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September 24Seminoles Fall To The Crimson Tide + Rest Of Season Outlook | Florida State Seminoles LIVE 341
Florida State Seminoles LIVE 341
Seminoles Fall To The Crimson Tide + Rest Of Season Outlook
Hosts: Gus Wilson & Cole Kruger | FSUVOCFB
Brought to you by FanDuel
This is Gus Wilson’s final episode with Voice of College Football. Cole Kruger remains on the show.
Opening / Farewell note (0:30–2:11)
Gus: last video with VOCFB after moving to the Auburn platform; cannot continue on FSU or 365.

Cole stays on Florida State Seminoles Live; replacement coming.

Gus already did a longer farewell on Auburn Primetime Live the night before.
Alabama recap — 50-36 loss, FSU falls to 1-2 (2:12–15:00)
Score flow
FSU jumped out 14-3 in Q1, led 21-6.

After weather delays (first ~1:40, then another ~40 minutes plus camera issues), Alabama flipped it. Tide scored 21 unanswered in a three-minute stretch after the second delay.

Final: Alabama 50, FSU 36. FSU covered a 20-point spread.
Offense (the bright spot)
Best statistical game of the season on paper. Ashton Daniels 4 total TDs.

Deuce Robinson finally looked like Deuce Robinson — huge night, including the early “toss-up” TD that Gus called Tommy Castellanos-esque.

Run game worked early (Croma + Sam Singleton). Singleton now injured; unclear timeline — big loss.

Trey Weisner / Country: one carry (late). He’ll have to take on more with Singleton out.

Offense moved the ball throughout; Gus refuses to pin the loss on the offense despite Daniels’ 3 INTs. “You put up 36 on the road against a top-10 SEC team.”
Defense (same old story, worse)
567 yards allowed. No sacks from the defensive line (only sack was Jabril Rawls, a CB).

Tony White scheme: everyone drops at the snap, huge holes underneath, 3-5 seconds to throw. Same issues vs SMU.

Alabama ran the ball successfully after sputtering early — exposed the trenches.

Bright spots: Chris Jones “everywhere” in the first half; Makai Jones end-zone breakup that forced a FG.

Cole and Gus both say it’s hard to take Norvell seriously while White remains DC. White is “public enemy No. 1 in Tallahassee.”
Other notes
11 straight road losses under Mike Norvell (last win Nov. 2023 at Florida).

Weather delays and production issues (cameras out) disrupted rhythm.

Keelan Russell looked increasingly comfortable; Gus (Auburn + FSU fan) is “scared” of him.

Takeaway: FSU didn’t get blown out and the offense showed life, but “that’s not the standard of Florida State football.”
FanDuel / Central Arkansas preview (15:21–24:00)
Line: FSU -45.5, total 62.5. No player props.

Family & alumni weekend — packed Doak.

Both like FSU to cover and the over if they spot UCA 10–21 points and score 40–49+.

Possible team-total play once those numbers post (implied FSU ~52.5).

Question: will Norvell play backups in the second half with his job on the line? Both expect him to try to run it up, then give snaps to Malachi Marshall (and maybe Kevin Sperry) in the fourth.

What they want to see from starters:
Two-headed monster with Weisner getting real work.

At least one sack from the defensive line. “Mind-boggling” if White still has a job Sunday if they can’t get one vs UCA.

Jason Lopez, Devin Carter (if healthy), Isaiah Williams status unknown (typical Norvell opacity on injuries).

Score predictions:
– Gus: 59-13
– Cole: 52-10

Reference point: last year’s 77-3 vs Kent State when Deuce went off.
Norvell’s job / Central Arkansas as possible last game (24:00–27:30)
Cole rates “this is his last game” a 6.5–7 on a 1-10 scale.

Quiet reporting lately; possible they wait for a new AD, but the next AD almost certainly won’t want Norvell.

Upcoming schedule is brutal (Virginia, Louisville, Miami, Pitt, Florida). UCA is the last “guaranteed” win.

Precedent: Florida fired Billy Napier after a win last year. A win Saturday is not a quality win.
Rest-of-season outlook (27:30–32:20)
Current 1-2. Expect 2-2 after UCA.
Likely losses (as of now): Louisville, Miami, Pitt, Florida.
Winnable / toss-ups: Virginia (home, UVA looked shaky vs WVU), Boston College (lean win), NC State (chaos after the Vanderbilt ending), Clemson (Cole now leans FSU win — different vibe than early-season Clemson).
Win totals
Cole: 4-8 floor, 5-7 most realistic (split Virginia/NC State + BC + Clemson + UCA).

Ceiling maybe 6-6. Seven wins would be a miracle.

No clear interim HC if they fire Norvell midseason.
Clemson note: ugly win over UNC, close call vs Georgia Southern, but roster still has more proven pieces and they’re playing with more urgency than FSU.
Sign-off / Gus farewell (32:20–end)
Honor working with Cole the last couple months.

SMU loss was the “nail in the coffin” for hope.

Gus: @byGusWilson — will still root for FSU.

Cole: @ColeKru9 — he’ll be back.

Shout-outs: Jackson & Jacob (Florida State Primetime Live), Mark & Chris for the opportunity.

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33 min
September 23FSU Nearly Stuns Alabama & Norvell Faces His Alma Mater / Florida State PrimeTime LIVE 27
Florida State Primetime Live presented by FanDuel
Host: Jackson Burlison
FSUVOCFB / Voice of College Football
Focus: Alabama recap, Central Arkansas preview, 2027 recruiting, injuries, Norvell job security, Jimbo Fisher rumors
Intro (0:31–1:23)
Welcome to another edition. Agenda: thoughts on Saturday’s Alabama game, preview of this Saturday’s Central Arkansas matchup, recruiting notes. Subscribe, comment on season record expectations, check Voice of College Football merch in the description.
Tayshaun Poole film breakdown — 2027 four-star commit (1:29–5:48)
Four-star safety/athlete (No. 6 safety nationally, No. 6 in Georgia, No. 64 overall) had a monster Friday night vs. Baldwin High School in a 49-43 win.
Stats: 9 receptions, 245 yards, 6 TDs (27.2 yards per catch); 7 tackles, 1 TFL on defense.
Host reacts live to film:
Contested one-handed catch while double-covered.

Open-space tackling and speed.

Breaks tackles, jet-sweep TD, runs away from entire defense.

Route running and shiftiness praised.
Called the best player currently in FSU’s 2027 class. Some already floating five-star talk after another game or two like this. Versatile two-way player; compared to fellow class athlete Car Johnson. Host likes the idea of both as freshman weapons next year.
Clip-worthy film segments throughout this block.
Sam Singleton Jr. injury (5:49–8:22)
Backup RB out for an extended period (leg injury). Norvell comments suggest he may not return until the second half of the season.
Through 3 games: 20 carries, 73 rush yards; 8 catches, 162 receiving yards (2nd on team), 2 TDs (team lead). Standout 65-yard catch-and-run vs. Alabama on 3rd-and-14.
Opens the door for Contraveon Weisner (discussed last week as underused). Host hopes Weisner becomes a more prominent piece. Called Singleton one of the better offensive players early and a homegrown product whose growth was noted by former RB coach Austin Tucker.
Big loss; Weisner now has a clear path vs. Central Arkansas and New Mexico State leftovers.
Jimbo Fisher reunion rumors (8:23–11:09)
FSU exploring a potential reunion. Bruce Feldman report: FSU brass looking into it; Fisher wants the job. $75M+ remaining buyout from Texas A&M firing gives FSU financial flexibility to pay him less and redirect money to roster/NIL.
President Richard McCullough still publicly backing Norvell (“nobody wants to win more than him”).
Host’s take: Norvell saved his job Saturday. Seat cooler than it was heading into Alabama. 1-2 record includes two losses to top-20 teams. Expects Norvell to finish the season. Still understands why the program would keep options open given Fisher’s FSU résumé (2013 national title, 83-23 overall, 48-16 ACC 2010-17) and even the 45-25 Texas A&M mark (25-21 SEC).
Alabama game recap — FSU 36, Alabama 50 (11:09–25:00)
FSU dropped its 10th straight road game but covered a 19.5-point spread and led 21-6 and later 28-26. Two weather delays (roughly 90 minutes early + another late in the second quarter; ~120 minutes total delay) disrupted rhythm.
Positives
Defense forced two three-and-outs to open the game.

McKay Bayer making open-field tackles on third down.

Deuce Robinson explosion: 6 catches, 135 yards, TD (season high). 20-yard TD on 50/50 ball vs. blitz to start the scoring.

Ashton Daniels’ best game: 17-of-29, 377 yards, 2 rushing TDs. Aggressive downfield, gave receivers chances. Host still assigns all three INTs to Daniels (held ball too long, inaccurate, forced throws).

Offensive line looked improved after some shuffling (tackle-to-guard moves).

Weapons showing: Makai Danzy 89 yards, Boggs 69, Singleton 68, Landon Thomas TD.

Covered the spread after host and many fans doubted they would.
Negatives
Allowed 567 yards (second straight 560+ yard game; SMU had 585 the week before — over 1,000 yards in two games).

Defense wore down after strong start; blown coverages and missed tackles after second delay. Keelan Russell’s mobility a problem (same issue as vs. Kevin Jennings).

Didn’t finish. Tony White said they needed to stay aggressive schematically.

First game this season under 100 rushing yards.

Three turnovers; host believes FSU wins if they don’t turn it over.
Host was at a wedding in Chicago and still impressed they scored 36 on No. 10 Alabama. “We punched them in the throat.” Feels the performance gives life to the season and makes an 8-win ACC-competitive year realistic rather than far-fetched. Inconsistency across first three weeks remains the concern (two different teams).
Norvell: “We left a lot on the table.”
Revised record projection (25:00–29:00)
After the Alabama showing, host updates outlook to 7-5.
Beat Central Arkansas

Beat Virginia (home)

Lose Louisville

Lose Miami

Beat Clemson

Beat Boston College

Beat Pitt

Beat NC State

Lose Florida
Virginia at home is the next real measuring-stick game for ACC competitiveness. ESPN projection mentioned: Frisco Bowl vs. Memphis, with coaching security as a storyline. Host notes that’s still a bowl after two bad years — incremental progress, not fantasy 10-2 talk.
Central Arkansas preview (29:00–36:00)
FSU 44.5-point favorite (FanDuel). Host takes FSU to cover and win by 50.
Norvell connections: Played WR at UCA 2001-05 (Hall of Fame 2016; 2nd in school history with 213 receptions, 5th with 2,600 receiving yards). UCA HC Nathan Brown was his teammate (QB 2004-08).
UCA notes:
FCS United Athletic Conference (competitive league with ACU, Tarleton).

Dual-threat QB Donovan (671 pass yards, 6 TDs; 336 rush yards) — good practice after struggling vs. mobile QBs.

WR Terrell Pollard averaging 20 YPC.

LB Ashton Williams 11.8 tackles per game (2nd in FCS).

Allowed a kick-return TD on the first play last week vs. SE Missouri.
FSU red-zone TD rate leads ACC at 84.6%. Special teams: Darius Jones one of four FBS players with INT + FF + FR this year; kicker perfect 3-for-3 FGs (18-for-18 career).
Keys: Use speed early, get defense off the field, get Weisner involved, possibly see Myokai Marshall if it’s a blowout. Host wants a Kent State-style domination.
Chat / wrap (36:00–end)
“Make Deuce great again” — host agrees Alabama was the breakout.

Daniels comparisons (James Blackman, Everett Golson, DJU) — host sees some similarities but notes Daniels’ Alabama tape showed more potential than first two weeks.

Norvell play-calling: Host thinks he took over more this year for job-security reasons; likes the aggression vs. Alabama once the pass game worked.

Defense remains the issue vs. good teams (and even vs. New Mexico State).

Optimism vs. realism debate with commenters. Host says his job includes being optimistic after the Alabama flashes.
Closes with plugs: subscribe, FSU/VOCFB socials, “The Take with Jackson Burleson” podcast. Central Arkansas should be a 50-point win and a chance to build on the Alabama performance.

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45 min
September 17Previewing Florida State's Matchup Against Alabama + Alford Fired | Florida State Seminoles LIVE 340
Florida State Seminoles LIVE 340
Previewing FSU vs. Alabama + Michael Alford Fired
Hosts: Gus Wilson & Cole Kruger | FSUVOCFB
Sponsor: FanDuel
0:00–2:00 — Intro
Gus and Cole open a busy Wednesday night show.

Cole’s power was out in Tallahassee for about an hour; apartment just starting to cool.

Gus recorded with Auburn VOCFB and is heading to Oxford for the LSU–Ole Miss tailgate scene (credentials TBD).

Game this Saturday: FSU at Alabama, 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC (moved off The CW) at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny.
2:00–7:25 — Michael Alford fired
Athletic director Michael Alford was fired Monday.

Gus published a piece with Sport and Stage criticizing Alford’s tenure since 2021: failure to adapt to NIL and the new college sports landscape, not just football.

Cole was shocked. Rumblings existed all week; the school used the weekend to prepare the announcement.

Surprise that Alford went before Mike Norvell. Program did not want Alford picking the next head coach.

Alford positives: hired Luke Loucks and Brian Pensky; brought lacrosse to FSU.

Failures: player retention (Isaiah Torres cited), unwillingness to spend in the NIL era. Miami spends $5–8 million on QBs; FSU paid Ashton Daniels ~$800K.

Stadium renovation viewed as a failure by boosters, alumni, fans, and students — Doak is quieter after losing ~20,000 seats. Not solely Alford’s call.

Interim AD: Bruce Warwick. Search should already be in full swing; hosts expect a hire by end of October or sooner.

President McCullough’s press conference framed the move around lack of NIL usage.
7:25–16:00 — Norvell hot-seat rumors, moving trucks, buyout
Pete Thamel/ESPN-style report (hosts name “Evan’s theory” / similar reporting) that FSU is preparing to fire Norvell after Saturday if they get blown out. Buyout this month: $51 million. Hosts treat it with a grain of salt.

Old Row and others posted photos/video of moving trucks and boxes outside Norvell’s house mid-season.

Warchant presser clip: Norvell asked about the trucks. He says he doesn’t look online much, focus is on the state and the team, results haven’t been good enough, no excuses, believes in the process and the players.

Cole: Who is filming outside a coach’s house? Privacy issue. Norvell’s laugh-then-coach-speak reaction felt like he didn’t know the footage was public.

Tallahassee Democrat reported Norvell is staying for the foreseeable future.

Cost of a full reset: Norvell buyout + entire staff + $8–10M new coach + new AD ≈ $130 million. Boosters have not shown that appetite the last two years.

Hosts do not expect a Sunday firing after Alabama.

Norvell’s alma mater Central Arkansas visits next Saturday (family weekend). They expect him to coach that game.

Victory lap: both hosts flagged Sunday, October 18 (day after Miami) as the realistic date all offseason. Possible 2–5, 0–4 ACC record with only wins over Central Arkansas and New Mexico State.

Road-win drought: approaching three years since last true road win (ACC Championship, Dec. 2023). Cole was at that game. “Mind-boggling” for a program with FSU’s logo and history.
16:00–22:10 — Offense vs. Alabama
What FSU needs:
Push the ball downfield. Deuce Robinson: 6 catches in 2 games, ~3 per game, under 20 yards per game. Must get him involved; realistically needs double-digit catches to stay in the game.

Ashton Daniels has not shown the arm strength or downfield success advertised all offseason. Norvell says he’s improving in practice; hosts don’t buy it yet.

Get the ball to Makai Danzy — not just end-arounds; screens and downfield work. He’s faster than most of the secondary.

Run game (Usman Kromah, Sam Singleton) is the best part of the offense. Establish it, then play-action.

Score on the opening drive to steal first-half momentum. Alabama struggled early vs. Kentucky.

Alabama just shut down Kentucky’s run (including C.J. Baxter) and has film on Daniels from last year’s Iron Bowl plus Norvell’s play-calling.

Time of possession and getting playmakers the ball. Alabama will key the run; FSU has to prove it can throw over the top.

Revenge factor: many Alabama defenders remember last year’s home loss to FSU.
22:10–28:40 — Defense vs. Alabama
Priority: contain Keelon Russell’s legs and make him beat them with his arm. Not overly worried about the Alabama run game after a shaky first half vs. Kentucky.

Pressure Russell. FSU has 3 sacks in 2 games — all from linebackers. Defensive line has no sample size of success. Emmanuel Desir “disappeared.” Watch Ryland Kennedy (Texas A&M experience).

Tony White will need corner/safety blitzes. Secondary has been weak; KJ Kirkland missed SMU.

Last week vs. SMU: 4 turnovers but 400+ yards allowed. Kevin Jennings (minus two mistakes) carved them up. Russell is a better dual-threat talent.

Forcing turnovers didn’t save them against SMU. Outlook “very bleak.”

Expect Norvell to be more aggressive early — possible downfield shot on first or second play. Desperate team. Two-tight-end looks with Landon Thomas and D’Zero Arras.

If Daniels has 2–3 turnovers and the game gets ugly, both hosts would put in Malachi Marshall over Kevin Sperry. No tape on Marshall; possible spark. Norvell has little to lose.
28:40–34:00 — Odds & FanDuel
Spread opened ~17.5, now FSU +19.5. Total 48.5.

Alabama team total 34.5; FSU 13.5.

Cole leaning Alabama –19.5 in a pick’em with friends. 19.5 feels a little high and a little low. Staying off the total; if forced, lean over. Alabama can hang 34+ alone.

Gus’s unofficial score lean matches FSU’s 13.5 team total.

Deuce Robinson –230 to get 30+ yards (huge drop from last year). +320 to score a TD — hosts like that as a fan dart.

Sam Singleton also has red-zone value if FSU ever gets there.

Reminder: gamble responsibly on FanDuel.
34:00–38:10 — Score predictions
Cole: Alabama 42, FSU 10
Aggressive FSU first quarter possible (maybe one TD). Then Alabama second-half surge like vs. Kentucky. Program vibes are terrible; players hear the noise and may not fight for Norvell. Firing him this weekend would tank the rest of the season — fans should hope he lasts until at least Miami.

Gus: Alabama 38, FSU 13
Possible opening-drive TD + two field goals. Not close after the first quarter. Alabama remembers last year’s loss and won’t lose at home. Standalone 3:30 ABC game (Louisville–SMU also 3:30). Gus will try to make the postgame live from Oxford.
38:10–end — Close
Zero live comments. Hosts say that’s a reflection of the program — fans don’t want to consume FSU content right now.

Post-SMU clip already has 4–5K views of them calling the situation sad.

They believed in the team coming into the year. Can’t sunshine-pump anymore after New Mexico State, SMU, and the Alford firing.

Hope the Seminoles are better this time next year.

Plug: like/comment/subscribe; FSU Primetime Live with Jackson Burleson & Jacob Smith; Cole @ColeCrew9, Gus @byGusWilson on X. Same time next Wednesday.

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40 min
September 16The Reason behind FSU firing AD & does FSU have a shot at Bama? / Florida State PrimeTime LIVE 26
Florida State Primetime Live (presented by FanDuel)
Host: Jackson Burleson
Guests: Colby Crawford (Noles247 / 247Sports FSU) and Jackson Johnson (Alabama VOCFB / SEC VOCFB)
Theme: Why FSU fired AD Michael Alford midseason, recruiting ripples, fan buyout campaign, SMU film leftovers, and Alabama preview.
Segment 1 — Alford out before Norvell (00:00–09:58)
Burleson opens with the question: if someone told you before the season that AD Michael Alford would be fired before Mike Norvell, what would you say?
Colby Crawford: Not shocked. Timing was a little messy, but the writing was on the wall. Board chair Peter Collins and president Richard McCullough did not want Alford “with his hands on the wheel” for the next football-coach hire. Football results drove it: 2-10, 5-7, then 1-1 to start 2026 after an uninspiring Labor Day effort vs. SMU. Facility wins (football-only building, Doak upgrades) and other sports (soccer national title) weren’t enough. Football is the moneymaker.
President McCullough’s “we’re behind” comments = FSU got outpaced in NIL / revenue sharing. Alford publicly favored staying under the ~$20.5M cap while peers spent more. Money went to buildings instead of roster.
Interim AD: Bruce Warwick. Stop-gap for day-to-day; Collins still pulling strings.
Norvell implication: Firing the AD midseason is not an endorsement. “When, not if” if the season keeps trending this way. Alabama this weekend is the next test.
AD candidates (very early): Jeremiah Dickey (Boise State — hottest name), Derek Brooks (USF COO), Zach Selman (Mississippi State), Ed Scott (Memphis). Priority: fundraiser with connections. Aggressive timeline could be early November; realistic is winter so a new AD + GM staff can hit signing day / portal.
Fan takeaway: First domino. Alignment among president, board, new AD, and (likely) new coach matters more than ever with realignment still unfolding.
Segment 2 — Recruiting scare: Sakari / Zachary Johnson (10:00–16:20)
FSU 2027/28 commit (reclassified) safety/athlete Sakari Johnson (Miami Carol City) visited Miami’s home opener vs. FAMU (Hurricanes put up 77). He has now called Miami his “dream school.”
Burleson is baffled. Committed in July after reclassifying from 2028. Versatile (WR/QB/DB), 6-1 frame, local kid. Tallahassee is a long drive from South Florida; Miami is home. Losing a four-star in-state safety would be a bad look on top of the AD news and 1-1 start. Compares the versatility (not the talent) to Travis Hunter flipping away.
Asks chat: can FSU hold the rest of the 2027 class?
Segment 3 — Fans crowdfunding Norvell’s buyout (16:20–19:00)
SaveFSUFootball.com wants 250,000 fans to give $102 each to cover half of Norvell’s reported $51M buyout. Site cites 44.9% ACC winning percentage vs. pre-Norvell 76-8, and 0-6 vs. “legit” teams.
Burleson calls it insane and funny — also a temperature check on how done the fan base is. Plans to track how much they actually raise.
Chat already wants Tony White gone too.
Segment 4 — SMU film + Tony White + Quintravion Wisner (19:00–27:10)
Rewatched SMU. More flashes than it felt live (power outage, fans leaving), but scheme issues persist.
3-3-5 / heavy DB look getting beat over the top.

Cushion coverage on 3rd-and-short is “cooked.”

Jabril Rawls ran past the LOS at the snap on a long TD.

Tony White presser: “69 of X plays were good, we want 9 back.” Burleson hates coaches saying “we as coaches need to be better” — it confirms what fans already believe.

Mandrell Tisdale pre-snap crossover: White said they’ll cut it out.
Biggest personnel gripe: Quintravion Wisner (Texas transfer, ~$800K) played zero snaps vs. SMU and wasn’t on the injury report. High-level CFP experience, receiving back. Singleton and Croma are fine, but Wisner changes pace on 3rd/4th down and would help Ashton Daniels get the ball out. “He has to touch the field vs. Alabama.”
Offense too vanilla / run-heavy. Daniels running for his life. Conservative play-calling compared to Texas going for it on 4th-and-9 vs. Ohio State.
Segment 5 — Alabama preview with Jackson Johnson (27:10–end)
Spread: Alabama -19.5. Both stay away from the number; Johnson would only consider Bama moneyline.
History: First meeting in Alabama since 1974 (Bama won big; later context 8-7 Orange Bowl era before Bowden). Last year FSU won at Doak.
Johnson on Alabama:
Wants 150+ rush yards (shouldn’t be hard).

Keelon Russell: trust his instincts more than Ty Simpson did last year vs. FSU; will scramble but “reads the room.”

Offensive line and kicking game (fixed after early woes) are little things that become big things.

X-factors: run game, kicking, Derek Meadows, Coleman Williams. Revenge energy even if DeBoer won’t call it that.

Daniel Hill: FSU should watch him “like a hawk.”

Ryan Coleman Williams: don’t overreact to Week 1 drops; 58-yard tackle-breaking catch vs. ECU is the tape that matters. Soft cushions = 100+ yards.
Burleson on FSU needs:
Wisner on the field.

Pressure like Kentucky got in the first half last week.

Deuce Robinson more than 2 catches (dropped a TD vs. SMU).

Cannot play 10 yards off vs. Williams.

If the run game gets stuffed by an SEC front, can Daniels throw 40 times? Nervous.
Score predictions:
Burleson: Alabama 41–20 (close-ish first half, Bama pulls away like Kentucky).

Johnson: Alabama 38–17.

Neither has FSU covering.
Coach chatter (light): Eli Drinkwitz to FSU (no state income tax / Margaritaville pitch). Manny Diaz. Brent Vigen (Montana State — “he wins”). Deion Sanders still the dream but unrealistic after health + the earlier extension that reportedly offended him. Nick Saban as AD: no.
Betting note: Same advice Johnson gave on NC State–Vanderbilt — don’t bet the spread.

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58 min
September 08FLORIDA STATE - SMU Postgame LIVE
Florida State Primetime Live – SMU Postgame
Host: Jackson Burleson | Presented by FanDuel
FSUVOCFB | After No. 19 SMU 27, Florida State 24 at Doak Campbell Stadium
FSU falls to 1-1 (0-1 ACC). SMU QB Kevin Jennings: 26-of-36, 430 yards, 3 TDs, 2 INTs. Nick Reed 20-yard FG with 21 seconds left wins it. Game delayed ~105 minutes by a power outage (electrical short in main transformer affecting the west-side tower). Kickoff pushed to 9:15 p.m.; some lights never came back on.
Intro & the delay (0:30–4:45)
Burleson was at the game from ~5:30 p.m. until ~2 a.m. First FSU home game as a fan. Pregame crowd was electric and a sellout; the long delay thinned the stands later.
Osceola’s spear ceremony almost set the field on fire.

Coin toss happened, then teams left the field. Uncertainty whether the game would be played. ACC commissioner Jim Phillips was in FSU’s locker room.

Lights partially restored; two midfield lights on the ESPN-booth side stayed off the entire game. Both teams agreed to play.
He compared the vibe to the 2013 Super Bowl blackout.
Defense did just enough — offense could not (4:47–15:00)
FSU forced 4 takeaways (including special teams) vs. SMU’s 1. Ashton Barker intercepted Jennings. Without the turnovers, Burleson says FSU would have been blown out.
Defense “didn’t even look that good” outside the takeaways.

Passing defense was poor: Jennings threw for 430 yards and SMU finished with 585 total yards.

Pass rush was nearly nonexistent (one meaningful pressure led to an INT).

Open receivers and blown coverages all night. Jabril Rawls called “the most overrated cornerback in college football” — constantly cooked and undisciplined (uncalled push, previous-week “suplex”).

Tony White’s play-calling criticized: guys out of position, miscommunication, poor open-field tackling (75-yard TD, Randy Pittman Jr. running through multiple missed tackles).

Daryl Desire was out. Mandrell “you almost forget he’s on the field” after FSU paid to keep him out of the portal.
Offense: 12-of-23 for 125 yards from Ashton Daniels, plus 16 rushes. Team rushed 45 times for 199 yards (4.4 ypc) vs. SMU’s 31 rushes for 155 (5.0). FSU 2-of-15 on third down; SMU 8-of-14.
Deuce Robinson: 2 catches. Dropped a first-half TD (Burleson gives him a pass — good coverage).

Entire skill group combined for only 12 receptions.

Daniels “looked scared,” missed easy throws in stride, held the ball too long. One highlight: rolling right and finding Deuce with four Mustangs in front of him.

Burleson: Norvell clearly does not trust Daniels, so the offense became run-heavy and conservative after takeaways (multiple 3-and-outs).

Jet sweeps and tosses look pointless because the OL cannot block.
Ousmane Kromah was the bright spot: 22 carries, 116 yards, 1 TD (back-to-back 100-yard games). Big first-half run (called back partly by a Deuce block-in-the-back) set up a FG. “Workhorse… beast… physical.”
Daniels also had an 8-yard rushing TD and later a 39-yard TD pass to Samuel Singleton Jr. that tied the game at 24-24 with 8:17 left.
Coaching, buyout, and “fire them now” (15:00–28:00)
Burleson: this was a winnable game. SMU was sloppy and handed FSU four gifts. FSU still found a way to lose.
Biggest roster weaknesses: QB and OL, then secondary.

Norvell’s seat is “steaming hot.” Cited ~$51 million buyout figure (reports put it in the mid-$40Ms depending on exact date). Bye week before Alabama is the window.

Wants Norvell and Tony White fired. Promote Ernie Sims to DC and run with an interim HC into Alabama.

“I don’t think Mike Norvell has the locker room… he’s not a coach that can win anymore.” Same late-game issues as last year that they promised to fix.

Jimbo Fisher was at the game. Burleson chanted “We love Jimbo” and would take him back as a recruiter/coach option.

Other name floated in chat: Indiana OC Mike Shanahan.
Chat: “How do they buy out Norvell? Turn off the power?” Burleson laughed it off.
QB alternatives discussed: Kevin Sperry (knows the offense) or JUCO National Player of the Year Malachi Marshall. He’d rather see Marshall first.
Updated season outlook (28:30–32:00)
FSU 1-1 heading into the bye, then Alabama.
Rough remaining predictions:
Alabama: loss

Virginia: loss (they looked good)

Louisville: loss

Miami: “destroyed” (Malachi Toney coming off a record night)

Clemson: loss

Boston College: possible loss

Pitt: loss

NC State: maybe the only other FBS win

Florida: loss (“Florida’s back”)
“We’re not winning another FBS game” besides possibly NC State. Toughest ACC slate. Championship odds moved to 125,000-1; conference +10,000.
Other notes & close (32:00–end)
Chris Jones injured (status unclear; he returned).

2028 5-star edge Cameron McGee (No. 1 in the class) was in the house. Burleson questions why he’d pick FSU right now.

Special teams: Hughes’ kick style “doesn’t work in college.”

Fan frustration: “This place is full of greatness… and we’re just not watching greatness right now.” Still loyal for life.

Atmosphere still elite when the crowd is there (tomahawk chop). Delay + result drained it.
Closing line: Inevitable that Norvell is fired — only question is when. Hang-in-there effort vs. a top-20 team, but execution after turnovers and third-down offense were unacceptable.
Sponsors: FanDuel, ReadyVets.
Key clip timestamps for shorts: delay/atmosphere (~1:00–4:00), Daniels/Deuce usage (~6:00–8:30), Kromah praise (~13:30), “fire Norvell + White” (~16:30–17:30 and ~26:30), third-down stat reveal (~17:50), schedule dump (~28:30).

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38 min
September 04FSU vs. SMU: Score Predictions + Florida Takes Shots at FSU | Florida State PrimeTime LIVE 25
Florida State Primetime LIVE — FSU vs. SMU Preview
Hosts: Jackson Burlison & Jacob Smith | Presented by FanDuel | FSUVOCFB
Tone: Pessimistic on the offense, still hoping for a competitive Monday night at Doak.
0:00–1:22 — Open
Jackson and Jacob welcome viewers. Immediate vibe: “We’re going to get cooked this weekend.” Jacob says FSU “cannot offense to save their lives.” They flag the SMU preview as the main topic and note they haven’t covered recruiting much lately.
1:22–5:00 — Recruiting: Marquis Fennell (Valdosta, GA RB)
FSU is still chasing 2027 three-star RB Marquis Fennell (transcript: Marquise Finnell), a Stanford commit out of Valdosta, Georgia.
Already have 4-star Jayden Miles committed in the 2027 RB class.

Jackson watched tape: shifty, finds gaps, similar style to Ousmane Kromah; can catch out of the backfield.

Argument for flipping him: stacking RBs in an RPO-heavy offense; FSU history (Dalvin Cook, Devonta Freeman). A Stanford flip would be a win even as a 3-star.

Jacob: appeal of FSU for RBs depends on who emerges from the Kromah / Sam Singleton committee. SMU game will tell more than Alabama (expected blowout) or Central Arkansas.
Lame-duck Norvell talk: anyone still willing to come is “cool in my book.”
5:00–7:30 — FSU–New Mexico State ratings
Week 0 vs. NMSU was the most-watched sports broadcast in CW history:
1.96 million average viewers

2.4 million peak

Record for any CW sports telecast.
Jackson: even a Week 0 “preseason-ish” game drawing that means the FSU brand still pulls. Surprised it beat the Jordan Travis injury game in the CW era; summer drought + Week 0 timing probably helped.
7:30–9:00 — Rhett Lashlee’s underdog comment
SMU coach Rhett Lashlee said he has “no idea how SMU isn’t a 7- to 10-point underdog” even though they’re favored (~2.5–3.5).
Hosts push back: SMU has 14 ACC wins in two years, made the CFP and ACC title game in Year 1 in the league. Kevin Jennings at QB. Lashlee being humble / wanting less pressure in Dallas.
9:00–11:40 — Florida coach Jon Sumrall comments on FSU
New Florida HC Jon Sumrall (transcript: John Summerall) called out FSU’s Week 0 mistakes (12 men, illegal substitution, special teams).
Jackson’s take: Florida hasn’t played a game yet. Stay in your lane. Week 0 rust is real; Norvell said it will get cleaned up week-to-week. Florida was 4-8 last year and has a brand-new coach in the rivalry. “Just wait until we play them.”
11:40–15:00 — Live scores + FanDuel
Quick look at Thursday/Friday games:
UCF rolling Bethune-Cookman (31-0 at the time). Jackson (Orlando guy) calls UCF a Big 12 sleeper.

UMass up big on Rutgers (shock of the night; UMass was 1-11 last year). Rutgers money line people hurting. Live ML: UMass -350.

Wake Forest 28-0 Akron, Delaware up on Merrimack, Missouri just starting vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, delays at Buffalo/Kennesaw.
Sponsor read: FanDuel parlays, ML, O/U, player props. Gamble responsibly.
FSU–SMU line at the time: FSU +125 ML, SMU -2.5. Natty odds back to 60,000-1.
15:00–24:00 — SMU preview & score prediction
Jacob’s pick: SMU 28–20. Thinks it’s closer than the public. Home crowd at Doak can matter. FSU won’t look worse than Week 0.
Keys:
Kevin Jennings: arguably best QB in the ACC. 2nd in SMU passing yards all-time, 4th in TDs. Experience in big games (365 vs. Miami last year, sidearm throws vs. elite rush). Healed ankle — more mobile than 2025 tape. Don’t game-plan last year’s version.

FSU secondary has to clean up miscommunications and underneath coverage. Too many blown assignments vs. NMSU; SMU lives on third down through the air.

Pass rush must make Jennings a hero-ball runner or he will dice them. SMU was a top passing offense last year.

Deuce Robinson needs a big night: 7–9 catches, 100+ yards, a TD if FSU wants to stay in it.

Ashton Daniels: flashes and zip, passes the eye test, but must play turnover-free and get the ball out faster if the OL isn’t right. Team looked tight/afraid to mess up in Week 0.

SMU run game actually exists this year (Cal transfer RB, 1,100+ all-purpose last year) + experienced OL with preseason All-ACC pieces.

Lashlee: SMU is bigger and faster than recent years.
Joe Klatt point they liked: teams improve more after Game 1 than any other week. Expect sharper execution, less vanilla offense (they were holding cards vs. NMSU).
This game tells you more about Alabama than Alabama itself will.
Dark possibility Jacob floats: FSU completely collapses toward 2-10. SMU has a real CFP path if Jennings stays healthy — problem is ACC respect.
24:00–29:00 — ACC vs. Big 12 ranking debate
Jacob ranks Power 4: Big Ten / SEC, then Big 12 slightly ahead of ACC (4th).
Jackson pushes back: ACC has better top-heavy recent pedigree (Miami to the title game, Clemson championships, FSU 13-0, SMU’s rise). Big 12 last year was basically Texas Tech + BYU.
They land in the middle: similar tier, well below Big Ten/SEC. Bear Bachmeier (BYU) and Texas Tech QB situation (Will Hammond / Tommy Castellanos) mentioned.
29:00–35:30 — AP Poll sleepers + JUCO QBs
Poll: Ohio State, Oregon, Georgia 1-2-3.
Sleepers they like:
Houston (Big 12 — good QB/coach, knocked on the door last year).

Boise State to rule the new Pac-12 / “Pac-8.”

Ole Miss higher than people think. Trinidad Chambliss one of the best QBs in the country; motivated after Lane Kiffin left mid-playoff run. Prefer Chambliss over LSU’s Sam Leavitt as a dual-threat. Can’t wait for Ole Miss–LSU in Oxford and Ole Miss–Clemson this weekend.
Malachi Marshall parallel: JUCO National Player of the Year last year, same pipeline as Chambliss. Gus and staff have raved. Hope he develops into that kind of story. Ashton Daniels could get benched by Week 5–6 for turnovers + ineffectiveness (EJ Gabriel comparison). “There might be more changes than just quarterback.”
Reminder: last time FSU played SMU, DJ Uiagalelei was the QB. Rewatch was ugly; DJ making some throws now with the Chargers in preseason. Frustrating.
35:30–39:50 — Coach Prime / Jimbo chatter + close
Chat: fans want Deion Sanders if Colorado goes south again (3-9 last year). Former Seminole, “arguably the GOAT Seminole,” can still recruit (Julian Lewis 5-star QB). Package-deal possibility if Prime ever left Boulder. Jackson: don’t get hopes up.
Jimbo Fisher? They’d take him over the current situation but would rather have Deion. Jimbo’s A&M tenure didn’t age well; A&M made the playoff after he left.
Both hosts planning to be at Doak on Labor Day (Monday, Sept. 7, ESPN).
Sign-off: Florida State Primetime Live presented by FanDuel.
Clip-friendly timestamps
0:47 — “We’re going to get cooked”

1:53 — Marquis Fennell tape / flip talk

5:17 — CW ratings record (1.96M / 2.4M peak)

7:33 — Lashlee “7-to-10-point underdog” quote

9:02 — Sumrall calling out FSU Week 0 mistakes

15:53 — 28–20 SMU prediction

16:31 — Kevin Jennings elite / don’t sleep

19:00 — Deuce Robinson 100-yard threshold

23:50 — “Completely collapses… akin to 2-and-10”

33:14 — Ole Miss / Trinidad Chambliss sleeper

34:35 — Malachi Marshall as the next Chambliss

36:57 — Coach Prime to FSU hypothetical
Bottom line from the show: SMU is the better, more complete team right now. FSU’s path to making it interesting is pass rush + Deuce + a cleaner, less vanilla offense. Monday night will show whether Week 0 was rust or the real product.

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40 min
September 03Reactions To Win Over NMSU + Previewing Week One Against SMU / Florida State Seminoles LIVE 338
Florida State Seminoles LIVE 338
Hosts: Gus Wilson & Cole Kruger
FSUVOCFB | Reactions to 34-17 win over New Mexico State + SMU preview (Labor Day, Week 1)
Intro (00:00–02:40)
College football is back. Last show was ~2 weeks ago previewing NMSU; neither host was on the postgame live.

Cole was in the building Saturday: “electric environment.” He’ll be there Monday for SMU. Bug going around Tallahassee.

Gus not in attendance; plans to make a game later. Points listeners to Jackson/Jacob postgame and Florida State Primetime.
NMSU Recap – Overall Feel (02:40–05:00)
Final: FSU 34, NMSU 17.

Gus: Most fans disappointed. Never a three-possession game until 27-10 early in the 4th. Sloppy both sides. Two-possession lead early (10-0), then 10-7 until late first half (17-7 at half).

Cole (in stadium): Never felt dominant. Game could have been closer (dropped trick play, etc.). “Don’t buy too much stock” — FSU was never going to lose to NMSU and was clearly experimenting.
What Impressed – Run Game (03:39–05:00, 05:07–08:19)
217 rushing yards, 5.6 YPC.

Usman Kromah: 14-115.

Sam Singleton: 96 total yards, 2 TDs. Led team in receptions and receiving yards as a running back; named ACC Receiver of the Week. Nickname “Sweet Feet.” Big, shifty, fast. Emerged after Weisner’s undisclosed injury.

Travion Weisner: 4-34 (nearly 9 YPC) in limited work.

Both hosts: Running game better than many expected. Singleton a pleasant surprise.
What Disappointed – OL, Tight Ends, Play-Calling (04:19–08:19, 12:23–14:50)
Offensive line “disaster” / “flat” out of the gate, especially early. Chimdia Nwawu 61.8 PFF pass-blocking grade (lowest among OL).

Tight ends the worst part of the performance (Cole strongly disagrees with Norvell saying he was “encouraged” by TE blocking).
DeZero Riles: Couldn’t block, zero targets, ran past defenders on outside runs/jet sweeps. Cole compared him to a “Zero Riles” version of Randy Pittman all offseason and now apologizes.

Landon Thomas: 56.6 PFF pass-blocking (lowest on team). Both hosts were high on him preseason.

12-personnel issues if TEs can’t block. Suggestion from chat/Renegade Report: consider extra tackle in 12 personnel if identity is run-first.

Play-calling: Too cute. Lots of jet sweeps, motions, outside-the-tackle-box runs and RPOs that looked like old Jordan Travis stuff. Personnel (TEs, tackles, most WRs except Deuce) couldn’t get outside to block. Kromah/Singleton lack true breakaway speed for those concepts. Danzy is the one who can make them work.

Cole: Looked like they were “trying things out.” Don’t overreact after one game vs. NMSU.
Defense & 3-3-5 Scheme (05:00–11:00, 15:13–20:30)
Both hosts down on the 3-3-5 / Tony White defense after Year 2.

DL generated almost no pressure. All three sacks came from linebackers (Jalen Anderson improved late, Makai Bayer graded well as a non-starter + sack, Ryland Kennedy good, Chris Jones impressive).

Secondary looked lost/slow (Jabril Rawls specifically called out on a deep ball/TD). Safeties and corners beaten over the middle and in front.

NMSU QB Trey Hendon (dead last in most FBS passing stats last year) on 3rd down: 10-of-13, 158 yards, 2 TDs. Other downs: 16-of-29, 114 yards, 1 INT. Couldn’t get off the field.

Tony White history: Pressure/sacks/TFLs almost always come from LBs and safeties, not the DL. FSU DL (Daryl Douse mentioned as looking terrible) not good enough to rush three and drop everyone.

White confirmed this was the “normal” defense, not a vanilla NMSU game plan.

One forced turnover on the first drive (poor throw, not a great jump ball).
Ashton Daniels (21:00–26:00)
Gus (also covers Auburn): Step up from his terrible Kentucky game last year, but not impressive vs. NMSU. Flashes exist (Vandy/Alabama last year, Stanford tape mixed). 22 TD / 21 INT career heading into season.

Cole: 59.5 QBR. Bad second-quarter INT on an out route (same concept almost picked earlier). Forced some balls to Deuce (3-of-6). Mobility better than expected; nice TD run and TD throw to Singleton before half. Good corner-route throw to Deuce and first-drive ball to Danzy (slightly underthrown).

Leash unchanged. SMU will be a much bigger tell.

Jack Myrick (Auburn Primetime) comment in chat that Daniels will take them to the “promised land” — hosts treat it as sarcasm / Camping World or Gasparilla Bowl territory.
FanDuel Segment / Odds (26:50–33:00)
FSU +3.5 (moved from +2.5), total 53.5, FSU +130 ML.

Both think the number should be bigger toward SMU (4.5–5.5) given NMSU tape, but they also think SMU may be a bit overrated.

Team totals: FSU 24.5, SMU 27.5.

Props discussed: Kromah anytime TD (-130) hard to fade; Daniels anytime TD value; Landon Thomas +310; Randy Pittman (now at SMU) revenge-game sprinkle; SMU defense to score +500 if catastrophe.

Kromah rushing line 69.5.

Responsible gambling reminder throughout.
SMU Preview – What They’re Looking For (34:35–46:00)
Last meeting: 2024 in Dallas, SMU 42-14.

This is the game of the season so far. “The whole season teeters on this.” If FSU gets embarrassed, Norvell clock starts (4–5 weeks). Must look good / competitive even if they lose.

Cole wants:
Win toss, receive, start fast.

Run, run, run (Kromah, Singleton, one Danzy jet) to set up play-action.

Get Deuce Robinson involved early (scheme a shot over the top after two or three runs). He’s an All-American / future first-rounder.

Another receiver or TE step up (Landon Thomas 4–5 catches, 60 yards, TD would be ideal). Less RB screens.

O-line and depth-chart changes expected (no public depth chart all season — Norvell policy).

Gus wants:
Scheme specifically for Deuce and Danzy’s big-play ability.

Better OL vs. a real DL.

More from Daniels.

Confirmation they didn’t empty the playbook vs. NMSU.

Extra notes: Jennings finger injury still a question (originally said he’d be fine). Home primetime standalone on Labor Day — Doak should be loud. Jennings’ last big road spot was Penn State. Fan base already restless (boos heard on CW broadcast, which was the most-watched CFB game in CW history — “hate watch”).

No public depth charts all year. Media access extremely limited. Makes covering the team difficult.
Score Predictions & Closing (46:50–end)
Cole: FSU 31–28. High-scoring, FSU covers and wins outright as home underdog. Giving the staff the benefit of the doubt that they sandbagged Week 0.

Gus: SMU wins (leans 34-24 type score). Wants one of them to be right for next week’s show. Won’t be “season over / fire everyone” unless FSU plays the exact same sloppy, non-competitive way and gets dominated (classic Norvell “lay down after first quarter”). A competitive 34-24 or 34-27 loss he can live with.

Both staying off the game personally (too much heart in it).

Next show: Wednesday after SMU. Cole in the building Monday. Postgame live possible with Jackson/Jacob.
Key recurring themes
Run game is the strength; everything else (OL, TEs, 3-3-5, Daniels consistency, play-calling) has real question marks heading into a ranked SMU team at home.

Don’t overreact to NMSU tape, but the same issues against Jennings and SMU’s talent would be alarming.

Season narrative and Norvell’s standing hang on how they look Monday night.

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53 min
September 01FSU’s Biggest Issues Before SMU & Is Norvell on Thin Ice? | Florida State PrimeTime LIVE 24
Florida State Primetime Live presented by FanDuel
Host: Jackson Burleson
Topic: FSU’s biggest issues before SMU + is Mike Norvell on thin ice?
Length: ~38:30
Intro & Housekeeping (0:00–0:53)
Welcome, apology for starting late.

Subscribe, hit the bell, comment on Saturday’s game and the Labor Day SMU matchup.

Host will be at FSU-SMU in person Sept. 7: tailgating, fan interviews, extra content. Asks who else is going.
New Mexico State Recap — Positives (0:53–11:33)
FSU won 34-17. Not the statement win fans wanted, but some clear bright spots after rewatching film.
Running game / backfield (biggest positive)
Usman Kromah (Cromo): 14 carries, 115 yards, 1 TD. 52-yard run showed shiftiness and “run through contact” fundamentals even when OL blocking was inconsistent. Host calls him the starter.

Depth: Sam Singleton + Contrerion Wisner make this the best RB room in the ACC. Rotation and injury insurance are real.

Singleton: 164 all-purpose yards. Patient as a returner, speed on screens, receiving TD on a rollout from Ashton Daniels. Coaches have raved about his hands.

Norvell stayed committed to the run instead of abandoning it early. FSU should be able to run on anyone if the OL develops chemistry.
Quarterback flashes
Two explosive passing plays stood out:
First drive: Daniels to Makai Danzy over the middle, big chunk into the red zone.

Opening play: Daniels to Deuce Robinson for a first down.

Fourth-down conversion to Robinson in the second half (after a questionable 3rd-and-10 run call).

Final TD drive: Daniels navigates pocket, pump fake, cross-body laser. Arm talent and ability to make throws are there. Interception didn’t rattle him.
Defense highlights
Quandarius Jones INT killed a 6.5-minute New Mexico State drive that was converting third downs. Prevented an early momentum swing in a restless Doak crowd.

Run defense: NMSU held to 47 net rushing yards, 2.0 YPC. Screens snuffed out (Tony White: “read it like a book”).

Pass rush improved late as NMSU OL wore down. Chris Jones (LB from Southern Miss) stands out with violent one-on-one hits. Physical, fast defense with flashes.

Talent beat New Mexico State even if execution was sloppy. A win is a win after recent losing seasons. 1-0 is better than 0-1.
Chat note: ~$4.5 million in pledges already left for next year.
New Mexico State Recap — Negatives (12:28–19:40)
Host does not dwell on Norvell’s job security (“is he on thin ice? Absolutely. That’s obvious”) but lists the on-field problems.
Defensive miscommunication and blown coverages. Tony White: some guys knew what they were doing, some didn’t. Corners often too deep pre-snap.

Third-down defense: NMSU 10-of-17. Soft coverage routinely picked apart.

Jabril Rawls beaten on a touchdown route.

Only 5% run-stuff rate. One non-sack TFL. Daniel Lyons limited to ~8 snaps for unspecified reason, zero stats.

8 penalties. Costly red-zone flags and early sacks forced Daniels to scramble.

Four of five OL starters are new transfers. Continuity is missing. Play-calling looked vanilla (possible they were hiding things from SMU).

Not the dominance expected vs. a CUSA team, even if this NMSU squad is improved. Secondary did not impress.
Coaches acknowledged it: Norvell cited blown coverages that cost touchdowns; White pointed to processing under the lights with 80k+ in the stands.
SMU Preview (19:40–end)
Labor Day, Sept. 7. Host attending live.
Odds (FanDuel at time of show)
SMU -3.5 | O/U 53.5 | SMU ML -162 | FSU +124
Host expects the number could drift to -5.5 or -6 after FSU’s uneven opener. Personally leaning SMU moneyline; slightly leaning over.
Why SMU is dangerous
14 ACC wins the last two seasons (most in the league), only two conference losses.

Beat Miami last year (one of three teams to do so). CFP appearance and ACC Championship Game in first ACC season.

Rhett Lashlee: 38-16 heading into Year 5, contract through 2032. Both coordinators left (one to Cowboys); in-house promotions.

QB Kevin Jennings (third-year starter): dual-threat, sidearm/off-platform, deep ball, accuracy, touch. 19 career wins (tied 3rd among Power 4 QBs), 73% winning percentage (tied 1st among returning P4 QBs). 7,709 career passing yards (2nd in SMU history), 55 TDs (4th). Ankle injury limited mobility last year — expect more dynamism now. Host’s take: best QB in the ACC and several levels above NMSU’s quarterback.

Offense last year: 12th nationally, 2nd in ACC yards/game, 12th in passing. New RB Kendrick Raphael (Cal transfer, 1,100+ yards last season) gives them a better run game than recent years.

Defense last year allowed 303.5 passing yards per game — FSU’s best path is to throw and get SMU on its heels, then run.

SMU schedule: no Clemson, no Miami. Notre Dame, Louisville, and maybe Virginia are the toughest remaining games. Host views SMU as a legitimate ACC title contender.
What FSU must do
Get pressure on Jennings. SMU OL is experienced with preseason All-ACC pieces.

Tighten coverage and communication. If the secondary looks anything like it did vs. NMSU (272 passing yards allowed), it will be a long night. Jennings threw for 360 vs. a Miami defense that had two first-rounders up front.

Third-down defense must improve.

Offense needs to show more than the vanilla package from Week 0. Host hopes they were holding cards; if this is the offense, concerns grow.

Game likely trends toward a shootout. Question is whether FSU’s offense can keep up.
Big-picture take This is not a must-win, but a competitive showing (even a one-possession loss) would create optimism heading into Alabama. A sloppy repeat of the NMSU performance gets FSU blown out. Talent won’t be enough — SMU is as talented or more talented. FSU has to raise its intensity to SMU’s level instead of dropping to the opponent’s level like it did Saturday.
Host’s bottom line: more questions than answers after Week 0. Monday will show whether the staff and players can clean it up.
Upcoming
Florida State Seminoles Live: Wednesday

Next Primetime Live: Thursday, 8 p.m. ET

SMU postgame: Monday night

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39 min
August 30FLORIDA STATE - New Mexico State Postgame LIVE
Florida State Primetime Live presented by FanDuel
FSU 34, New Mexico State 17 — postgame with Jackson Burleson and Jacob Smith (in-stadium)
FSUVOCFB | ~42 minutes
00:00–01:12 | Open and scene-set
Technical hiccup on the countdown. Jackson welcomes viewers after FSU’s first win of 2026. Jacob joins late after driving home from Doak Campbell. Atmosphere pregame was strong; energy faded as the game stayed close.
01:12–03:00 | Pregame honors and crowd
Sebastian Janikowski jersey retirement drew real love (“kickers deserve that”). Ethan Pritchard walking after last year’s gunshot wound to the head also recognized. Crowd energy good early, then flat in the second half. Fans booed a failed third-down conversion even though FSU converted on fourth. NMSU “put up a better fight than the scoreline indicates.”
03:00–08:30 | Defense and overall feel
NMSU QB threw for 272 yards and made throws with pressure in his face. FSU secondary (talked-up offseason physicality/speed) did not look the part. Jabril Rawls “absolutely cooked/fried.” Hosts expect a blowout next week vs SMU. Play-calling critique starts: too many jet sweeps and fake jets, especially inside the 10 with Ashton Daniels rolling right and two-thirds of the field cut off. Hosts read it as Norvell not fully trusting Daniels.
08:30–13:00 | Offense, penalties, Norvell quotes
Best passing play was an early Mekhi Danzy deep shot that died on a false start + tripping. Xavier Chaplin (Auburn transfer, supposed best OL) had “one of the slowest false starts I’ve ever seen.” Daniels missed a 100% TD throw to Deuce Robinson (inside instead of outside shoulder; PI still moved the chains). OL couldn’t hold blocks; RBs missed some blitz pickups. Daniels’ rushing TD “is a sack next week.” Dropped NMSU flea-flicker would have made it 17-14. Fans leaving with ~7 minutes left.
Norvell postgame (via Tomahawk Nation): “wonderful way to start the 2026 season… some good and bad… flashes of what you want to see.” Hosts call it sugarcoating. “You could say it wasn’t a good game, Coach.” Uneasy the entire night despite a 10-point halftime lead.
13:00–17:00 | Win-total and one positive
FanDuel win total 5.5. Both hosts hammer the under; 4-8 now feels more realistic than 7-8. One clear positive: the run game. Usman Kroma patient, strong, made 5–7 yard gains behind poor blocking, plus a 52-yarder (8.2 YPC). Sam Singleton also popped as a receiver/returner. Three-back committee expected all year; sometimes two or three RBs on the field together. Daniels mixed good and bad throws, consistent with prior film study. His postgame line (“not the national championship”) landed as an excuse.
17:00–22:30 | Schedule line-by-line
Quick recast after one ugly win:
SMU — loss (shock if FSU wins; Jacob still going)

Alabama — loss

Central Arkansas — win

Virginia — loss (looked sharp vs NC State)

Louisville — loss

Clemson — loss

BC — win

Pitt (road) — loss

NC State — win

Florida — loss
Net: four wins. “You’re expected to beat up on this team. You didn’t cover a 32.5-point spread.”
22:30–29:00 | Brand, third downs, secondary
FSU “no longer a big meaningful brand.” NMSU held the ball most of the first quarter; two missed TDs (INT + dropped flea-flicker) left 14 points on the board. NMSU 10-of-17 on third down (5-of-6 early, three conversions on the opening drive). Too much cushion coverage; easy 6–8 yard gains. Rawls’ first-round talk now needs proof. Tony White’s “cleanest scrimmage” comments don’t match what showed up.
29:00–35:30 | Daniels, OL, SMU/Alabama preview
Daniels holds the ball too long; hosts dislike designed QB draws given his DJU-like frame (bigger/taller than Castellanos). Potential is there (cross-body throws, pocket navigation when protected). OL question marks: NMSU DL got pressure and sacks. SMU at home might stay competitive; Alabama (Keilan Robinson? Ryan Williams) will not. Deuce Robinson barely targeted; crowd rarely chanted his name. Chemistry and protection both issues.
35:30–42:00 | Talent vs coaching, close
Talent is there; play-calling and the line were the problems. Secondary and pass rush also failed. Norvell seat “on fire / thin ice” after Year 7; $51M buyout complicates any mid-season move. No obvious replacement (Tim Harris, Tony White, Tom Herman all mentioned, none a slam-dunk). Bobby Bowden quote invoked: first you lose big, then lose close, then win close, then win big. FSU is stuck in “win close” against a C-USA team that had the same recent record. High-end skill players (Kroma especially) bailed them out.
Close: win is a win, 1-0 instead of 0-1. Monday show to preview SMU; Wednesday Seminoles Live with Gus & Cole; Thursday Primetime; postgame after the Monday night SMU game.
Key quotes
Jackson on Norvell: “What is up with all the fake jet sweeps? … I thought the play calling was horrendous.”

On the defense: “We’re going to get blown out next week.”

On the win: “It was honestly disgraceful that it was this close.”

Jacob on leaving early: “There’s no real hope for this team… you want to beat the traffic.”

Both on the over/under: “I’m taking under a hundred percent. There’s no possible way this team gets to six wins.”

On Kroma: “He would just make it happen… 8.2 yards per carry. That’s elite.”

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43 min
August 29Pressure on Norvell, Inside FSU’s Week 0 Mindset & more / Florida State PrimeTime LIVE 23
Florida State PrimeTime LIVE 23
Host: Jackson Burleson | Guest: Colby Crawford (247Sports FSU)
Theme: Pressure on Mike Norvell, Week 0 mindset vs. New Mexico State, camp takeaways, injuries, and roster questions.
Quick Snapshot
ACC follows Big Ten/SEC in blocking former professionals; legal back-and-forth (TROs, institutional penalties) still unfolding two days from Week 0.

Devin Carter (true freshman WR) out for opener and likely SMU; Quintravion Weisner (Texas transfer RB) expected to play but in a measured committee with Usman Croma and Sam Singleton.

Ashton Daniels earned “Break the Rock”; camp praise for leadership and confidence, but protection and ball security remain the swing factors.

No official depth chart. Watch OL/DL rotations, LB snaps behind Chris Jones/Caleb Lavallee, and safety usage.

Colby prediction vs. NMSU: 37-13 (does not cover 32.5). Jackson leaning 40-7.

Norvell hot-seat bar: clear on-field and recruiting progress. Colby’s full-season lean is 4-8; Jackson more in the 7-8 win range. Schedule is the ACC’s toughest.
Timestamped Notes
0:00–1:30 — Open
Florida State PrimeTime Live presented by FanDuel. Jackson welcomes 247 FSU reporter Colby Crawford to talk “Knowles football.” Subscribe, notifications, drop questions in chat.
1:30–5:20 — ACC / former-pro ruling and courtroom noise
ACC joins Big Ten and SEC in blocking former professionals from returning. Colby: once SEC (Greg Sankey language around “full and total authoritative control”) and Big Ten drew a hard line, ACC following felt inevitable—like school districts canceling after a neighboring county does.
Still expect portal additions of players who never signed NFL contracts. Issue also exists in basketball.
Dan Murphy (ESPN) tweet + Dallas TRO allowing roughly two dozen outgoing seniors back. Colby: expect countersuits against conferences, not just schools/NCAA. SEC posture is “play the player if you want, but we’ll fine the institution or restrict the coach.” Not over in court. Both want to get back to football with Week 0 two days away.
5:20–8:15 — Devin Carter injury
True freshman WR who had a good spring and was competing for fifth/sixth WR snaps + special teams. Banged up early in fall camp. Mike Norvell already said he’s out for the opener.
Colby: not a Deuce Robinson / Makai Dancy / Usman Croma-level loss. Could be a couple of weeks or stretch toward midseason. Unlikely for SMU; the NMSU / Central Arkansas games were the natural spots to ease him in. Depth is flattened, so every body matters, but the top of the WR room came through camp healthy. Carson Hobbs (Notre Dame transfer) is out for the year (ACL).
8:15–11:00 — Quintravion Weisner and the RB room
Texas transfer was the “shiny new toy,” missed some camp time (injury not disclosed). Expected to play vs. NMSU.
Croma and Singleton took a lot of the reps and earned glowing reviews (Singleton big TDs in second scrimmage; Croma “taken charge”). Weisner is by far the most experienced (Colby: nearly double Croma + Singleton’s career snaps from last year alone) and a true three-down back who can catch.
Expect a committee: Croma as the “truer one,” spelled by Singleton and Weisner. Staff will be measured—want everyone healthy for the Sept. 7 game. RB room is one of the most comfortable units on the roster.
11:00–13:40 — Ashton Daniels
Earned Break the Rock at the end of camp; viewed as a prominent leader.
Colby: he is the biggest question mark / “little engine that could.” Large career sample. Problems historically come when pressure leads to poor decisions and turnovers. Best flashes: 100+ rushing yards vs. Alabama, career game vs. Vanderbilt. Question is a full 12-game season against a tough ACC slate plus Alabama and Florida.
Need: protection + game-manager version that hits Deuce Robinson, gets the ball to playmakers, and works off the run game. Ball security is the priority.
Around the building: same guy every day, no negative remarks, leads the right way. A few throws (especially far-side) he’d want back. Confidence is the highest it’s been; now it has to hold when stakes rise.
13:40–16:45 — Camp grade + transfer-QB model
Overall positive camp. Biggest win is health (Hobbs the notable exception). Lots of new transfers, especially OL, needed the reps to gel. Productive work.
Third straight Week 1 starting transfer QB (DJ Uiagalelei, Tommy Castellanos, now Daniels). If the Daniels experiment fails, Colby says FSU will have bigger program questions than just the QB room.
Sustainability of yearly portal QBs depends on the program, recruiting arm, and money. Indiana and Miami have made it work with high-end transfers. FSU has felt one-foot-in, one-foot-out on strategy. Evaluation matters more than the source (five-star freshman vs. transfer)—both are expensive.
16:45–19:10 — No depth chart
Part of the broader trend: no spring game, more things kept behind the veil because of the portal and “loose lips sink ships.” Frustrating for fans, but if you’ve followed camp you have a decent picture. Half or more of the roster is new, so a published chart would help stadium-goers identify numbers. Changing world of CFB.
19:10–23:10 — Battles and standouts to watch Week 0
OL and DL rotations / snap counts / how deep they go.

Safeties: KJ Kirkland vs. CJ Richard.

LB: Chris Jones and Caleb Lavallee as the running mates; who is next (Makai Bayer, Blake Nicholson)?
Chris Jones: after last year’s LB play “can’t get any worse.” Competent athlete who wants to get downhill, strike, and hunt the football. Teammate/self-quote vibe: “I tweak harder than anyone.” Reckless, physical, linebacker mentality. Not projected as all-conference yet, but the traits are there.
Ernie Sims (former FSU / top-10 NFL pick) is a spark plug for the room—“apex predator” standard. Instills violence, desire, and passion. Especially pleased with Jones and Lavallee.
Desir brothers: Mandrell had a strong true-freshman year (6.5 sacks, freshman All-American). Darrell was a fall-camp riser. Both can move around the line; Mandrell more versatile (“I can play one through five”). Hard to keep off the field; path to all-conference type seasons.
Jabril Rawls: staff wants a true No. 1 lockdown corner who can travel with the opponent’s top WR and erase him. Athleticism, fluidity, leadership. Built on last year’s flashes (pick at UVA) under Blue Adams.
23:10–29:00 — New Mexico State preview, spread, and what FSU must show
Spread sitting around 32.5 (moving). Colby submitted 37-13 to 247—does not expect a cover. Expect vanilla looks ahead of SMU, heavy rotation of DL and RBs in the second half, “wind the game down.” Still want a statement at home and snaps for depth.
Jackson leaning they cover / something like 40-7; defense should show up, offense has familiar skill pieces.
What the game needs to look like: clean operation all three phases (penalties, turnovers, special-teams execution, substitution/alignment issues). Passionate, flying-to-the-football effort. Control the game after the first quarter. Effort and desire will matter as much as the final margin for a fan base that has checked out or is bracing for another down year.
Context check: both FSU and NMSU are 7-17 over the last two seasons. FSU has no road wins in that span. Jackson: “Is this the level we’ve dropped to?” Colby acknowledges the frustration from the Bowden-era standard.
29:00–36:00 — Norvell hot seat, schedule, and win totals
Hottest seat among Power 4 coaches after the 13-0 anomaly and the slide since.
Colby gut: 8-4 to feel safe, but he doesn’t see eight wins with this roster and this schedule. Seven-and-five might be the real conversation. Wins look different depending on start (6-0 vs. 5-0 then five-game skid). Need obvious progression on the field, off the field, and in recruiting.
Colby’s penciled record: 4-8.
Losses: SMU, Alabama, Louisville, Miami, Clemson, Pitt, NC State, Florida.
Wins: Boston College, Virginia, Central Arkansas, New Mexico State.
Jackson more in the 7–8 range and calls that generous. Schedule is the toughest in the ACC. A 1-2 start (especially if Virginia is a loss) makes the Louisville/Miami/Clemson stretch deafening.
AD Michael Alford: boosters did their job; now it’s Mike’s turn. Read as a clear “live up to expectations or we move on.” Last year many thought the trigger would come after Stanford; this year the message is more explicit.
36:00–38:30 — Recruiting reset and the new facility
Recruiting “gone by the wayside” in effort and approach; revolving door in the front office. Last year’s class was huge; this year’s is smaller and more cognizant, partly because the money wasn’t there for top targets.
Ingredients: dominate the most talent-rich state in the country, keep Florida kids home, relentless trail work, re-establish the brand/shield. NIL/rev-share makes it more expensive, but competitive money + effort still wins a lot of battles.
New facility: helps in the “have vs. have-not” comparison on visits. Nice recruiting tool, but still just a building if results and people inside it don’t match.
38:30–41:20 — Offensive line and Norvell calling plays
OL was essentially rebuilt (almost everyone new except one holdover). Need physicality, striking, playing together, clean operation, and comfort rotating guys. Xavier Chaplin (6-7, 330, Virginia Tech/Auburn) is the bookend left tackle—if he goes down they’re in trouble. Physical tools plus Herb Hand coaching; now it has to show on the field.
Norvell taking play-calling after Gus Malzahn’s late retirement. Colby doesn’t think it changes the job-security math much. “If it’s not now, it’s never.” The buck stops with him. Combination with Tim Harris will be worth watching out of the NMSU game. Hasn’t called plays in a while.
41:20–end — Close
Colby will be at the game. Stadium renovations finished.
Positive note for fans: football is back after a long, negative offseason. No one can take away Saturdays. What happens on the field will decide the rest.
Go Noles.
Strong pull-quotes
Colby on ACC following SEC/Big Ten: snow-day counties following the “prestigious” one that canceled first.

On Daniels: “the little engine that could for the offense.”

On the RB room: “arguably the room on the team that you’re most comfortable about.”

On Jones: “I tweak harder than anyone.”

On Norvell’s number: “My gut says eight and four… I truly don’t see eight wins with the current roster makeup.”

On the standard: 7-17 the last two years “is not the standard.”

Close: “No one can take away your happiness on Saturdays because fall is back.”
Article / clip angles
“Clean football or more of the same?” — what FSU must show Saturday that actually moves the Norvell conversation.

RB committee watch: Croma as the 1, Weisner’s first snaps in garnet, Singleton’s change-of-pace.

Why no depth chart matters more this year (half the roster is new).

Desir brothers + Rawls + Jones as the defensive identity pieces coming out of camp.

4-8 vs. 7-8: the two records that will define whether this staff gets another year.

Recruiting prescription in one sentence: keep Florida, outwork everyone, make the brand mean something again.

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43 min

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