When Samford's season was canceled last week, the Florida State administration was left scrambling to fill its 11-game 2020 football schedule with a non-conference opponent.

Well, that opponent has now been found.

Head coach Mike Norvell announced on Thursday that Jacksonville State would be taking the Bulldogs' place on the FSU schedule. But it won't be on the same date.

Don't miss our great FSU sports coverage. Get your 30-day FREE trial.

Samford was set to play in Doak Campbell Stadium on Sept. 19, between the season-opener vs. Georgia Tech and the Week 3 showdown with Miami.

Jacksonville State is now scheduled to visit Doak on Oct. 3, which was originally a bye week on the Seminoles' 11-game schedule. That means, of course, that Florida State now has a bye in the second week of the season.

*ALSO SEE: Complete rundown of what Norvell and players said after Thursday's practice

That might not be ideal. The Seminoles would have liked one more game before playing the Hurricanes in Week 3, but Norvell added it wasn't the first time in his career he's had a bye week after the season opener.

And in reality, he said, it doesn't alter the schedule that much anyway. Especially since there is another bye week later in the season.

"It's not a huge difference (having the bye two weeks earlier)," Norvell said. "But just like most any coach will say, one of the biggest strides you see from your team is between Week 1 and Week 2, and that second game. So, we're working extremely hard to be in the best position we can be for that first game.

"And then basically have two weeks (for byes) after that. I've been a part of that situation before in my coaching career, having a Week 2 bye. So, I'm familiar with what that will look like. And having a bye week on the back end of the schedule, it doesn't put too much stress (on the players). I think we'll have five straight games, which is pretty reasonable thing that we should be able to do."

Jacksonville State was 6-6 a season ago and finished fifth in the Ohio Valley Conference.

*ALSO SEE: Tailgating to be allowed at FSU home games, with new policies in place

----------------------------------------------------

Talk about this story with other Florida State football fans in the Tribal Council