Florida State‘s 2025 season is over. They fell to the Florida Gators on Saturday night, 40-21 in The Swamp. FSU finishes the season 5-7, and for the second consecutive year, they won’t make a bowl game.
The Gators ran the ball down the Seminoles’ throat and completely controlled the tempo of the game, led by running back Jadan Baugh, who set a record for rushing yards by a Florida player against Florida State with 266.
It’s going to be a long offseason for FSU as they try to salvage their 2026 recruiting class as best they can, considering the pitiful product they put on the field. With that said, here are five takeaways from their loss to Florida.
There’s a clear lack of talent
This isn’t to say that Florida State doesn’t have good football players, because they do. However, with what was seen on the field in 2025, they aren’t even close to having what they need to compete on a high level, and they need to find a way to fix their recruiting woes fast.
Except a plethora of players to enter the transfer portal
Losing in today’s college football landscape isn’t like it’s ever been. Kids don’t just stick around and wait for things to get better. With the portal and NIL deals running rampant, I’d expect a nice portion of this roster to go elsewhere in 2026.
Recruiting will continue to take a hit
Florida State has gained seven commitments in its 2026 recruiting class in the month of November. Also, they’ve lost five players to decommitments and flips to other schools. With this type of loss to Florida, there will be more.
Florida State is the worst of the Big 3 in the Sunshine State
FSU, Florida, and Miami are the top football schools in the state of Florida. As things stand right now, the Seminoles are No. 3 at best. They’ve been swept by both of their arch rivals in each of the last two seasons, and both schools are recruiting better talent at the moment. Those are just the facts.
Mike Norvell and this staff can’t return despite the vote of confidence
It’s no secret that the administration at Florida State has said that Mike Norvell will be back in 2026, to the disappointment of their fans. If the program is serious about winning, that can’t happen. This team has had four losing seasons in six years under Norvell, and just one bowl win. Plus, offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn and defensive coordinator Tony White haven’t held up their end of the bargain. This team won’t prosper under this leadership.
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