Lights? Out. Soccer? Performed. The outcome? e soccer dropped 7 at Doak Campbell Stadium.
e occurred contained in the stadium minutes earlier than kickoff. It resulted within the recreation being began with no public tackle announcer, QB-to-coach helmet communication, and in-game replay.
Listed here are three takeaways from the Seminoles defeat to SMU.
Second-half defensive enchancment can’t save FSU
The Mustangs out gained the Seminoles 328 to 165 within the first half, but solely led by a rating of 17-10 on the break. SMU ended the sport with 585 whole yards to FSU’s 324, and but solely received by a subject objective thanks to 2 interceptions and a pressured fumble.
SMU did a lot of its harm on third down because the Seminoles struggled to get off the sector once more, going 8-of-14.
The Mustangs have been 5-of-8 on the down within the first half, and scored as soon as after Jennings scrambled and located a wide-open Randy Pittman Jr. behind the tip zone.
The second half turning level for the protection was a 3rd and objective within the third quarter the place FSU acquired its move rush dwelling to Jennings, who threw a panicked ball in the direction of the tip zone that was intercepted by Nehemiah Chandler. It was one in every of three turnovers pressured by the protection, joined by a first-half fumble pressured by linebacker Mikai Gbayor.
Strain acquired to Jennings extra persistently within the second half, and that allowed the Seminoles to wipe away a number of the first half miscues. Nevertheless, FSU’s errors on third down have been expensive. Jennings stood within the pocket with stress in his face and located Yannick Smith over the center, who broke a pair of tackles and scored a 79-yard landing. A slip from Gbayor later within the fourth quarter allowed for a simple conversion that prolonged SMU’s recreation successful subject objective drive.
Inconsistent play calling left meat on the bone, and a win on the desk
The offense stays uninspiring, with a heavy dosage of runs changing into predictable and leaving the Seminoles in some difficult will need to have conditions, which resulted in a staggering 2-of-15 third down completion fee.
Ashton Daniels was restricted, and solely went 12-of-23, because the Seminoles opted to maintain it on the bottom and out of his palms. He got here up with a clutch landing move to Samuel Singleton Jr within the fourth quarter, connecting with the operating again for a 39-yard strike. However exterior of that second of improvisation, he was hesitant within the pocket and did not get the ball out of his palms fast sufficient on a number of events.
Norvell did sufficient to get the Seminoles over the road, however a string of drives within the third quarter left the followers inside Doak booing their very own crew as FSU rushed into a number of fast third or fourth down conditions. It led to a tense surroundings that was eased by Ousmane Kromah’s game-tying landing within the third quarter.
Regardless of transient reprieves just like the Kromah rating, the fourth quarter resistance to throwing the soccer and incapacity to persistently transfer downfield drew damaging reactions from the gang and a few poor drives.
FSU’s operating backs are legit
Whereas the offense as a complete stays an uninspired product, Kromah and Singleton each have produced, serving to FSU whole 199 yards in opposition to SMU.
Kromah rushed for over 100 yards once more, with a complete of 116 and a landing. He was once more left to improvise a number of instances within the backfield with the offensive line permitting stress into the backfield. He stays FSU’s finest participant, and the operating backs as a complete stay the perfect unit on the crew.
Singleton’s fourth quarter landing catch tied the sport and energized the gang, regardless of a comparatively quiet night time to that time. He completed the sport with 40 receiving yards and 24 yards on the bottom.
Florida State soccer schedule 2026
vs. New Mexico State | 34-17 W
vs. SMU* | Sept. 7
Bye
at Alabama | Sept. 19
vs. Central Arkansas | Sept. 26
vs. Virginia* | Oct. 3
at Louisville* | Oct. 9
at Miami* | Oct. 17
Bye
vs. Clemson* | Oct. 31
at Boston Faculty* | Nov. 7
at Pittsburgh* | Nov. 13
vs. NC State* | Nov. 21
vs. Florida | Nov. 27
Liam Rooney covers e athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him by way of e mail at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney.
This text initially appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: r
