Two weeks after finishing the regular season with a 6-6 record, the Florida State football team will return to the practice fields this afternoon to begin preparations for the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.
The Seminoles will take on Arizona State, which went 7-5 in head coach Herm Edwards' second season. ASU was actually ranked as high as No. 17 in the country this year after getting off to a 5-1 start, including victories against Michigan State, Cal and Washington State.
The Sun Devils then endured a four-game tailspin before closing the regular season with a pair of victories, including a stunning upset of then-No. 6 Oregon.
The Sun Bowl is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 31, at 2 p.m., and it will air on CBS.
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Here are some things we know about FSU's bowl practices:
* After taking two weeks off to recover from the season and to work on final exams, Florida State's first few bowl practices likely will focus primarily on fundamentals.
* Interim head coach Odell Haggins is leading the team through the bowl game, while new head coach Mike Norvell focuses primarily on recruiting and assembling his staff.
* The coaches who led FSU during the regular season are expected to coach through the bowl game, unless any get hired away by other programs before the game on Dec. 31.
* Norvell and his newly hired assistant coaches will likely observe practices -- evaluating the players and staff members -- but not necessarily provide instruction.
* FSU will practice in Tallahassee through Sunday, Dec. 22, before taking a few days off for Christmas. The Seminoles then will travel to El Paso on Dec. 26 to begin on-site bowl preparations.
Here are some questions that should be answered during bowl preparation:
* Which draft-eligible players will be leaving early for the NFL? Junior defensive tackle Marvin Wilson is almost certainly leaving, and the chances are high that junior tailback Cam Akers is as well. Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Tamorrion Terry and a few others are believed to be contemplating their futures, but no decisions have been announced. While we might not get clarity on all of these players' futures by the start of bowl practice, most likely will make their decisions by the bowl game. The deadline to declare is Jan. 20.
* What the bowl roster will look like? It has become more common in recent years for players heading to the draft to skip their bowl games, especially if they are not involved in the College Football Playoff. FSU also has seen a few players recently enter the Transfer Portal: defensive lineman Malcolm Lamar, wide receiver Tre'Shaun Harrison and walk-on receiver D'Anfernee McGriff. Those players don't necessarily have to leave the team once they enter the portal, so we'll find out if they are still in the program and whether there's a chance they could change their minds.
* How are the players responding to Norvell and the coaching change? The media will have several opportunities over the next week to interview FSU's players in advance of the bowl game, and there also will be a brief viewing opportunity at today's practice. Through those interactions, we should get a feel for how the Seminoles' players are feeling about the transition to head coach Mike Norvell and his new staff.
* How well are the injured players recovering? Several key players missed action at the end of the regular season due to injuries, including offensive guard Dontae Lucas and center Andrew Boselli. Running back Khalan Laborn also was suspended for the Florida game, and offensive tackle Jauan Williams did not make that trip due to "personal reasons." We should learn about the availability of those players and others when Haggins meets with the media today.
NOTE: Haggins and players are expected to meet with the media this afternoon for interviews before the first practice. Check back with Warchant for complete coverage, beginning around 4 p.m. ET
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