A key aspect for Florida State's improvement this season has been the improvement game to game and week to week.

The Seminoles have also capitalized on improving from opportunity to opportunity.

Redshirt defensive lineman Patrick Payton has been a perfect example of that growth. He was thrown into a bigger role as the defensive line dealt with injuries to stars Jared Verse and Fabien Lovett earlier in the season.

Payton said he felt he made up for a play he missed earlier in the season when he got his hands around UM's DJ Scaife Jr. on a pass rush in the fourth quarter. While he was blocked well, Payton used his long arms to strip backup quarterback Jake Garcia and collect a sack.

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It was his third sack of the season but the first forced fumble of his career, with teammate Malcolm Ray scooping up the ball.

"I just took a power move, I saw the ball and I went for the ball,” Payton said. “I tried to do it against Clemson, but I missed it. I really wanted that play. So, it was better to do it against my hometown. It feels good.”

The former Miami Northwestern standout has ascended for the No. 23 Seminoles (6-3, 4-3) this season and will continue to play a role against Syracuse (6-3, 3-2) at 8 p.m. Saturday at the JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, N.Y. (TV: ACC Network).

Payton began his high school career as a safety at Miami High before moving to defensive end and garnering more college interest as a junior.

Confidence has been the key for Payton, according to defensive coordinator Adam Fuller.

"The confidence came in – last year when he redshirted and showed up to practice, put the film work in, then the offseason, showed up, doesn’t miss reps, pushes through things, put on the right amount of body weight, got stronger, watched more tape, practiced, learned, took the coaching. And he just kept doing it, and doing it, and doing it," Fuller said at his press conference Monday.

"You put that together with the ingredients of skill and a smarter player who has a toughness to him, and then you put him in games and he has some success, that builds some swagger with the confidence of the work that he has done. He feels like he has earned the right to make his plays."

While he redshirted last season, Payton decided early on that he wanted to specifically spend as much time with and watch two future NFL players, New York Jets first-round pick Jermaine Johnson and Keir Thomas with the Los Angeles Rams.

"I wouldn't say that I knew Jermaine was going in the first round, but I knew," Payton said. "Whatever he was doing, I was just watching. (Keir), too. Whatever they were doing, I was doing. ...

"They were playing great, I was just trying to follow in their footsteps. Just taking every day of practice seriously, taking every rep seriously, scout team, whatever, even though I knew I wasn't playing."

Payton relished the opportunity to show his growth in his hometown and in front of his family.

"It was good, because I never really got a chance to play in that stadium," he said. "I had about 12-15 family members all there, just supporting me. I could see them right there every time I turned around. For some of them, it was their first time ever watching me play in person. It was a great experience."

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College football rankings

FSU is back in the College Football Playoff rankings for the first time since Week 14 of the 2016 season. It has been a long road back for the Seminoles, who were also ranked No. 25 in the AP Poll released Sunday.

"I did see it yesterday," FSU linebacker Kalen DeLoach said. "They did make a post about the new College Football Rankings I saw we got 23. Yes, that’s improvement. But that’s still not where we want to be. But it’s still improvement.”

The redshirt junior had three tackles against Miami. He has 45 tackles on the season, including three sacks.

He has been a part of the program since the final year of former head coach Willie Taggert and talked about the considerable growth he's seen from the program since he got here.

"I always reflect on it," DeLoach said. "When I first got here to the time now and the relationships I made. Just coming out here practicing every day, working on the craft and the things that I needed to work on.

"To get here and just enjoy the moment, take it day by day. But yeah, I like where we have come so far from where we have been. It was good to go down there and do what we need to do, handle business and just get back up here and focus on this week."

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DJ Lundy, the red zone threat

While the red zone has been an issue for FSU for much of the season, it was less so last week against Miami.

The Seminoles converted five of their six opportunities inside the 20 for touchdowns. The other was an end-of-the-half field goal.

Linebacker/fullback DJ Lundy scored on a two-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter. He later provided a pivotal block in the red zone to allow running back Trey Benson to punch it in from one yard out.

Lundy has received 10 snaps this season on offense and scored three times (two rushing, one receiving).

"I don't like that position, I love that position," FSU head coach Mike Norvell said. "It’s one of the purest positions in football. When you play fullback, you’ve got to have it all. It’s a toughness, mentality, skillset, the agility to be able to work and make people miss as you’re tracking guys and blocking.

"It’s funny because everywhere I’ve been, I’ve always had a defensive player that’s been our fullback.”

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Tropical Storm Nicole

Norvell said he does not anticipate FSU's travel schedule to be impacted by the looming threat of Tropical Storm Nicole.

The storm is projected to make landfall in Eastern Florida and make a bend toward the Big Bend sometime Thursday. It is unclear what the impact of the storm will be in the Tallahassee area.

FSU announced the university will be closed Thursday.

"As of right now, there have not been any adjustments, but we have been in communication, just tracking all things. But we don't feel as if it's going to be adjusted as of right now," Norvell said.

GAME INFORMATION

Who: No. 23 FSU (6-3, 4-3 ACC) vs. Syracuse (6-3, 3-2)

When/where: Saturday, 8 p.m.; JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.

TV/Radio: ACC Network/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: Seminole football: Patrick Payton made most of opportunity against Miami