Florida State at The Voice of College Football

The hosts break down the slate game-by-game, express concerns about its difficulty (especially the road-heavy middle stretch, multiple Friday games, and tough opponents like Alabama, Miami, Clemson, and Louisville), note the three Friday games (a rarity for FSU), discuss realistic expectations after recent poor seasons (aiming for bowl eligibility around 6-6 or 7-5), speculate on ACC title contenders (leaning toward Miami as a favorite), and touch on recruiting, roster changes (e.g., QB Ashton Daniels as likely starter, strong WR room), and second-year players.Official 2026 FSU Football ScheduleHere is the confirmed schedule (home games in bold, ACC games marked with *):

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Portal chaos isn’t just a Florida State problem. It’s happening everywhere across college football. So, Seminole fans, don’t believe the narrative that this is isolated to Tallahassee. That said, the real question remains: is there hope for 2026?

We’ll break it all down right here on Voice of College Football – Florida State Live, coming to you on a Thursday night.

Before we get rolling, please like the video, subscribe to the channel, and hit the notification bell. With shows rotating between Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays — and with hosts George, James, and myself — you’ll want those alerts turned on so you never miss a live show.

We’re presented by FanDuel, and later in the show we’ll also touch on the national championship game.

George from the Renegade Report joins me tonight. George, appreciate you being here.

“Absolutely, man. Thanks for having me. And honestly, I’m glad we still have these shows because it gives me a place to vent.”

Like many Florida State fans, George hasn’t been doing as many shows recently — not because of lack of passion, but because of the current state of the program.

Florida State recently added Chris Jones, a linebacker from Southern Miss.

Let’s be clear — Jones was highly productive:

Led the Sun Belt in tackles

Seventh nationally in total tackles

133 stops, 9.5 TFLs, 3.5 sacks

Forced a fumble and recorded an interception

Yes, it came in the Sun Belt, but production is production. At minimum, he can wrap up ball carriers, and Mike Norvell has historically done well developing Group of Five defenders.

The question, though, isn’t effort or instincts — it’s context.

“What does a linebacker need to be successful?”
“A defensive line.”

And that’s where the concern begins.

FSU also brought in Mai (Malik) Gabor, formerly of North Carolina. A familiar name to die-hard fans — someone the staff previously recruited out of high school.

6’2”, 230 lbs

112 career tackles

5 TFLs, 2.5 sacks, forced fumble

A solid depth piece — but again, not a difference-maker without defensive line help.

Here’s the issue:
It’s not that Florida State is losing elite stars — it’s that they’re losing every reliable piece they had.

These weren’t All-Americans.
They weren’t Heisman contenders.
They were functional building blocks — and almost all of them are gone.

Some of the most damaging losses:

Juice Cryer (LB, Texas)

Omar Graham Jr.

Randy Pittman Jr. (TE, SMU)

Edwin Joseph (Safety, Michigan)

Amari Williams (Edge, Mississippi State)

Kai Bates, Elijah Moore, Camden Frier

James Williams, Jaden Jones, Jason Jenkins

Daryl and Mandrell Desir (potentially)

“These weren’t stars — but they were the only guys keeping the team afloat.”

This is where frustration turns into disbelief.

Florida State hit the lottery with the Desir twins — under-recruited players who became legitimate foundational pieces. In today’s college football, where depth is thin and snaps are massive, you cannot let those players walk.

“I don’t care if you had to allocate 40% of your NIL budget to two players — you keep them.”

You can’t:

Miss on high school recruiting

Miss on portal evaluations

Miss on retention

…and then let your best defensive linemen leave.

That’s not roster building. That’s surrender.

This is the uncomfortable truth many fans are wrestling with.

“Florida State is operating like a Group of Five program — and not a smart one.”

There appears to be:

A self-imposed NIL cap

A reluctance to compete for top portal talent

Minimal urgency to retain proven contributors

The theory?

“They’re waiting for 2030.”

Waiting for:

A new conference

Bigger media payouts

A reset window

If that’s the case, then 2026 looks like a placeholder season, not a push season.

Every playoff team — with very few exceptions — has a transfer quarterback.

FSU didn’t just miss on one.

And now?

They add Ashton Daniels, a capable backup-level quarterback — not a program lifter.

“If he’s your starter, you’re not competing for an ACC title.”

This isn’t a knock on the player — it’s a reflection of market reality.

You either:

Pay for a proven QB

Or accept mediocrity

There is no middle ground anymore.

That’s the question nobody can answer.

No elite portal class

No strong retention

Declining high school recruiting

Thin defensive line

Unclear quarterback direction

“What lies are we supposed to tell ourselves this offseason?”

Right now, the positives are:

Trey Wisner (RB, Texas)

Herb Hand rebuilding the offensive line

That’s it.

And for a program like Florida State — that’s not nearly enough.

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