Jordan SilversmithSun, November 30, 2025 at 2:54 AM UTC·8 min readBy the time FSU wins an away game, it will have been over 1,000 days since last doing so, a feat of futility made possible by Florida State’s 40-21 defeat to Florida on Saturday.
Mike Norvell’s team, who went winless on the road in 2025 after already doing so in 2024, only trailed by three heading into halftime but the Gators outclassed FSU in the second half, outscoring the Noles 23-7 en route to a 19-point drubbing over Florida State.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Seminoles now enter the offseason with far more questions than answers after missing out on a bowl game for the second-straight year and compiling a 7-17 record over the last two seasons. The Florida State administration has already said it will retain Norvell for 2026, but the program is going nowhere fast.
What takeaways are there from the loss and how should the Seminoles approach the offseason? The Tomahawk Nation staff breaks it down below.
How much did Mike Norvell’s decision to go for it on 4th down in the 3rd quarter change the game, or would the result have been the same?
Jordan Silversmith: To me, that was the turning point. The Seminoles just forced a three-and-out to begin the second half and the defense seemed to be settling. Instead of living for another day, Norvell recklessly pushed his chips in, didn’t get it, and his team came unglued after that. UF scored two touchdowns sandwiches between an FSU three-and-out and that was the game. Another insane game management decision that did not work.
NoleThruandThru: Result was written before the game kicked off. Mike is broken and the team is, too.
Matt Minnick: Didn’t change anything. Honestly, I didn’t hate going for it. But the call was awful. And having Roydell be the guy on 3rd and short for his only carry of the game is an inexcusable, fireable offense. Why not run Pittman in wildcat two straight?
Tim Scribble: The fourth down decision, if converted, would have just delayed the inevitable. FSU looked outplayed, out-coached, and outclassed at every position (and staff).
Jacob Smith: The result was always going to be the same. 0-4 on the road going into this game was a death sentence. And going into The Swamp? They had no chance regardless.
FrankDNole: The outcome of the game would probably have been the same since the defense is soft and lacks basic tackling skills, but yes, it changed the game. However, the decision to forego the field goal in the first half was just as puzzling. Again, probably would not change the outcome, but who knows.
Perry Kostidakis: At most, it was going to change the losing margin, because FSU was battling the whole game just to be within 10, let alone win. Norvell defended it as a “high-percentage” choice which, sure, but it absolutely crushed any possible momentum the Seminoles had going.
Was the run defense’s difficulty a surprise or expected given the investment along the line of scrimmage for each team?
Jordan Silversmith: None of today was surprising because this result was who Florida State has been all year. The run defense’s and the lack of talent in the front-7 has been a problem all season. It ended with Jaden Baugh averaging 7 yards a carry and rewriting the history books.
NoleThruandThru: I expected Jaden Baugh to have a day so it wasn’t a surprise to me.
Matt Minnick: Had a sense it was coming, and it was completely expected once they went up 10. Maybe if we had built a lead and got them one-dimensional we might ha—ah I can’t even finish this sentence without laughing.
Tim Scribble: No, it didn’t shock me that Baugh had success. It did shock me that it appeared.
Jacob Smith: The defense has been lacking ever since Virginia. This was entirely expected. No win they had other than Wake looked convincing.
FrankDNole: Expected. They did exactly what I wrote in this morning’s gameday central what the turds were going to try to do, and they did exactly that, repeatedly. I don’t know nuthin’ about no investment part, but the sad truth is they had the better athletes, in better condition, and better coached, but with a worse record and worse NCAA stats than FSU.
Perry Kostidakis: Struggling wasn’t a surprise, but the degree in which it happened was. It was the most rushing yards allowed to a single player in six years, the second-highest single-game yardage in UF history, making it another historic performance at the expense.
Who are the players you believe FSU must retain for next season?
Jordan Silversmith: Desir twins, McCoy, Arnoux, Kromah, Amaree Williams. But I expect to see heavy turnover — again.
NoleThruandThru: I think Duce is NFL-bound so outside of him, I don’t care to see a single current junior or senior return next season. Ambivalent on most of this roster. You need to keep Kromah, Danzy, the Desir twins, McCoy and maybe Sperry. Try to keep most of the freshmen and some of the sophomores, then focus on bringing in studs from non-P5 and FCS through the portal.
Matt Minnick: Duce, Danzy, McCoy, and the Desir twins. That’s it. Sure, Kromah is a great talent but what’s the point in spending money on a RB when we are just gonna give each guy 4 carries a game?
Tim Scribble: The twins, Ous, McCoy, Danzy. I’d like to say some of the younger offensive lineman but honestly they’re such an unknown.
Jacob Smith: Micahi Danzy, Lawayne McCoy, Tommy Castellanos. I still think Tommy is a serviceable QB and a pretty good rusher.
FrankDNole: The Desir boys, Kromah, Danzi, are a must along with a few others, but at this point, it’s going to take some money to retain some of our talent and who knows if we will have it.
Perry Kostidakis: The Desirs, Lawayne McCoy, Micahi Danzy and as a long shot, Duce Robinson pending his NFL Draft projection
Was this season a failure, or does the Alabama win keep it from reaching that level?
Jordan Silversmith: Last year FSU lost to Florida by 20 and this season by 19. Progress! This season was a failure because none of the intangibles that Norvell said would change did. At the end, FSU got their lunch stolen just like they did all of 2024.
NoleThruandThru: Absolute failure.
Matt Minnick: Total failure on the shoulders of Mike Norvell and ultimately directed and produced by Mike Alford.
Tim Scribble: I think Mike needed six wins for there to be any feelings of success. Not only did they fail to reach this mark, but they managed to invent new and exciting ways to lose multiple winnable games.
Jacob Smith: Going from 2-10 to 5-7 is improvement. I cannot deny that, I’d say the Alabama win makes this season neither a failure nor a success. It’s a lost season. Who were these Seminoles? We’ll never know.
FrankDNole: The season was a failure because of what could have been. What could have been if we catch some of the drops, don’t do stupid penalties at stupid times, make better down and distance decisions, and so on and so on, We had talent, but the players and coaches equally share the blame for the failure that was this season. Beating Alabama and 2 scrubs ruined season expectations.
Perry Kostidakis: An unquestioned failure, one that fell short of the very manageable preseason expectations of “make a bowl game.” Beating Alabama and still losing 7 games just makes it even more of one.
What should fans be excited about heading into 2026?
Jordan Silversmith: Gee, this is impossible to answer because of the lack of momentum and apathy heading into the offseason. The best to be said is a GM that will take the reins from Norvell and Alford and have connections to South Georgia and the Panhandle to fix FSU’s recruiting woes.
NoleThruandThru: Hopefully, a new GM and completely revamped recruiting operations department. A lot of young guys playing a lot of reps. Outside of that, I can’t think of anything else.
Matt Minnick: There’s fewer big time programs that will realistically be firing their coach in 2026.
Tim Scribble: Maybe the admin staff turnover makes a difference? I think you’ll see some coaching turnover, everyone loves a new, fresh name. But maybe the biggest piece of excitement is we’ll be one year closer to turning this page.
Jacob Smith: Chauncey Kennon should be very good.
FrankDNole: I really don’t want to think about this right now.
Perry Kostidakis: That there will be other FSU sports happening? Maybe a second year under these coordinators will breed some familiarity? Florida State continuing its trend of doubling up its wins after a losing season?