It was all going great until it was not, as Florida State dropped the non-conference clash against No. 10 Alabama in Tuscaloosa. Bizarre circumstances have followed the Seminoles throughout the 2026 season, with lightning delays forcing a late kickoff and the elimination of a halftime break. The delays were not enough to change the result, however, as a promising start to the game fizzled out in the second half.
Coach Mike Norvell officially dropped to 39-36 all-time with Florida State, including nine non-conference losses. The game against Alabama was, in a lot of ways, a potential last chance for Norvell to piece together a serious win. Unfortunately, Florida State will leave Tuscaloosa in the same situation the team entered the game in.
1. Defending the pass might be a bigger problem than we originally thought
Florida State and Norvell clearly have issues on defense through three games, and the lack of an air defense is becoming a serious problem quickly. Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell recorded 304 yards and three touchdowns in three quarters of play, and the freshman made his success look easy against the Seminoles' secondary.
SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings had a field day against Florida State in Week 1, and some of his success was chalked up to experience. However, despite being supremely talented, Russell has limited collegiate experience, which could have been something the defense took advantage of. Rather, Russell took advantage of the soft coverage and broke off multiple big plays through the air without really breaking a sweat.
The Seminoles still need to play against strong quarterbacks like Darian Mensah, Lincoln Kienholz, and Beau Pribula. The 2026 season could get far uglier, really quickly for the Florida State defense without actual improvements on the playing field.
2. Ashton Daniels could very well be the best option at quarterback
Starting quarterback Ashton Daniels has been under the microscope all season as the leader of the Seminoles' offense. With 327 passing yards, two touchdowns, and an interception through the air heading into the clash against Alabama, plenty of fans felt it might be time to give another quarterback a chance.
The quarterback finished the game with 377 passing yards and two touchdowns, while adding another two scores with his legs. Additionally, Daniels did a great job at adapting as Alabama was able to take away his ability to scramble. On the other side, Daniels had three interceptions that were the result of forced throws, which is something that a struggling team cannot afford.
Daniels did not necessarily have the most perfect performance against Alabama, but it is hard to imagine a world where Malachi Marshall or Kevin Sperry would be able to outperform Daniels without any prior in-game action this season. Giving up on Daniels this season is still not out of the question, and the game against Central Arkansas should give Norvell a chance to potentially work in another quarterback.
The reality for Florida State is that quarterback is a position where you truly need to spend wisely, especially when considering the fact that the offensive line was suspect heading into the season. Daniels certainly had his moments against the Alabama defense, but critical interceptions and mistakes continue to be what prevent the quarterback from hitting the next level performance-wise.
3. Florida State needs to find a way to stay composed
Norvell or not, Florida State will need to become a more level-headed team moving forward to avoid such losses. When it rains, it pours on the Seminoles' defense, and tearing through the team with momentum allowed Alabama to create an insurmountable gap in the score. The Crimson Tide had three scoring drives where the team was able to gain over 50 yards in three plays or fewer.
There is a lot wrong with the Florida State defense and offense, but one of the easiest fixes is to find a way to reset. The defense allows far too many similar gains to occur over and over, and often the miscommunications seem to hit when the defense is being pushed backwards. The offense tends to make costly mistakes once a play struggles to develop.
Playing more composed is not easy to do, but the more chaotic the defense allows things to be, the easier it is for opposing teams to find the gaps. Russell was able to pick apart the defense at times, and once Russell found success through the air, improved success on the ground followed.
Florida State cannot allow itself to take a foot off the gas at any point, as strong teams will consistently find ways to test the defense. Delays may have impacted the momentum the team was able to build, but the Seminoles simply cannot fall apart like that and expect to hang around in the game.
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