Florida State’s turbulent weekend is now reflected in ESPN’s Football Power Index.
The Seminoles dropped four spots from No. 37 to No. 41 nationally in ESPN’s latest FPI rankings following their 36-24 home loss to the Clemson Tigers. FSU is now 3-5 overall and 1-4 in ACC play after suffering its third consecutive defeat.
The slide continues what has been a volatile season for Florida State in ESPN’s predictive model. FSU climbed as high as No. 30 following its 38-7 win over Virginia, crashed to No. 41 after a 44-20 loss at Louisville, then rebounded to No. 36 after pushing Miami into double overtime. The Seminoles slipped one spot during their ensuing bye before the Clemson loss sent them back to No. 41.
Saturday’s defeat was another missed opportunity
for a team that entered the night favored by several predictive models. Florida State generated 415 total yards and mounted a fourth-quarter comeback to pull within 29-24, but Clemson answered with a late touchdown to secure the 12-point victory. The Seminoles finished just 1-for-10 on third down and committed four turnovers.
The loss also proved to be the end of the Mike Norvell era.
Florida State announced Sunday that Norvell had been relieved of his duties, ending his seven-year tenure with a 41-39 record. Former FSU quarterback and longtime Middle Tennessee head coach Rick Stockstill was named interim head coach while the university begins a national search for Norvell’s replacement.
The coaching change itself should be viewed separately from FPI’s weekly movement, which is driven by ESPN’s team-strength model and game results. Still, the timing adds another layer to FSU’s fall as the Seminoles enter the final month of the season with a new coach and little margin for error.
Florida State travels to Boston College on Saturday for Stockstill’s first game as interim coach. The Seminoles now need to win three of their final four games to reach bowl eligibility.
For a team that once climbed into the top 30 of ESPN’s model, returning to No. 41 is another indication of how quickly Florida State’s season has unraveled.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: FSU takes another hit in ESPN’s latest FPI update
