Florida State had enough on Saturday night to win, but not enough when the game narrowed to the moments that matter most. In a 27-24 loss to SMU, the Seminoles moved the ball, ran for 199 yards and controlled the clock, yet kept tripping over the same problem: third down.
That was the separator. Florida State went just 2-of-15 on third down, a 13.3% clip that kept drives from building and left too many possessions stranded. SMU, by contrast, finished 8-of-14 and kept enough series alive to leave Tallahassee with the win.
Mike Norvell said afterward there was no single culprit.
“Well, it still comes down to overall execution of the things that are called,” Norvell said following the game. “Have there been different issues?
Yes. Unfortunately, that has showed up.”
The Seminoles had plenty of chances to make the game tilt their way. They entered the fourth quarter tied and later got back level at 24-24, but the offense never found the consistency needed to finish the job. Florida State totaled only 324 yards and 16 first downs because so many possessions broke down before they could turn into points.
Ousmane Kromah was one of the few bright spots, piling up 116 rushing yards and a touchdown. Ashton Daniels added 71 rushing yards and a score of his own. But even with that production on the ground, the Seminoles couldn’t keep drives on schedule.
Daniels also dealt with pressure at key moments. SMU finished with three sacks for 19 yards, and several third-down snaps ended with pressure, incompletions or Florida State simply not getting to the line to gain.
One of those stalled chances came before halftime. After Florida State worked into SMU territory, Daniels faced pressure on a throw intended for Desirrio Riles, and the Seminoles settled for a Gabe Panikowski field goal. Later in the quarter, another drive died and ended in a punt.
Norvell said some of the issues came from players trying to cover for other problems rather than handling their own jobs cleanly.
“Guys trying to do a little too much or being inconsistent in certain aspects of alignment,” Norvell said. “That comes down to, it’s player, it’s coach, it’s all of us.”
The third-down issues weren’t limited to the offense. SMU’s 8-of-14 success rate meant Florida State’s defense had trouble getting off the field, too. In a game that finished as a three-point decision, that kind of gap mattered.
Still, Florida State kept battling. Kromah’s third-quarter touchdown pulled the Seminoles even at 17, and Daniels later hit Samuel Singleton Jr. on a 39-yard touchdown to tie it at 24-24 with 7:17 left. SMU answered with Nick Reed’s 20-yard field goal with 21 seconds remaining.
That finish only sharpened the frustration. The margin was tiny, but the missed opportunities were repeated.
“If we’re calling it, we got to be able to go out there and execute it,” Norvell said, “and, unfortunately, it’s not happening consistently enough in big situations.”
For Florida State, the lesson from this one was plain: in a game this close, every failed third down adds up fast.
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