TALLAHASSEE — Coach Mike Norvell spent the offseason on the hot seat in the eyes of the media and Florida State’s fans. Now?
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The Seminoles go into an early bye week evaluating a myriad of missed opportunities in a heartbreaking 27-24 loss to No. 19 SMU on Monday night, contemplating changes in an effort to avoid an early tailspin and enduring more debate about the head coach’s job security.
FSU (1-1, 0-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) has won just four games against Power 4 teams since the start of the 2024 season. But a more disturbing trend is popping up: The Seminoles are 1-6 in games decided by seven points or less in 2024, ’25 and ’26. This includes October 2025 to Miami (28-22), Pittsburgh (34-31) and at Stanford (20-13).
“We had our opportunities, and it’s a shame to come up a field goal short,” Norvell said Monday after 20-yard field goal with 21 seconds to play kept FSU from a victory over a ranked opponent.
FSU now has an extended break before traveling to No. 12 Alabama on Sept. 19. Here are five things that we’ve learned after the loss to SMU:
1. Daniels is coming up short
Ashton Daniels completed just 12 of 23 passes for 125 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown pass to Samuel Singleton Jr. and an 8-yard touchdown run. There were no interceptions, but the performance wasn’t good enough.
There’s plenty to point to the pass protection, which again was leaky. FSU replaced right tackle Chimdi Nwaiwu in the third quarter, sliding Nate Pabst over from right guard (Paul Bowling stepped in at right guard). But Daniels’ internal clock failed him: He was sacked three times and often was indecisive and unsettled.
Daniels made some good plays, notably a fourth-and-3 pass to Jayvan Boggs and then a decision to keep on a run-pass option that resulted in the quarterback’s touchdown run. But too many passes lacked timing and precision.
“There’s some inconsistencies there that we got to clean up, and it didn’t all come all together in the passing game,” Norvell said.
2. Robinson needs to be more involved
Duce Robinson is FSU’s best player. He has just five catches for 75 yards and no touchdowns in two games, not what was expected from the 1,000-yard receiver in 2025.
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Robinson was targeted six times on Monday but couldn’t come up with a few contested catches. On a second-and-7 in the second quarter, he beat cornerback William Nettles down the sideline, but Daniels underthrew the ball. Robinson made an adjustment and came back to high point the ball, but Nettles got a hand in to knock it free. If Daniels’ pass is out in front of Robinson, it’s likely a touchdown and the Robinson discussion is different.
3. Kromah spearheads ground attack
Sophomore Ousmane Kromah now has back-to-back 100-yard games after rushing 22 times for 116 yards. He had a 54-yard rush, breaking tackles at the line of scrimmage and the second level before he was caught down the sideline.
Kromah later added a 6-yard touchdown that helped FSU tie the game at 17 in the third quarter. FSU will continue to share carries, with Daniels and Singleton Jr. among those, but Kromah appears to be the No. 1 option.
4. Defense creates takeaways
Quindarrius Jones forced a fumble, while Nehemiah Chandler and Ashlynd Barker had interceptions. FSU’s secondary delivered potential game-changing plays, but FSU’s offense only scored points off one turnover.
According to OptaStats, SMU is the only FBS or NFL team in the past 30 years to have a -3 or worse turnover margin, twice as many penalties as the opponent, fewer rushing yards, a lower time of possession and missed more field-goal attempts than the opponent only to still win a football game.
It’s a wow stat to put a punctuation mark on a wild night where FSU botched its opportunities.
5. FSU falters on third downs
The Seminoles’ defense allowed SMU to convert on 8 of 14 third-down chances a week after New Mexico State made 10 of 17 third-down conversions in the opener. Two games is a disturbing trend.
FSU’s offense converted just 2 of 15 third-down opportunities. The Seminoles were 8 of 14 in those situations in the opener.
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