Florida State gets a chance to reset this weekend after a punishing night in Tuscaloosa, and the opponent is about as forgiving as the schedule can offer. The Seminoles are back home in Tallahassee for a Week 4 matchup with Central Arkansas, looking to shake off a second straight loss to a ranked team and get back on track.
FSU dropped to 1-2 after a 50-36 loss at now-No. 8 Alabama, a game that briefly looked promising when the Seminoles jumped out to a 21-6 lead.
Duce Robinson scored his first touchdown of the year, and quarterback Ashton Daniels added two rushing scores, but Alabama and Keelon Russell took over late in the second quarter and kept pouring it on. The 50 points were the most Florida State has allowed since the 52-3 loss at Notre Dame in the 2024 season.
Now comes Central Arkansas, which fell to 2-2 after a 27-9 loss to Southeast Missouri State. The Bears do bring one dangerous piece to Doak Campbell Stadium in quarterback Donovyn Omolo, who is the No. 2 rusher in the United Athletic Conference with 360 yards and two touchdowns. He has also thrown for 671 yards and six touchdowns.
Florida State hosts Central Arkansas on Saturday in Week 4, with the game set for ACC Network. Streaming options include Fubo, which offers a free trial for new subscribers. Kickoff is at 3 p.m. at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida.
From a matchup standpoint, this is the kind of opponent Tony White’s defense should welcome after giving up 567 yards and scores on nine straight possessions against Alabama. Still, Omolo is the type of mobile quarterback that has given Florida State problems before. He completed fewer than half of his 27 passes in the Bears’ last game and has thrown four interceptions in four games.
Central Arkansas leans on the ground game, with Omolo and Jalen Washington combining to give the Bears a conference-best 238.3 rushing yards per game. FSU’s answer has to start there. If the Seminoles can slow that part of the attack, they should be in control.
The Bears have been solid against the run themselves, allowing just 115 yards per game, and Florida State is dealing with some injury concerns after Samuel Singleton Jr. went down. Even so, Ousmane Kromah remains one of the nation’s top runners, and Daniels and Robinson gave the Seminoles something to build on in the loss to Alabama. All of that points to a comfortable Florida State win, even if it doesn’t turn into a blowout on the scale of Oregon-Portland State.
For fans looking ahead to the game, ticket information is available through StubHub.
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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 🡒]