The FSU Seminoles suffered their worst loss of the season on Friday, falling to the Louisville Cardinals 44-20. It is their 11th straight road loss and comes after they stormed out to a 14-0 lead and were on the verge of going up by three possessions.
Mike Norvell's decision to go for it on fourth and goal from Louisville's two-yard line instead of taking the field goal did not work out. And while there is a case for both sides of the decision, it is not debatable that the game changed on the play. The Cardinals scored a 97-yard touchdown on the next play after stopping FSU, kickstarting a 44-4 run to hand FSU its third loss of the season.
That collapse saw them land on Dan Wolken of Yahoo Sports' Misery Index for Week 6 of the season. He pointed
out FSU's inability to handle the adversity from the sequence as a sign of concern moving forward.
But the real problem is that Florida State immediately imploded, doing almost nothing right for the next two quarters and ultimately losing 44-20. Norvell has been on the hot seat for a couple years and is owed nearly $50 million, complicating the decision for an athletic department that is deep in financial distress. But a team that falls apart at the first sign of adversity like the Seminoles did against Louisville does not reflect well on the culture Norvell is responsible for building. Look, Florida State has some talent issues and isn't one of the top roster spenders in the ACC. But whether it's relying on too many transfers who don't invest themselves into the program or the way Norvell's staff relates to players, it's alarming to see a team that crumbles so easily. The fans have long since had it with this coaching staff, and performances like that may bring the administration along with them.
It won't get any easier for FSU this weekend. The Seminoles are set to play the No. 3 Miami Hurricanes on the road, giving them a chance to pull off a stunning upset or suffer another embarrassing defeat. The game is set to start at 7 p.m. ET and will be on ESPN.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU football on Yahoo Sports' Misery Index
