Football
FSU defensive back Karson Hobbs announced on Instagram last night that he’ll miss the 2026 season after tearing his ACL:
After all the hardships last year somehow we ended up right back with another great opportunity again just to find out that my season will no longer forgo due to My ACL being torn. I usually have an answer for situations of how I can shake back knowing that God knows all and his plans never fail but this time I don’t know what the Lord has in store for me. But what I do know is that his plan for me is far
greater then I could ever imagine and I’m grateful for the countless memories and bonds I’ve been able to build since I’ve been at Florida State. I’m truly sorry things ended this way now without getting a chance , but I will be back better then ever knowing that all the pain, the late nights and tears shed were worth it because with God anything is possible and this to shall Pass.
Wide receiver Duce Robinson earned another preseason honor, this time being named to the Wuerffel Trophy watch list:
Defensive ends coach Nick Williams, linebacker Chris Jones and defensive end Rylan Kennedy spoke after practice on Tuesday:
Would you be okay with an FSU jersey patch? Vote and share your reasoning in the comments:
ESPN’s Bill Connelly released his ACC preview, projecting FSU to win four conference games. He named FSU vs. Clemson as one of the top matchups of the year and Jones as one of his favorite transfers:
Clemson is evidently the ACC’s hinge team — either the Tigers will make a run back to the ACC title game, or they’ll help to determine who does instead. And if you told me right now that FSU was going to produce a top-20-caliber surge or finish under .500 for a third straight season, I’d believe you.
As for Jones, the Southern Miss transfer made tackles on 17.5% of his snaps last season — one every 5.7 snaps — and took part in 15 run stops. I don’t know about the pass defense, but I’m betting FSU’s run defense ends up awfully strong with Jones and Blake Nichelson cleaning up messes.
2026 projection: 35th in SP+, 6.6 average wins (4.0 in the ACC)
Technically, anytime you improve by three wins and 42 spots in SP+, you have pulled off an excellent rebound season. And technically, going 5-7 just two years after you went 13-1 is never going to be anything but massively disappointing. It’s impossible to set expectations for Mike Norvell and FSU, but he evidently did just enough in 2025, following the cataclysmic 2-10 collapse of 2024, to keep his job for a seventh season. And as long as you’re still on the job, you can continue saving yourself.
After getting the customary Tommy Castellanos Experience in 2025 — start out like a house afire (the Seminoles overachieved against offensive projections by 17.3 PPG in the first four games), then fade quickly (they underachieved by 8.2 PPG from there) — the offense is now in quarterback Ashton Daniels’ hands. Daniels took over for Jackson Arnold at Auburn late last season and produced genuine improvement in a small sample. He’s a steadier but less explosive passer than Castellanos, and he’s an exciting and physical runner. He could pair well with backs Ousmane Kromah and Quintrevion Wisner (Texas) and vital receiver returnees Duce Robinson and Micahi Danzy. Kromah is a potential star, and in terms of yards per route, Robinson and Danzy are each among the top six returning WRs in the conference.
The big question for the offense comes up front, where last year’s top seven linemen are all gone, and Norvell had to bring in five transfers. Up to four of them could start, including All-MAC tackle Nate Pabst (Bowling Green) and another key Auburn transfer, Xavier Chaplin. Quite a few of the nation’s biggest offensive underachievers last year found themselves relying too heavily on transfers on the O-line, so this is a major roll of the dice. But if the line holds up, the offense could be excellent despite coordinator Gus Malzahn’s February retirement. (Receivers coach Tim Harris Jr. was promoted to the OC gig.)
Tony White’s first season as defensive coordinator produced decent improvement, albeit in bend-don’t-break form: FSU ranked only 54th in success rate allowed but improved to sixth in yards allowed per successful play. The linebacker duo of Blake Nichelson and transfer Chris Jones (Southern Miss) should assure proper sideline-to-sideline patrolling, and tackles Daniel Lyons and Jordan Sanders (Texas State) should provide push up front, so I’m betting the run defense is solid. But sophomore Mandrell Desir is the only proven pass rusher, and the secondary lost four of its top six, including all-conference safety Earl Little Jr. That means transfers will have to prop up the pass defense. Senior pass rusher Rylan Kennedy (Texas A&M) could be solid, but sophomores such as corner Nehemiah Chandler (South Alabama) and safeties Ma’Khi Jones (Duke) and CJ Richard Jr. (Illinois State) might have to come through in the back.
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Florida State announced a partnership with Aramark as the Seminoles’ exclusive food provider for athletics venues:
“Partnering with Aramark allows us to provide a consistent, high-quality food and hospitality experience across all our athletics facilities,” Florida State Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford said. “Whether we are serving fans on game day or providing daily nutrition for our student-athletes, this partnership gives us an opportunity to maintain an excellent standard of service while creating a distinctive FSU experience.”
Leveraging deep expertise in stadium operations with its leadership in campus dining, Aramark creates seamless, high-impact experiences that resonate with fans, students, and athletes alike. From regional specialties to tech-driven service enhancements, Aramark redefines the game day experience for millions of college fans.
“Florida State is one of the most recognized brands in college athletics, and we’re honored to be part of its next chapter,” President and CEO of Aramark Sports + Entertainment Alison Birdwell said. “By bringing together our expertise in collegiate dining and sports and entertainment, we’re uniquely positioned to create memorable experiences for students, student-athletes, and fans, from everyday dining to game day.”
The Seminoles boast some of the most iconic venues in collegiate athletics across their profile of 13 competition facilities. From Doak Campbell Stadium, opened in 1950, to the brand-new Seminole Lacrosse Complex opened in 2026, FSU welcomed nearly 900,000 fans for home games last season. In addition to providing food services for concessions and premium areas for game days, Aramark also will be responsible for all culinary offerings in FSU’s student-athlete dining halls.
Aramark’s flexible service model is built to fit each school’s unique needs, making it easy to deliver hospitality that feels right at home for every campus community. Both Aramark Sports + Entertainment and Collegiate Hospitality work in concert to deliver custom experiences that bring each NCAA program’s values and vision to life.
The defending national champion Florida State women’s soccer team plays the first home game of the 2026-27 athletic year August 20 when it hosts FAU at the Seminole Soccer Complex. The Seminoles’ football team begins its 2026 season on August 29, hosting New Mexico State inside Doak Campbell Stadium.
