Florida State looks to steer clear of trouble at Orange Bowl

Florida State players huddle prior to their game against Virginia Tech on Nov. 8. FSU plays Northern Illinois in the Orange Bowl (Photo: Geoff Burke, Getty Images)

Story Highlights

• Florida State players with South Florida roots are doing their part to educate teammates
• Boise State, Texas and Central Michigan have all disciplined players prior to their bowls
• The Seminoles take on Northern Illinois in the Orange Bowl on Tuesday in Miami

  FORT LAUDERDALE – Texas sent two players home from Alamo Bowl practice on Friday.

  Boise State suspended its top defensive end before the Las Vegas Bowl.

  Central Michigan sent three wide receivers packing before its bowl game against Western Kentucky. And those are far from the only disciplinary actions to take place this bowl season.

  GOING BOWLING: Complete bowl results and schedule

  While bowl-week suspensions are not a new phenomenon – the mixture of an off-campus venue and excess free time can lead to trouble – they are perhaps an even greater concern in cities where the temptations are great.

  That's why some Florida State players with South Florida roots have done their part to educate their teammates about the places, and situations, they might want to avoid during the week leading up to Tuesday's Orange Bowl.

  "There's a lot of distractions in South Florida," said FSU receiver Rashad Greene, who went to high school in Fort Lauderdale. "If you're not focused and actually know what you want, you can get caught up in the wrong things down here. It's sad to say, but it happens."

  With that in mind, Greene, tailback Devonta Freeman and other South Florida 'Noles have acted as de facto tour guides for their teammates. Sometimes that means telling them the best way to get to South Beach; at other times it means suggesting places they probably don't want to be after-hours.

  During the first few days of bowl preparations, the Seminoles have had a 1 a.m. curfew.

  "Just being in South Florida, period, you can have a lot of distractions because you have the beaches and everything," said senior Rodney Smith, a Miami native. "As a team, you've just got to focus on what's the most important thing at the end of the day, and that's winning the game."

  So far, the Seminoles' players say, it hasn't been an issue.

  "Everybody on this team is grown," sophomore defensive tackle Timmy Jernigan said. "We know right from wrong. To me, it's just common sense. You know right from wrong. Don't do (anything) crazy. Keep the team first."

  Ira Schoffel writes for the Tallahassee Democrat