Florida State’s Troubling Start to the Season
As the college football season unfolds, Florida State University (FSU) finds itself in an unexpectedly dire situation. After beginning the season ranked No. 10, the Seminoles have suffered two consecutive defeats against unranked opponents, leaving them with a disappointing record of 0-2.
This lackluster performance comes despite significant financial investments in the team’s defensive line, with nearly $2 million allocated to their starting front. This is part of an overall NIL budget of approximately $12 million, according to sources familiar with FSU’s NIL strategy reported by The Athletic.
In a disheartening display on Monday night, the Noles were soundly defeated at home by Boston College, with a score of 28-13. The Eagles dominated the ground game, outpacing FSU with a staggering 263 rushing yards compared to the Seminoles’ meager 21 yards.
Looking back to 2023, FSU had a remarkable run through the ACC, finishing the season undefeated at 13-0 and claiming the conference title, only to be overlooked for the College Football Playoff. However, the tide has turned dramatically since then. In the Orange Bowl, a depleted FSU squad faced a humiliating 63-3 loss to Georgia, with 20 players opting out of the game. In response to this setback, head coach Mike Norvell turned to the transfer portal, bringing in 17 new players to replace 10 draft picks. While Norvell had previously excelled in recruiting from the portal, the results this year have been far from encouraging.
One of the most notable additions to the Seminoles was DJ Uiagalelei, a former quarterback at Clemson and Oregon State. Uiagalelei transferred to FSU after the team missed out on landing Washington State’s Cam Ward, who opted for Miami. Unfortunately, Uiagalelei’s start at FSU has been shaky at best. The former five-star recruit has managed to throw only one touchdown and has completed 58 percent of his passes, averaging just 6.7 yards per attempt. This is a stark contrast to a team that averaged 35 points per game last season, managing only 34 points across their first two games this year.
Even more alarming for the Noles is the performance of their defense, which has been consistently exploited in both matchups. Boston College notably recorded 10 runs of at least 10 yards against FSU’s defense. Currently, the Seminoles rank an alarming No. 124 in the nation for run defense, allowing an average of 227 yards per game on the ground. Last year, FSU was a force to be reckoned with, ranking No. 4 nationally with 46 sacks, yet they have only managed three sacks through the first two games of the current season. Although they lost two top-40 draft picks, Jared Verse and Braden Fiske, expectations were high for this year’s defensive lineup, which includes transfers such as 328-pound defensive tackle Darrell Jackson and Georgia transfer defensive end Marvin Jones Jr., alongside Patrick Payton and Joshua Farmer.
FSU’s struggles are evident on both sides of the ball. The Seminoles currently sit at the bottom of the ACC standings in third-down defense, allowing conversions at a staggering rate of 56 percent. In contrast, they ranked No. 2 in the ACC last year, permitting first downs less than 29 percent of the time. On the offensive front, they sit at No. 14 in the ACC for third-down conversions and also rank No. 14 in red zone touchdown percentage.
With a weekend off to regroup and address these glaring issues, Coach Norvell’s squad will look to turn things around before their next matchup against Memphis on September 14.
Required Reading
- Boston College Upsets No. 10 FSU: What’s Gone Wrong for the Seminoles in Their 0-2 Start?
- Florida State Upset by Georgia Tech on Aidan Birr’s Walk-off Field Goal in Ireland
- Ranking 134 College Football Teams After Week 1, From Georgia to Temple
(Photo: Chris Leduc / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
