Florida State enters Week 3 with a mixed statistical picture, and the numbers show a team still trying to find its footing on both sides of the ball.
The Seminoles are coming off a bye after opening with a win in Week 0 and then dropping their ACC opener to No. 16 SMU.
Now the schedule tightens again, with a trip to Tuscaloosa on deck to face No. 10 Alabama.
That’s the same Alabama team Florida State beat last year, the result that helped fuel early optimism before ACC play arrived and the season shifted.
On offense, Florida State has made some small gains, but the overall profile still looks uneven. The Seminoles rank 97th in yards per play at 5.5, up from 84th last week.
They’ve been solid on the ground at 5.0 yards per carry, which puts them 55th nationally, and they’ve improved in a few finishing areas too. Their red zone touchdown rate sits at 75.0 percent, good for 43rd, and their three-and-out rate has climbed to 43rd at 18.2 percent.
The passing game remains a problem area. Florida State is 111th in yards per pass attempt at 6.5, and the pressure numbers aren’t doing the unit any favors.
The Seminoles are 118th in pressure rate at 38.7 and 106th in sack rate at 7.4. They also sit 101st on third down, converting 34.5 percent of the time.
There are a few bright spots in the broader offensive metrics. Florida State’s yards after contact per carry rank 35th at 3.81, and the team is 61st in scoring drive rate at 45.5 percent. Still, the success rate numbers tell the bigger story: the Seminoles are 90th at 45.5 percent, and their EPA per play is 69th at 0.10.
Defensively, the picture is rougher. Florida State is giving up 6.8 yards per play, which ranks 129th, and opponents are averaging 8.9 yards per pass attempt against the Seminoles, a number that places them 127th. Third down has been especially painful, with Florida State allowing conversions at a 58.1 percent clip, ranking 135th.
The one area where the defense has made a real mark is in the red zone. Florida State’s red zone touchdown rate allowed is 20.0 percent, which ranks 11th nationally. That stands out sharply against the rest of the defensive profile.
Elsewhere, the numbers are less encouraging. Florida State is 112th in pressure rate on defense at 24.4, 111th in sack rate at 3.7, and 124th in stuff rate at 17.6. The Seminoles are also 115th in three-and-out rate allowed at 19.0 and 105th in success rate at 56.8.
There are a couple of individual defensive metrics that do pop. Florida State ranks 17th in yards after contact per carry allowed at 2.37, and it’s tied for eighth in turnovers per game at 2.5. But the larger body of work still leaves the Seminoles with a lot to clean up before they head to Alabama.
In Other News...
FSUs Linebacker Depth Just Became A Serious Alabama Concern
Florida States linebacker room took a hit at a bad time, with the Seminoles announcing that freshmen Izayia Williams and Daylen Green will miss the rest of the season because of injuries. The loss of both newcomers, combined with veteran Blake Nichelson being sidelined indefinitely, leaves the position thinner just as Florida State turns its attention to Alabama and the kind of physical matchup that can expose any cracks in the two-deep.
For a defense that will need steady communication and reliable tackling, the burden now shifts to the remaining veteran linebackers to set the tone and keep things organized. It also opens the door for younger players to see more meaningful snaps sooner than expected, which makes the next stretch of practice and preparation especially important as the Seminoles try to sort out who can help them hold up in the middle of the field. [Read more 🡒]
FSU Week 4 Has An Unusual Mike Norvell Twist
Florida States Week 4 matchup comes with a rare bit of personal history attached, even before the ball is kicked. The Seminoles are set to meet Central Arkansas on Sept. 26, 2026, at Doak Campbell Stadium in the first-ever meeting between the programs, and the game carries an unusual connection for Mike Norvell, who once played for the Bears and is now in their Hall of Fame.
Central Arkansas will bring Nathan Browns team to Tallahassee for a game that has a little more texture than a typical nonconference date. For Norvell, it is another chance to line up against a program that helped shape his path, while Florida State gets a fresh opponent on the schedule and a home matchup that should carry some added intrigue because of the ties on both sidelines. [Read more 🡒]
NC State Enters A Stretch That Could Heat Up Dave Doeren Fast
NC States season has reached the kind of checkpoint that can change the tone around a coach in a hurry, and Florida State fans know how quickly that conversation can turn once a program starts stacking frustrating results. The Wolfpack have been part of a broader college football picture that has coaches across the country feeling the heat, with recent performances and the next few weeks carrying real weight for staffs trying to steady the ship.
For Seminoles followers, the relevance is obvious because Florida State has lived through its own long stretch of scrutiny around Mike Norvell, with the schools struggles and the financial reality of a hefty buyout keeping the pressure on every week. When other programs enter a run like NC States, the ripple effect is easy to see: patience gets thinner, expectations sharpen, and every game can start to look like a referendum on where a program is headed. [Read more 🡒]