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    • FSU football is nearing its lowest point after its first loss to Duke
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    FSU football is nearing its lowest point after its first loss to Duke

    Seren Anwen Posted on

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    In a season full of lows, Florida State football continues to find ways to dig itself deeper into a hole.

    After a bye week with renewed optimism, Brock Glenn at quarterback and a performance against Clemson that included a loss but also some positives, FSU felt like it was in the right place ahead of a trip to Durham, North Carolina direction goes.

    The Seminoles even went into Friday night’s matchup against Duke with history on their side. They had won all 22 games against the Blue Devils, and looking at the stats from Friday night’s game, I wouldn’t blame anyone for thinking FSU got its 23rd win.

    That wasn’t the case.

    FSU outrebounded Duke 291-180 and posted its best rushing performance of the season with 162 yards – ironic, right? The Seminoles’ defense held the Blue Devils’ offense to 13 points, but FSU’s self-inflicted errors gave Duke an early Christmas present Friday night.

    The Blue Devils defeated the Seminoles with a 23-16 win, led in part by a disastrous three-snap stretch from Brock Glenn. The redshirt freshmen caught three pick-sixes in a row, fumbled and threw another interception. Duke scored 17 points off those turnovers.

    It’s the sixth straight game the Seminoles have been held under 20 points this season and the first time since 1975, a year before Bobby Bowden was named head coach.

    Outside of that? FSU had three drops that potentially cost them 17 points.

    An early third-down drop by Malik Benson set up a 48-yard field goal attempt, but it was blocked. After replacing Glenn, Luke Kromenhoek sent a ball to Kentron Poitier for what looked like the first touchdown of the game for FSU. It was dropped and the Seminoles punted instead. A loss by Hykeem Williams at the end of the first half prevented a field goal attempt that would have cut the lead to 17-9 at halftime.

    These six games represent FSU’s season well.

    Duke’s dominance was one of the few remaining symbols of the Seminoles’ era of college football dominance, but now that 22-game winning streak has ended. FSU is heading toward a possible third losing season under Mike Norvell and a third season without a bowl game.

    In a year that felt like a clear opportunity to re-establish itself as a dominant force in the ACC and college football, FSU dropped the ball (metaphorically and literally), and instead the honor was handed to the Seminoles’ rivals Conference as FSU takes place at 1-6.

    Playoffs were the expectation and now a bowl game is a nearly impossible task considering FSU needs to win five games in a row. With games against No. 6 Miami, No. 12 Notre Dame and Florida still remaining, the Seminoles’ hopes of salvaging any form of postseason football are over.

    The disaster in Durham hasn’t bottomed out yet, but it feels like a pit stop along the way. With a 1-6 record, FSU is on pace to join the ranks of the worst teams in Seminoles history, with its last and only winning season coming in 1974.

    With only a few winnable matches remaining, the 2024 FSU team could become the first two-win team in program history or join the rare line of Seminoles teams with three or four wins.

    Glenn briefly gave hope that things could turn around in the second half. The reality, however, is that his entry into the lineup doesn’t change the fact that, more often than not, passes end up on the turf after drops or opposing defensive linemen bring down an unprotected quarterback, forcing long-yardage situations.

    The season is a notable comeback for the Seminoles after going 13-1 and winning the ACC title last season. However, a playoff loss and a resounding loss to Georiga in the Orange Bowl suggested that misfortune lay ahead for the Seminoles.

    It’s clear that changes will be made this offseason. Norvell is safe, but there’s a real possibility that we’ll see personnel turnover alongside a multitude of players entering the transfer portal or, for the select few, pursuing NFL dreams.

    A change in strategy is required, not only on the field but also off it. The transfer portal was missing this year with few, if any, players contributing. The approach and evaluation must change, especially as graduate recruiting proves challenging for the Seminoles.

    On the field, game behavior is a problem. Norvell is known for its creative and innovative offenses, but this season’s iteration has been predictable and too often poorly executed. Maybe the playcalling suffers from the drops and run game difficulties, but the play selection issues have been there since the season opener against Georgia Tech.

    Change is needed for FSU and is likely to come.

    As the season progresses rapidly, the Seminoles must give the future a chance. Do what you can to keep the potential playmakers you have in the squad and start preparing for next season.

    What does FSU have left to lose at this point?

    Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @__liamrooney

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