Florida State football's season is complete, as they lost to the arch-rival Florida Gators by a score of 40-21 on Saturday. The Seminoles will not be going to the postseason because of the result.
It was disappointing to see from the program, but the coaching staff had to lock into player acquisition for the roster. It starts and ends with the high school ranks. The fan base wanted to see the program emphasize the homegrown talent than electing for the transfer portal.
High school recruiting has changed in college football with the Early Signing Period. There was a time when December period wasn't a thing and many of the recruits were deciding in February, where many individuals were skipping school and/or work to see which prospects committed to their favorite schools.
The 2026 cycle looks to be a productive one for head football coach Mike Norvell and the staff, as they try to replicate the impact that the 2025 class had in terms of putting in significant snaps.
One prospect that fans are super excited about to sign was three-star wide receiver Jonah Winston from Hoover, Alabama. He is the younger brother of former Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston, who won a national championship and Heisman Trophy with the Seminoles in 2013.
It is never a bad thing to have a winning culture in Tallahassee, as Florida State wants to get back on track in terms of sustainable success. Before the younger Winston signed with the Seminoles, we at ChopChat reached out to him and asked about his excitement level for joining Florida State:
"Well, the thing that makes me most excited is having the chance to play up under an offensive guru in Coach (Gus) Malzahn and being back in the city that basically introduced me into football!"
It is a cool moment to have a legacy recruit in Tallahassee, where his family member was associated with so much greatness at the university. Hopefully, we hear several touchdowns in Doak Campbell Stadium for Jonah in the near future!