It’s not often that college football commitments can go watch their future school right in their hometown. Sunday night Oviedo offensive tackle Tye Hylton and Edgewater safety Cai Bates were expecting to realize that experience as Florida State and LSU clashed in the Camping World Kickoff.

“It’s crazy. It’s just how God works. The school I committed to is having its first game right down the street from me,” said Bates, who committed to LSU July 26, “so I just feel like it all worked out and fell into place and made me feel that much better about my decision.”

Hylton committed to FSU July 14, and he’s been eyeballing this date ever since.

“I feel like it’s a blessing,” Hylton said. “To have the team I’m going to play for come here, it’s just great.”

Hylton led the way for an Oviedo squad that rushed for more than 2,000 yards a year ago while Bates played both ways for Edgewater. On offense, he caught 17 passes for 241 yards, and on defense he had four interceptions.

Both players are glad to have their commitments wrapped up and they can now concentrate on their senior year and getting into the postseason.

“I have somewhere that I know where I’m going to be and I can just enjoy my senior season and these last moments with my teammates, putting on the same helmet with them,” Bates said.

Hylton agreed.

“Being committed is just a big weight lifted off my shoulder and now I can concentrate on what we need to do as a team,” Hylton said.

Due to neutral-site recruiting regulations, neither player will be on the field or interacting with the team before or during the game, but they can do so afterward.

“I can go in the locker room and things like that after the game,” Bates said.

Hylton said he will meet up with several other FSU commits, who are making the trip from Georgia to watch the game in person. He said Savannah quarterback Luke Kromenhouek and Atlanta safety CJ Heard will be making the trip. FSU has nine other Florida players committed to the 2024 recruiting class.

Bats is the only Florida player currently committed to LSU.