Trey Benson of Florida State and two others are missing the Orange Bowl in favor of the NFL.
Trey Benson, one of three Florida State players to declare for the NFL draft, stated Sunday that he will not play in the Orange Bowl in order to focus on NFL draft preparation. Benson, who led the undefeated Seminoles on the ground with 905 yards and 14 touchdowns this season, along with tight end Jaheim Bell and defensive tackle Fabien Lovett, join two other players who have previously declared for the NFL, wide receiver Johnny Wilson and cornerback Jarvis Jones. Except for Jones, everyone plans to skip the bowl game.
“I cannot begin to express how valuable my two years have been, especially the relationships I’ve made with teammates, coaches, athletic training, academic staff, and the entire FSU family,” Benson wrote on Instagram. “I’ve decided to enter the NFL Draft in 2024 and will not play in the Orange Bowl.”
Benson, a redshirt junior, transferred to Florida State in 2022 after two seasons at Oregon. In his debut season in Tallahassee, he carried for 990 yards and nine touchdowns. He averaged 6.1 yards per run and scored 23 touchdowns on the ground during his career. After transferring from South Carolina, Bell had 39 receptions for 503 yards and two scores for the Seminoles. Lovett, who began his career at Mississippi State, appeared in 13 games and had 22 tackles, a sack, and three pass breakups.
Despite finishing 13-0, Florida State was left out of the College Football Playoff and will face Georgia on December 30 in Miami Gardens, Fla.
