.

10 Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Tech is located in the heart of Atlanta. A whopping 51% of graduates do so with an Engineering degree. Definitely a closer option for Florida residents, out of state tuition and fees is less than many at $32,876.

10 (tie) University of California, Irvine

Orange County, California. The top major for graduates is Social Sciences. Out of state tuition and fees is $47,759.

Chris has been on ESPN Soutwest Florida in one way or another dating back to 2010. As a Southwest Florida native, Chris understands what's important to the locals. He is a huge football fan; both professional and college. Although he has a special place for the Miami Dolphins and the entire SEC. He is also very into golf, both playing it locally and covering it on a global scale. Sports are supposed to be fun, and Chris likes to reflect that in the way he covers it. Chris writes about sports news and opinions.