Florida State football: Three players to know ahead of Friday's game against Florida

Florida State football is riding high. The Seminoles have won four in a row and are seeking their first nine-win season since 2016.

The last time No. 16 FSU (8-3) did that, it reached the Orange Bowl and swept rivals Miami and Florida.

With a win over the Hurricanes already in the bag, the Seminoles have a chance to finish the sweep when they host the Gators (6-5) at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Doak Campbell Stadium.

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Florida State has lost three in a row to the Gators, including a 24-21 loss last season in Gainesville. The Gators lead the all-time series 37-26-1. The Seminoles' last win was a 38-22 win over UF in 2017.

FSU enters the contest against the Gators as a 9 ½-point favorite, according to Bet Online as of Wednesday afternoon.

Here are three players to watch for the Seminoles as they look to extend their winning streak to five games and finish off their first sweep of Florida rivals since 2016.

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Wide receiver Ontaria Wilson

The redshirt senior began his FSU career in 2017 when he redshirted under then-coach Jimbo Fisher. He was here for the lean years under Willie Taggart and the rebuild of Mike Norvell.

Now Wilson will be one of the few seniors who can put a stake to the claim the program is better off when he left it than when he got here.

Wilson still plays a prominent role on the offense, with 24 receptions for 392 yards and three scores.

In his five seasons with the program, he has 102 catches for 1,418 yards and 11 touchdowns.

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Tight end Camren McDonald

The 6-foot-4 tight end from Long Beach, Cali. has stuck out his time with the Seminoles, just like Wilson. He initially signed under Fisher, but has played for Taggart and Norvell.

McDonald has 19 catches for a career-high 268 yards and a touchdown this season.

For his career, he has contributed 72 catches for 817 yards and five touchdowns. That is not even counting his blocking, in both the run and pass games.

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Defensive end Leonard Warner III

Another redshirt senior holdover from the 2017 squad, the DE from Snellville, Ga. has seen his playing time go up and down this season, returning from an Achilles injury in the spring of 2021.

Still, he has remained a key contributor for the defense with 19 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two tackles for loss in 11 games.

For his career, Warner has 131 tackles, 3.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss across 42 games.

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Quarterback Jordan Travis

Could this be the final game for the redshirt junior at Doak Campbell Stadium?

Travis is enjoying a breakout season with 2,526 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and four interceptions.

His 87.9 PFF passing grade is 11th in the nation among FBS QBs and he certainly has made a case for himself to be drafted into the NFL.

Travis has not indicated one way or another if he's returning.

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GAME INFORMATION

Who: No. 16 FSU (8-3) vs. Florida (6-5)

When/where: Friday, 7:30 p.m.; Doak Campbell Stadium

TV/Radio: ABC/94.9 FM

Live game updates: www.Tallahassee.com; @CarterKarels on Twitter; @Ehsan_Kassim on Twitter; @JimHenryTALLY

Reach Ehsan Kassim at ekassim@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Ehsan_Kassim. You can also follow our coverage on Facebook (NoleSports) and Instagram (tlhnolesports).

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football: Three Seminoles' players to know against Florida Gators