Duce Robinson left Bryant-Denny Stadium with the best stat line of his Florida State season, but he wasn’t interested in treating it like a personal victory lap.
The senior wideout was central to the Seminoles’ fast start in Saturday’s 50-36 loss to No. 10 Alabama, catching six passes for 135 yards and a touchdown. He was involved right away, grabbing a pass on FSU’s first snap and later finishing that opening drive with a 20-yard score.
Even with that early burst, Florida State couldn’t hang on to its lead. The Seminoles were down by two scores in the fourth quarter before answering with a late touchdown to get within seven. Alabama closed it out from there, sending FSU to 1-2.
What Robinson took from the night had less to do with the final result and more to do with how the team kept coming after the game started to tilt.
“We kept fighting. We showed resiliency,” Robinson said.
“We went down two scores in the fourth quarter. I think a lot of times last year that would have forced us to just kind of lay down and give up.
But this year, we drove right down the field and scored again, and we put ourselves in positions to win a football game.”
He added that the response mattered even if the Seminoles didn’t get the outcome they wanted.
“Obviously, it wasn’t the outcome we wanted, but I think that showed a lot about our football team,” Robinson continued.
Robinson also came away feeling good about his own play, though he made it clear he sees room to grow.
“I was really proud of the way I played, just all around,” Robinson continued. “It felt like I played receiver at a high level.
Obviously, I need to continue stacking days. I need to continue getting better at that position because there were definitely some opportunities that I missed, whether that be in the pass game or the blocking game.”
The numbers were his best of the season, but he wasn’t framing them as consolation.
“It’s nice to have stats. It’s nice to have a touchdown under my belt, but our job is to win football games,” Robinson said.
“Ultimately, we came up short on Saturday. I came up short on Saturday.”
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Florida States Passing Struggles Put One Norvell Staff Decision Under Fire
Florida States passing game has become one of the more frustrating parts of an uneven season, and the discussion around it has started to focus as much on coaching structure as on quarterback play. The Seminoles entered the year with Austin Tucker handling the quarterbacks room, a notable setup for a former wide receiver who had not previously coached the position, and the production has not taken a step forward.
With the offense ranking 65th in the FBS and Ashton Daniels sitting at four touchdown passes and four interceptions, the scrutiny around that decision has only grown. Inside the staff, there are other options with more direct quarterback experience, including Tom Herman and Brady White, which makes the current arrangement look even more unusual as Florida State searches for answers through the air. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Could Finally Get Answer On Its Backup QB Battle
Florida State has spent the first three games of the 2026 season looking competitive, but the more intriguing development may be happening behind the starter. Ashton Daniels has handled every snap in the most recent game, while the Seminoles have kept the backup quarterback picture open between Malachi Marshall and Kevin Sperry. Marshall has been taking second-team reps in pregame, a sign that the staff is at least sorting out the depth chart while the games still matter.
Central Arkansas arrives on the schedule Sept. 26, and that matchup could finally give the Seminoles a chance to see what they have behind Daniels. If Florida State does turn to its backups, it would offer a real evaluation point in a battle that has been mostly fought in practice and pregame work so far. For a team that has stayed competitive early, the next question is less about the starter and more about who is ready if the Seminoles need the next man up. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Has A New Reason To Watch Ta'Shawn Poole Closely
Ta'Shawn Poole turned in one of the more eye-catching nights on a Georgia high school field this fall, and it came at a good time for a player Florida State will want to keep tabs on. In Howards 49-43 regional win over Baldwin, Poole set a Georgia state record with six touchdown catches while piling up 245 receiving yards, a performance that put his name squarely on the radar.
The outburst also came with some grit behind it, because Howard was coming off losses to Valdosta and Perry before finally breaking through. Poole also chipped in seven tackles and a tackle for loss, underscoring how much he affects the game on both sides of the ball, and he and his teammates made clear afterward that the lesson was about learning to keep fighting until the end. [Read more 🡒]