Florida State left Tuscaloosa with a loss, but the Seminoles may have found a workable offensive line mix along the way.
The first notable shakeup up front came before the road trip to Alabama, when Florida State moved fifth-year senior Nate Pabst from right guard to right tackle and slid sophomore Paul Bowling into the opening at guard. That decision pushed senior Chimdia Nwaiwu out of the lineup. Nwaiwu had already been replaced by Bowling in the third quarter against SMU, so the staff had some recent evidence that the switch could stick.
Against a defense that had given up only 27 total points and 67 rushing yards over its first two games, Florida State held up better than expected. The Seminoles put up 36 points and 471 total yards, both single-game highs for the season, while also finishing with 94 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. Ousmane Kromah led the ground game with 17 carries for 4.7 yards per attempt, and he broke off a 27-yard run as part of a run game that produced three plays of 10 yards or more.
Head coach Mike Norvell said Monday that the group had its share of issues, but also handled a difficult challenge better than many would have expected.
"I thought they did some good things. There was obviously some bad plays that showed up.
But that was a talented defensive front. That was a talented defense in general," Norvell said.
He added, "You look at what they had done in the first couple of games, and obviously, as you just turn on film and you see the talent and ability those guys had, I thought our guys battled," Norvell added. "I thought there was good communication."
The protection also gave Ashton Daniels a better platform than the final score might suggest. He was sacked three times, but on his dropbacks he averaged 3.81 seconds to throw, which was his highest mark through three games.
Norvell pointed to that balance between pass protection and run-game efficiency as one of the encouraging signs from the night.
"They were able to give Ashton (Daniels) time for the most part, as well as create some run seams. We had one explosive run in the game, really close to hitting another huge, huge play, but, it was close.
I thought we were efficient in the run game," Norvell said. "We want to be better, but we thought we were efficient in our run game, that really opened up some opportunities there down the field."
Not everything was clean. Left tackle Xavier Chaplin was flagged for two false starts in the second half, and both penalties created third-down problems for Florida State.
"I thought those guys battled. We had two false start penalties that you can't have, those were kind of critical situations," Norvell said. "But as a whole, I thought the O-line and tight ends, running backs, I mean, just the whole combination of what they were able to put together was good work."
Unless something changes, Florida State appears likely to stay with that same front in Week 4. The Seminoles return home to face Central Arkansas on Saturday, September 26, with kickoff set for 3:00 p.m. ET on the ACC Network.
In Other News...
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 🡒]