TALLAHASSEE — Florida State will fight until the final seconds tick off the clock. That point is not in question.
But plenty of what the Seminoles have done the last two weeks put themselves in a deficit from which it is impossible to climb out. After a double-overtime loss at Virginia, one where FSU trailed twice and had to rally, the Seminoles faced a 25-point deficit going into the fourth quarter against Miami before falling short 28-22 on Saturday night.
Rally is in FSU’s DNA but so are the self-inflicted mistakes.
“Whether it was just untimely penalties, some mistakes that we made were just a little too much to overcome there in the end,” FSU coach Mike Norvell said. “Thought our guys battled in the fourth quarter. I believed throughout that we would get a spark, that we would start to put it together, and they did. Unfortunately, it was too little, too late.”
Here are five storylines for the Seminoles (3-2, 0-2 ACC) after a second straight loss:
No team can overcome this many turnovers
FSU has six turnovers the last two games, including Tommy Castellanos’ two interceptions and Ousmane Kromah’s fumble against Miami. The Seminoles now have nine turnovers in five games, which is tied for 112th among the 136 FBS schools.
“I have to play better,” Castellanos said. “And I have to be better.”
With a limited number of possessions each game, FSU can’t give away three of them.
FSU can’t always count on the run
The Seminoles built their offensive resume on the ground, racking up 230 rushing yards in the win over Alabama and 256 rushing yards in the loss at Virginia. But after gaining just 132 rushing yards on 38 carries (3.5 per carry), it’s fair to raise a few questions about FSU’s ground attack.
How much of FSU’s run game simply hit a wall vs. Miami’s impressive defensive front? How much of what Miami did can be replicated by future FSU opponents? How concerning is it if the Seminoles fall behind on the scoreboard and can’t lean on the run if they must pass out of deficits again?
These questions are all pertinent as Pittsburgh, FSU’s next opponent, has allowed just 64.6 rushing yards per game (No. 2 in the FBS).
The foundation of FSU’s offense is in question
FSU’s offensive line had dodged a significant injury through four games. But when right tackle Micah Pettus went to the locker room with an injury in the first half, after just 25 snaps, the coaches began making adjustments. UCF transfer right guard Adrian Medley slid over to right tackle, with Jacob Rizy stepping in at right guard.
Norvell said he didn’t have a firm update on Pettus’ status but said he didn’t think it was a long-term injury. But the injury reinforces how five linemen work together, the challenges of depth on the line for every team in the portal era and the need to get Pettus back as soon as possible.
FSU’s pass rush was absent
The Seminoles generated just seven pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. Miami had 42 — and defensive end Rueben Bain had 11.
FSU’s 3-3-5 defense has proven to be a multiple front that will put its energy into stopping the run. The Seminoles held Miami to just 97 yards on 32 carries (3 yards per carry).
But the defensive front has struggled to put pressure on a mobile quarterback (Virginia’s Chandler Morris) and a pocket passer (Carson Beck). FSU must bring heat from linebackers and safeties to force quarterbacks to throw the ball earlier than they want.
Focus turns to Pittsburgh
FSU played like it didn’t respect Virginia enough. Respect wasn’t an issue against Miami. But when thinking about mental mistakes – penalties and turnovers but also details like technique, blocking assignments and missed tackles — the Seminoles have fallen short too often.
If the Seminoles don’t respect Pittsburgh, then FSU’s season could spiral. The same could be said for the next road trip, to Stanford on Oct. 18.
FSU is good enough to defeat any team on its schedule. The Seminoles are also mistake-prone enough to lose any of the games, too.
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/10/05/5-things-learned-from-fsus-loss-to-miami/
