Florida State heads into its matchup with Miami as a heavy underdog, but the Seminoles have seen enough chaos to know that bigger teams can stumble. If FSU is going to keep this one tight, the formula starts with two things: ball control and turnovers. The simplest way to slow Miami’s offense is to keep it sitting on the sideline.
Mike Norvell’s message has been to “respond no matter what,” though that’s been part of the problem for FSU since 2024, when his teams have done the opposite far too often. If the Seminoles could answer on the field the way so many people have answered off it, the program would be in a very different place.
Elsewhere in the college football world, there could be plenty of chaos this weekend, with four top-ten teams facing each other. That comes as frustration also grows around the sport’s impending move to a 24-team playoff, a change many fans view as missing the point. David Hale’s view lines up with that skepticism: it’s about lowering the bar to keep boosters satisfied so they keep supporting a team that goes 8-4 with a roster worth $40 million and should have won 10 games.
On the soccer side, 24th-ranked FSU turned in a major road result last time out, beating No. 4 Wake Forest 2-0.
In the excitement, the administration used the Clemson paw in the graphic, but the result still counts. Wrianna Hudson delivered the decisive blow in the 83rd minute.
And basketball season is almost here, with FSU looking sharp in its exhibition game against Auburn on Wednesday.
In Other News...
Mike Norvell Debate Just Got Bigger Than Florida State Vs Miami
Florida State heads into Week 7 of the 2026 season with a matchup against No. 3 Miami carrying far more weight than bragging rights alone. The Seminoles have been uneven enough this year to keep the focus from staying on one Saturday, and the conversation around the program has drifted well beyond the immediate challenge on the field.
Mike Norvells future has become tied to bigger questions about how much the school is willing to invest around him, from roster spending to NIL support and the broader infrastructure needed to keep pace. If Florida State is going to make a case for continuity, it will need more than a strong showing against Miami. It will need the kind of commitment that makes keeping Norvell feel like a football decision instead of a financial one. [Read more 🡒]
FSU Heads Into Miami With A Roster Problem That Keeps Growing
Florida State heads into its rivalry trip to Miami already dealing with a roster that has thinned out in a hurry. The Seminoles updated availability report ruled out linebacker Noah LaVallee and added several others to the unavailable list or the probable group, a reminder that the late-season grind has started to bite at a bad time for a team trying to keep its footing in a big-game setting.
The larger concern for FSU is not just the names missing, but the way the absences are stacking up across the lineup. The Seminoles will be without at least nine players for the game, including two potential starters working back from injuries, leaving the coaching staff to keep adjusting as kickoff approaches and the rivalry stage gets even less forgiving. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State May Have Found A Freshman Center It Needs Right Away
Florida States unofficial preseason stop in Birmingham offered an early look at how quickly a young roster can start to come together, and true freshman center Marcis Ponder made a strong first impression against Auburn. In the Seminoles 82-71 win on Oct. 14, Ponder led the way with a double-double, finishing with 13 points, 21 rebounds and three blocks while giving the frontcourt the kind of presence every coach wants to see in October.
Luke Loucks came away encouraged by what he saw from Ponder, pointing to the freshmans physicality and the progress he has already made since arriving on campus. For a Florida State team searching for reliable size and rim protection, that kind of early showing matters, especially when it comes from a player who is just beginning his college career. [Read more 🡒]