The college football season is just getting started, but Florida State has already hit a rough patch. The Noles, who were ranked No. 10 at the beginning of the season, have stumbled out of the gate with two losses to unranked opponents.
Despite investing heavily in their defensive line this year, with nearly $2 million allocated to their starting front, Florida State has struggled to find success on the field. The team’s NIL budget is around $12 million, with a significant portion going towards their defensive line.
In their most recent game, FSU suffered a humiliating defeat at home against Boston College, losing 28-13. The Eagles dominated on the ground, outrushing the Noles 263 to 21 yards.
It’s a stark contrast to FSU’s performance in 2023 when they went undefeated in the ACC and claimed the conference title. However, since then, things have taken a turn for the worse for the Seminoles.
In a lopsided Orange Bowl loss to Georgia, a depleted FSU team was no match for the Bulldogs, falling 63-3. Coach Mike Norvell turned to the transfer portal to fill the gaps left by 10 draft picks, signing 17 new players. However, the results have been disappointing so far.
One of the key additions to the team was former Clemson and Oregon State quarterback DJ Uiagalelei, who transferred to FSU after the team missed out on another transfer quarterback. Uiagalelei has struggled in his new role, throwing just one touchdown and completing 58 percent of his passes.
The Seminoles’ defense has also been a major concern, giving up big plays in both games. They currently rank 124th in the country in run defense, allowing an average of 227 yards per game on the ground.
Offensively, FSU has also struggled, ranking last in the ACC in third-down defense and 14th in red zone touchdown percentage. The team has a bye week coming up to regroup before facing Memphis on September 14th.
It’s clear that Florida State has some work to do to turn their season around and live up to their potential. Stay tuned to see if they can bounce back from their rocky start and make a run in the ACC.
