Florida State’s latest step in its bowl-eligibility chase turned into another frustrating night at Doak Campbell Stadium, where Clemson walked out with a 36-24 win and its fifth straight victory in Tallahassee.
The Seminoles dropped to 3-5 overall and 1-4 in ACC play after a game that never really found a clean rhythm on either side for long stretches, then tilted Clemson’s way whenever Florida State handed it an opening. Quarterback Ashton Daniels gave the Tigers plenty of those chances, and Clemson made the most of them.
Daniels finished with 11 interceptions on the season, which works out to about one pick for every 13 completions. He also lost a costly fumble in the third quarter, another blow to any hopes Florida State had of flipping the game back in its favor.
Florida State’s first seven drives were a mess of punts, a touchdown, a field goal, and then two interceptions. Clemson scored on every turnover except the last one in the win, and that sequence helped the Tigers control the game and the clock. Clemson held the ball for more than 30 minutes.
The Seminoles did get one bright spot from Micahi Danzy, who opened their scoring and finished with 108 yards on four catches and a touchdown. Beyond that, the offense never really got rolling. Florida State’s run game barely cleared 60 yards, and the unit as a whole struggled to put together anything resembling a productive night.
The ground game had a tough assignment without Ousmane Kromah and Sam Singleton, Jr., leaving Daniels and Quintrevion Wisern to carry the load. That never translated into consistent production.
Early on, neither offense could settle in. Both teams opened with consecutive three-and-outs, and Daniels looked out of sync. Florida State tried to lean on the run at the start and got nowhere, while a shaky punting effort gave Clemson its first points early.
Defensively, the Seminoles had trouble getting Clemson on the ground, and quarterback Tait Reynolds took advantage. He threw his second passing touchdown of the season and later added his third on a four-yard strike to tight end Olsen Pat-Henry.
Clemson didn’t exactly light up the stat sheet on third down in the first half, going 1-for-7, and it also left points on the board with red-zone trips that didn’t turn into touchdowns. But Florida State couldn’t make that matter. The Seminoles went 0-for-5 on third down through two quarters and never built any momentum.
By the end of the night, Clemson had piled up 189 passing yards and 167 on the ground against a Florida State defense that couldn’t quite slow the Tigers down. And with the Seminoles’ punting unit struggling badly, the field position battle kept tilting in Clemson’s direction.
Florida State now turns to Boston College on the road in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, with kickoff set for 12:00 p.m. ET on November 7.
In Other News...
Florida State's Mike Norvell Backlash Just Turned Into A Public Spectacle
The pressure around Mike Norvell has moved well beyond message boards and postgame grumbling. Florida States recent struggles have spilled into the public eye, capped by a viral plane banner that flew over Doak Campbell Stadium with a misspelled message aimed at the coach, a vivid sign of how far the frustration has spread around a program that has not finished with a winning season in three years.
Florida State is sitting at 3-4 this season, and the noise around Norvell only grows louder with each setback. The Seminoles already fired their athletic director in September, and the president has addressed the fan unrest as the school weighs a situation made more complicated by Norvells eight-year extension through 2031 and the hefty buyout attached to any firing. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Pressure On Mike Norvell Just Turned Public
Florida States frustration with the state of the football program has now spilled into public view, with fans organizing a plane banner protest calling for changes. The effort was financed through a GoFundMe campaign that raised $3,500, a sign of how organized and visible the discontent has become as the Seminoles continue to search for traction.
The message was meant to be pointed, though it also drew attention for a misspelling of Mike Norvells name. Meanwhile, president Richard McCullough has already acknowledged the poor results and discussed the situation at a recent Board of Trustees meeting, but no decision has been made on Norvells future as Florida State gets ready to face Clemson. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Fans May Send A Brutal Message Against Clemson
Frustration has been building around Florida State football, and it is starting to spill beyond the record itself. Seminoles fans have grown restless with the programs performance under Mike Norvell, while some are also unhappy with how the university has handled his tenure, creating a tense backdrop as Clemson comes to town.
The matchup carries extra weight because Florida State has not beaten Clemson at home since 2014, and the current losing streak has only sharpened the mood. Now there is speculation that some fans could stay away from the game altogether, a message that would land as much with the administration as with the team, especially with the financial stakes of any future move on Norvell hanging over the program. [Read more 🡒]