Florida State has not won a road game since November 2023.
The latest loss away from Tallahassee came on Friday night as once again, FSU sputtered before three quarters before a desperate fourth quarter comeback
attempt fell short. This time, it happened in extra embarrassing fashion as the Seminoles fumbled the ball on two consecutive punt returns to squander an opportunity at pulling off a win vs. NC State.
The Seminoles (5-6, 2-6 ACC) now will have to earn a win at the site of its last road victory, Gainesville, to earn bowl eligibility for just the third time under head coach Mike Norvell.
With FSU once more stringing together a familiar-feeling failure, what’s there to take away from the loss? The Tomahawk Nation staff breaks it down below.
Did you have any faith in Florida State pulling off the comeback before the first special teams turnover?
- Jordan Silversmith: Getting the ball back down 3 with 4 minutes to go coming off a TD drive? Of course. The offense moved the ball and FSU finally started funneling the ball to #0. But, that was my mistake to believe in this team.
- FrankDNole: I thought FSU was still in it until NC State scored their last TD. If FSU don’t turn it over, they could’ve scored quickly.
- Jacob Smith: No. I have learned not to trust this team this season. I knew not to fall for it and I will continue to not fall for it.
- NoleThruandThru: The only thing I was confident in was FSU finding a painful, self-inflicted way to lose. They came through for me in spades, to the point where I started questioning whether a couple of players might be throwing the game. Sarcasm font: Squirrel White has been a forgotten man in the passing game, so maybe tonight was his way of paying the staff back with that muffed punt?
- Jon Loesche: Fully expected heartbreak.
- Matt Minnick: Not an ounce.
- LastNoleofKrypton: I didn’t have any faith in FSU winning this game at all; so no, I had no faith in the comeback.
- Perry Kostidakis: I’m an idiot and thought that, even with FSU needing to drive at least 70-plus yards after squandering ideal position on the shank, the Seminoles had a shot at driving the field for a score (even thought it likely would’ve still resulted in an NC State game-winning score, if we’re being real). It really emphasizes that, despite the on-paper statistical improvement this season, FSU cannot will itself to win under Mike Norvell.
Why can’t FSU turn production into points?
- Jordan Silversmith: They aren’t well coached, so in the parts where coaching matters most (red zone), they can’t break down opposing defenses.
- FrankDNole: Stupid self-inflicted mistakes at the worst possible time. FSU cannot get out of its own way. Inexplicable.
- Jacob Smith: That’s a wonderful question. I have no clue. It’s almost like with any success they get, it goes straight to their head and they instantly become bad.
- NoleThruandThru: Loser blood. This team doesn’t have any sort of killer instinct, coupled with a generally low football IQ. The coaching staff is tight and the players are tight. They do not know how to stack winning plays under adversity, which they’re excellent at creating for themselves.
- Jon Loesche: Because at this point the team is fully in its own head and expects to blow it, as exhibited on multiple occasions tonight.
- Matt Minnick: Because they have a coach who is wound tighter than a baseball used in Yankees games.
- LastNoleofKrypton: Because they don’t throw it well enough when the space gets tight b/c the QB isn’t good enough and they don’t run it well enough in tighter spaces b/c they haven’t recruited and developed the OL well enough.
- Perry Kostidakis: There’s always a singular head-scratching moment that shuts down the momentum of an entire drive and with Florida State now having outgained its opponents in 10 of 11 games this season and still having six losses to show for it, it’s without question its a feature and not a bug of this team.
How much of tonight’s loss is on the players vs. the playcalling?
- Jordan Silversmith: To me, it’s still on the coaching. Duce Robinson getting involved too late. The timeout usage was odd. Of course, the penalties were a disaster. Just a failure from the coaching staff during a short week.
- FrankDNole: The players on the offensive side, and the play calling on defense side.
- Jacob Smith: Honestly, both share the blame. I can’t say much more than that. Great players can make things happen. And we’ve seen it before from this team. That field goal playcall has me scratching my head though.
- NoleThruandThru: Much more from a player standpoint tonight. Again, I found myself wondering whether any of these dudes are gamblers…
- Jon Loesche: This one is squarely on the players. Anything that could go wrong did go wrong.
- Matt Minnick: Tonight’s loss falls on the shoulders of the head coach who continues to be far too loyal to his special team’s coach, as well as the athletic director who lets him get away with it.
- LastNoleofKrypton: It’s pretty much all rot but I put this one on the players; can’t throw and catch for them.
- Perry Kostidakis: The disconnect to me in production vs. points is the playcalling and I also didn’t like FSU’s decision to not go for it on fourth multiple times late — it felt like turtling.
Obligatory cope question — what was a bright spot, despite the loss?
- Jordan Silversmith: The defense, outside of the long second half drive, limited an explosive offense. The pressure finally started to get home. There was still a lot of strange decisions, but this is not on Tony White’s defense.
- FrankDNole: That beating the Gators will give FSU bowl eligibility and Seminole fans will get to watch another game before year’s end.
- Jacob Smith: There’s still a nonzero chance that FSU can go bowling?
- NoleThruandThru: Some of the younger defenders. There are only about 10 guys I’d love to see back on the roster next year, and 20% of those are named Desir. It was nice to see Boggs step up in the passing game as well.
- Jon Loesche: Duce hitting 1000 yards receiving.
- Matt Minnick: I didn’t watch the first half of the game because I was enjoying another record performance by our wonderfully entertaining and well-coached basketball team.
- LastNoleofKrypton: Mandrell Desir.
- Perry Kostidakis: At least FSU”s viewership payout from the ACC will be high this year from everybody else tuning in to laugh.
Will FSU beat UF next week?
- Jordan Silversmith: Maybe if FSU can score a road point in the 1st quarter. Otherwise, it’s hard to have confidence that they will.
- FrankDNole: Noles going Gator giggin.
- Jacob Smith: Probably not. UF wins by like 13-9. Battle of Mid will be legendary.
- NoleThruandThru: Not if Mike Norvell is coaching them. UF will look like a playoff team if that’s the case. Only hope is that an interim might inspire them to pull it off. Oh, Odell….
- Jon Loesche: Does it really matter? FSU is heading into Gainesville in the exact same spot in Year 6 as we were in Year 2. 5–6 and relying on mercenary transfers to do the heavy lifting. The difference is that back then, it at least felt like we were building toward something. You had 4th and 14 vs Miami and some momentum to point to. Year 6 and still patching holes with the portal, still inconsistent, still dropping winnable games, and still looking completely unprepared in key moments. I’ll go with a 24-21 loss in the dumbest way possible, just like 2021.
- Matt Minnick: The game is on the road, so no.
- LastNoleofKrypton: Nope, unless they get that fired-coach energy boost
- Perry Kostidakis: Yes and then FSU will lose its bowl game, completing the 6-7 prophecy.
