Florida State takes on the Florida Gators on the road this Saturday at 4:30 PM EST. The Seminoles are fighting for bowl eligibility, while the Gators have a meaningless season and just want to spoil Florida State's season.
Florida State will be keeping head football coach Mike Norvell around for the 2026 season, which frustrated some Seminole fans. It looked like Coach Norvell wanted to get revenge on Billy Napier and his Gators squad for the flag planting fiasco in Tallahassee last year, but Napier is no longer employed there.
Nonetheless, Florida State can get a rivalry win and go to a bowl game, so the Seminoles have plenty to play for. It has been difficult for the program to win on the road, since it hasn't done so in two years. However, something has to give eventually, as the Sod Cemetery needs another collection. The offense has to find some success against the Gators on the road.
Offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn was brought in to give the unit an experienced play caller. The Seminoles have been night-and-day different from the 2024 campaign, but it has been a game of "musical chairs" at the running back position.
Malzahn is all about running the football to set up the passing game, but there have been too many running backs touching the rock. He even admitted that he was used to having a workhorse rusher instead of a committee approach.
Former Oklahoma running back transfer Gavin Sawchuk was someone that I thought would lead the backfield, while youngster Ousmane Kromah was getting settled into the collegiate game. Sawchuk has the most yardage and carries, but he hasn't been much of a difference maker since the Stanford game when he had 20 carries for 70 yards.
According to ESPN Stats and Information, he has accumulated 18 rushing attempts in the last four games. It was confusing since Sawchuk looked to be catching his stride in the offense. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see if the Gators truly want to play the game against Florida State on Saturday. If they don't, it could be a contest that the Seminoles relies on Sawchuk in the running game.