Florida State’s fall camp got underway with a little bit of everything on Tuesday, and Mike Norvell said the first scrimmage delivered on both sides of the ball.
Norvell noted that there were explosive plays for the offense and the defense, giving the Seminoles an early look at what’s working as the team settles into camp.
He also said FSU has already been in touch with compliance and with former players who could potentially come back to Florida State after a recent ruling that granted an extra year of eligibility to the class of 2022.
Elsewhere, ESPN’s Bill Connelly included Duce Robinson on his list of 40 of college football’s most crucial players, and the case for Robinson centered on what he could mean for Florida State in 2026.
Connelly pointed to FSU’s schedule - Miami, SMU, Clemson and Louisville - as a reason the Seminoles could play spoiler in the ACC, while also leaving open the door for sleeper contender status if the Ashton Daniels-to-Robinson connection clicks. Robinson, listed at 6-foot-6, put up 1,081 receiving yards in 2025 and averaged 2.9 yards per route despite QB limitations. Connelly also noted that Daniels brings more of a prototypical passing profile than last year’s starter, Tommy Castellanos.
In baseball news, Florida State will head back to Pensacola for a fall exhibition game for the third straight season, this time against Auburn on Saturday, October 10 at 2 p.m. ET.
General public tickets go on sale Tuesday, August 11, at 10 a.m. ET / 9 a.m. CT at BlueWahoos.com.
The Seminoles’ trip to Blue Wahoos Stadium marks the third straight fall ball appearance there. FSU played Auburn in 2024 and Mississippi State in 2025, both in front of sell-out crowds at the Pensacola home of the Blue Wahoos, the Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins.
In Other News...
Florida State Faces A Messy Ex-QB Fight With 2026 Implications
Florida States quarterback picture has picked up an unusual legal wrinkle, with Mike Norvell saying the program has been in contact with some former players about the possibility of a fifth year of eligibility after a federal court injunction changed the landscape for athletes in the Class of 2022. For the Seminoles, it adds another layer to the roster planning that always comes with quarterback turnover, only this time the discussion is tied to a shifting NCAA framework rather than the usual spring competition.
The most interesting part is how far the ripple could reach beyond one roster. A former Florida State quarterback is now at the center of a separate challenge to NCAA eligibility rules, and the result could help shape how teams and players navigate movement for 2026 and beyond. In other words, what starts as a personnel question in Tallahassee could end up being part of a much bigger fight over who gets to play, when they can move, and how long the rulebook keeps changing. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State's First Scrimmage Put These Roster Battles On Notice
Florida State got its first real fall-camp look inside Doak Campbell Stadium, and the opening scrimmage offered an early glimpse at which players are beginning to separate in a few crowded position battles. Coaches Mike Norvell and Tim Harris Jr. pointed to a group of standouts that included Ousmane Kromah, Jasen Lopez, the Desir twins and Chris Jones, giving the staff a first chance to start sorting through the competition that will shape the rest of camp.
The session also came with a few absences, as Quintrevion Wisner and Malachi Marshall were held out, leaving even more attention on the players who did take the field and made an impression. Around the sideline, former head coach Tom Herman even had to help settle defensive coordinator Tony White after one particularly sharp offensive sequence, a small sign that Florida States first scrimmage had enough clean execution to get everybodys attention. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State's Week 1 Opener Just Got Much Bigger For Mike Norvell
Florida States ACC opener against SMU already carries plenty of weight as the Seminoles look to get rolling in conference play, but the spotlight around the game is growing beyond the standings. The matchup in Tallahassee will also bring one of the nations most coveted young prospects to campus, with five-star 2028 recruit Kameron McGee set for a visit as part of a busy national tour that includes other major programs.
For Mike Norvell, the timing makes the night feel bigger than a standard early-season test, because what happens on the field and around the program will both be watched closely. Florida State wants the kind of atmosphere that resonates with elite recruits, and McGees presence adds another layer to a game already loaded with meaning for a team trying to make an early statement in ACC play. [Read more 🡒]