Florida State’s perfect start is gone, and so is its long run of dominance over Florida.
No. 3 FSU went into Gainesville chasing a ninth straight win in the rivalry, but the Gators handed the Seminoles a 3-1 defeat and picked up their first victory over Florida State since 2017.
The Seminoles opened with sophomore Kate Ockene in goal and a back line of freshman Bridget Mutipula, junior Janet Okeke and senior Kansas transfer Olivia Page, with Page back in the defense. In the midfield, sophomore Nyanya Touray joined senior Memphis transfer Ashley Henderson, junior Peyton McGovern, junior Daytona State transfer Shaneil Buckley and junior Xavier transfer Sam Erbach. Up front, senior Kentucky transfer Tanner Strickland, junior Tennessee transfer Anaiyah Robinson and junior Wrianna Hudson got the start.
Florida set the tone early, pressing FSU and creating chances around the Seminoles’ net. The breakthrough came at 21:58, when Kyra Taylor scored off a corner kick from Mia Gray to put the Gators in front 1-0.
Florida State had a chance to answer quickly. At 23:53, Buckley went one-on-one with the Florida goalkeeper but couldn’t finish. Erbach nearly leveled it a few minutes later, sending a shot just wide at 27:48.
The Seminoles looked sharper after halftime and spent more time on the ball, but Florida kept finding the dangerous moments. Touray tested the defense at 55:47 with a shot toward the bottom center that ended up producing an FSU corner kick.
Florida then stretched the lead at 61:49, when Taylor struck again off an assist from Zoe Main. That made it 2-0 and gave the Gators control. Dymond Montelene added another at 78:46 to push the margin to 3-0.
FSU avoided the shutout late. Freshman Ryder Ajeto scored at 82:27 for her second goal of the season, trimming the deficit to 3-1.
Florida finished with 14 shots, eight on goal. Florida State had eight shots, five of them on target.
The loss dropped FSU to 3-1 and ended its streak of 36 consecutive regular-season non-conference wins. Florida moved to 2-1.
In Other News...
Mike Norvell Just Gave Florida State Fans Another Reason To Groan
Mike Norvell is already asking Florida State fans to adjust to one notable change for 2026: the Seminoles will not release depth charts during game weeks, including for the Week 0 matchup against New Mexico State. Norvell has still identified Ashton Daniels as the starting quarterback, but beyond that, the usual lineup guide that helps frame a game week will not be part of the routine.
The move is unusual in college football and has not gone over smoothly with fans or the media, which is hardly surprising for a program that lives under a microscope every season. Depth charts do not decide games, but they do help set expectations and cut through uncertainty, so leaving that information out only adds another layer of frustration around a team that already has plenty of eyes on it. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Norvells Quarterback Problem At FSU Just Got Harder To Ignore
Mike Norvells quarterback track record at Florida State has become one of the more glaring storylines of his tenure, and it goes beyond any one season. The Seminoles have spent years trying to recruit and develop the position at a higher level, only to watch several of the most highly touted additions either fall short of expectations or move on before finding traction. Luke Kromenhoek, the highest-ranked quarterback recruit Norvell has brought in, ended up transferring twice and later lost a starting competition at South Florida, a reminder of how unsettled the position has been.
Since 2020, Florida State has signed a string of blue-chip quarterbacks, but the return on that investment has been thin, with limited starts and little sustained success to show for it. The result has been a program that has repeatedly leaned on transfer quarterbacks to open seasons, which only adds to the pressure on Norvell to finally solve a problem that keeps surfacing in the most important spot on the field. [Read more 🡒]
FSU Gets A Needed Backfield Boost Before A Sneaky Tough Opener
Florida State got a timely boost in the backfield this week, with Mike Norvell confirming that senior running back Tre Wisner will be available for the season opener against New Mexico State. Wisner had been sidelined for preseason scrimmages because of a minor issue, but he was back at practice last week, giving the Seminoles a healthier look as they head into the start of the season.
Norvells update matters because New Mexico State has the kind of defense that can make an opener more annoying than expected, with experience and physicality built into the matchup. For Florida State, having Wisner back helps settle a key part of the offense before the first whistle, especially in a game where getting the ground attack moving early could take some pressure off everything else. [Read more 🡒]