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Yesterday’s Poll Results

Today’s Poll

🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹

Happy Saturday, Seminole!

A massive weekend across FSU Athletics — from another National Championship berth to All-America honors, football staff shakeups, transfer news, quarterback uncertainty, and full evaluations of the 2026 signing class. Here’s everything you need to know, fast.

⚽ FSU Advances to the National Championship ⚽
The Seminoles punched their ticket to a fifth title game in eight years, taking down TCU 1–0 behind a clutch Wrianna Hudson strike and a last-second save from freshman keeper Kate Ockene. FSU is now one win from hanging another banner.

🏆 Three Noles Earn All-America Honors 🏆
Jordynn Dudley makes history with her third All-America season, while Taylor Suarez and Heather Gilchrist join her on the national stage — continuing FSU’s unmatched 20-year All-America streak.

🏀 Three Seminoles Reach Major Milestones 🏀
Kobe MaGee hits 100 assists, Robert McCray reaches 100 steals, and Chauncey Wiggins joins the 100 games/100 threes club as FSU gears up for a showdown with No. 7 Houston.

🏈 DE L.A. Jessie Harrold Expected to Transfer 🏈
Former four-star defensive end Jessie Harrold plans to enter the portal after one season on scout team duty.

🏈 Castellanos’ Waiver Denied — QB Search Accelerates 🏈
Tommy Castellanos’ NCAA waiver for an extra year was denied, making his FSU return unlikely. The staff is now actively pursuing veteran transfer quarterbacks.

🏈 FSU Parts Ways with DB Coach Patrick Surtain Sr. 🏈
Norvell confirms Surtain’s exit after three seasons — the first domino of what appears to be a broader defensive reset.

🏈 FSU Staff & Front Office Overhaul Begins 🏈
Major restructuring is underway. Former NFL exec Jake Rosenberg has been evaluating FSU’s operations, with more hires and changes expected ahead of the Jan. 2 portal window. The goal: build a real infrastructure and maximize 2026 roster construction.

🏈 Grading FSU’s 2026 Defensive Class 🏈
Nine DL, three LBs, three DBs — a traits-heavy defensive haul built on volume and upside. Each unit earns a “B” tier with long-term developmental promise and early contributors like Kennon, Williams, and Whitley.

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⚽ FSU ADVANCES TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ⚽

A late strike and a clutch defensive stand send the Seminoles to their eighth NCAA title match.

🔥 Seminoles Survive & Advance

• No. 3–seed FSU defeated No. 2–seed TCU 1–0 on Friday night in Kansas City.

• It marks FSU’s 8th National Championship appearance and 5th in the last 8 years.

• The Noles improve to 88–19–6 all-time in NCAA Tournament play and 7–7–1 in semifinals.

• Now unbeaten in nine straight matches, FSU is a perfect 5–0–0 this postseason.

⚡ Hudson Delivers the Breakthrough

• Wrianna Hudson scored the game-winner in the 73rd minute, her 14th goal of the season and third of the NCAA Tournament.

• Sophia Nguyen (her second straight postseason assist) and Peyton McGovern provided the setup.

• Hudson now has four game-winners in 2025 — none bigger than this one.

💨 Dominant Defensive Performance

• FSU outshot TCU 15–7 (8–2 on frame).

• Freshman keeper Kate Ockene recorded two saves, including a match-saving block with three seconds left.

• The shutout was FSU's 12th of the season and third in the NCAA Tournament.

📈 Controlling the Semifinal

• First half: FSU held a 9–3 shot advantage and generated multiple dangerous looks from Dudley, McGrew, and Simmonds.

• Second half: Five shots on goal forced TCU’s keeper into repeated saves before Hudson finally broke through.

🏆 Next Up: National Championship
FSU will play for its fifth national title on Monday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. ET against the winner of Stanford vs. Duke.

👉 Why It Matters
This is one of the steadiest, most complete postseason runs in program history — and FSU is now 90 minutes from adding another star to the dynasty.

Read more here

🏆 Three Noles Earn All-America Honors as FSU’s Dominance Continues 🏆

Three of Florida State’s biggest stars added major hardware on Friday, reinforcing the program’s national standing on the eve of another championship push.

🔥 Dudley Makes History

• Jordynn Dudley was named First Team All-American, becoming the first player in program history to earn All-America honors in each of her first three seasons.

• She’s now a two-time First Team selection, joining an elite group of only four Noles ever to achieve that.

• Dudley leads FSU with 14 assists, 36 points, 78 shots, and ranks top-20 nationally in nearly every major offensive metric.

💨 Suarez Breaks Through

• Sophomore midfielder Taylor Suarez earned Second Team All-American honors — her first national award.

• She’s second on the team in assists (8), third in points (18), and has four games this year with 3+ points, including postseason performances.

🔒 Gilchrist Anchors the Back Line

• Senior defender Heather Gilchrist secured Third Team All-American recognition, her second career All-America nod.

• She leads the roster in minutes (1,645), has contributed 4 goals, and helped FSU post 11 shutouts this season.

📊 The All-America Pipeline Rolls On

• FSU has now produced 56 All-Americans since 2003.

• The Noles have had at least three All-Americans in four straight seasons, and 20 consecutive years with at least one selection.

👉 Why It Matters
The individual accolades mirror the collective dominance: elite recruiting, elite development, elite postseason performance. As the Noles prepare for Monday’s National Championship match, they do so with three of the nation's best players leading the charge.

Read more here

🏀 Three Seminoles Hit Major Career Milestones as FSU Preps for Houston 🏀

Three veterans of Florida State men’s basketball reached the “century club” this week — a rare trio of early-season milestones as the Noles prepare for a marquee matchup against No. 7 Houston.

🔥 The Century Club: Three Milestones, One Senior Core

• Kobe MaGee — 100 Career Assists
  MaGee recorded assist No. 100 during FSU’s win over Alabama State and is also set to play his 100th career game on Dec. 19.
  “I love playing the game the right way — assisting others is key for me,” MaGee said.

• Robert McCray V — 100 Career Steals
  FSU’s leading scorer (13.9 PPG) has logged a steal in all eight games this season and hit the 100-steal mark during the Battle in the Bay.
  “It shows I’ve been consistent and locked in,” McCray said.

• Chauncey Wiggins — 100 Games, 100 Threes
  One of the most experienced players in the ACC, Wiggins reached both milestones this month while averaging a career-best 13.6 PPG — and he’s still perfect from the free-throw line (13-for-13).

💨 What’s Next
FSU heads to the Toyota Center Saturday (8:00 p.m., Peacock) to take on nationally ranked Houston — and the senior trio will again be central to the Noles’ attack.

Read more here

🏈 DE L.A. Jessie Harrold Expected to Enter Transfer Portal 🏈

Florida State is set to lose another young defensive piece as true freshman defensive end L.A. Jessie Harrold plans to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal, he told Hayes Fawcett.

🔥 A Short FSU Stay

• Harrold signed with FSU last December as a four-star edge rusher out of Tampa Gaither.

• The Noles flipped him late in the 2025 cycle from LSU.

• The 6’5”, 253-pound DE spent this season on the scout team as he adjusted to the college level.

💨 What’s Next for Harrold

• He will have four years of eligibility remaining.

• Leaves without appearing in a game for the Seminoles.

Read more here

🏈 Castellanos' Waiver Denied as FSU Accelerates QB Search 🏈

FSU’s quarterback picture for 2026 just became even clearer — and more urgent.

🔥 NCAA Denies Castellanos’ Waiver

• Tommy Castellanos’ request for an additional year of eligibility was officially denied by the NCAA, per his attorney Darren Heitner.

• An appeal is planned, but Mike Norvell acknowledged the ruling and said Castellanos is now “exploring all options.”

• Norvell added that, given the likely lengthy appeals process, FSU will “move forward” with roster decisions.

💨 A Season of Highs, Lows & Uncertainty

• 2,760 passing yards, 15 TDs, 9 INTs

• Led FSU in rushing: 557 yards, 9 TDs

• Also responsible for 5 fumbles, half of FSU’s total

• Flashes of brilliance mixed with stretches of volatility defined his lone season in Tallahassee.

🔍 What This Means for 2026

• Castellanos had previously said he would only return if the waiver was granted — making a reunion now unlikely.

• FSU has already begun vetting veteran transfer quarterbacks and will continue to do so aggressively.

• Norvell: “All parts of putting together a championship roster will be looked at.”

👉 Why It Matters:
FSU must now operate as though Castellanos is gone. The pursuit of a proven transfer QB becomes not just a priority — but a necessity.

Read more here

🏈 FSU Parts Ways with Defensive Backs Coach Patrick Surtain Sr. 🏈

A major defensive staff change is underway in Tallahassee.

🔥 Surtain Out After Three Seasons

• Florida State has moved on from DBs coach Patrick Surtain Sr., per multiple sources inside the program.

• Surtain, hired in January 2023, spent three seasons overseeing FSU’s cornerbacks.

• Despite inheriting strong recruiting pedigree and NFL credentials, the secondary struggled for consistency throughout his tenure.

💨 Performance Behind the Decision

• Cornerbacks produced just four interceptions in 2025; the defense as a whole totaled 12.

• Injuries forced rotational starts from Quindarrius Jones and Shamar Arnoux, with Jerry Wilson and Ja'Bril Rawls leading the room.

• FSU’s defense has lacked back-end stability as the program went 7–17 over the last two seasons.

🧠 Surtain’s Background

• Former 11-year NFL veteran, three-time Pro Bowler (2002–04).

• Prior to FSU, served as a Miami Dolphins assistant (2022) and was a highly decorated high school head coach at American Heritage (three state titles, 2020 HSFA National Coach of the Year).

👉 Why It Matters:
This is the first clear defensive staff shakeup of the offseason—and likely not the last. With roster turnover already underway and portal season heating up, FSU must now identify a defensive backs coach capable of stabilizing (and elevating) a unit that has underperformed for two straight years.

Read more here

🏈 FSU Begins Staff Overhaul as Norvell Confirms Surtain’s Exit — More Changes Coming 🏈

Florida State has officially begun reshaping its football operation, with Mike Norvell confirming Friday that the program has moved on from defensive backs coach Patrick Surtain Sr. — and that broader evaluations of the staff and front office are underway.

🔥 Surtain Out; Staff Evaluation Ongoing

• Norvell announced Surtain’s departure while praising his contributions over three seasons.

• Asked whether more staff changes were coming, Norvell declined to elaborate, saying only that FSU is “continuing to work through the process of our staff.”

• When pressed on whether coordinators Gus Malzahn and Tony White were expected to return in 2026, Norvell said:

• Still, speculation continues, especially around Malzahn, whose future remains unsettled despite Norvell’s public stance.

💼 Front Office Shakeup Accelerates
FSU’s restructuring won’t stop at on-field assistants.
According to multiple reports, former NFL executive Jake Rosenberg (The Athlete Group) was on campus this week conducting a top-to-bottom evaluation of FSU’s roster management, scouting, and internal operations.

Rosenberg:

• Met with Norvell and key personnel staff.

• Is reviewing organizational structure, staffing needs, financial strategy, roster processes, talent evaluation, and operational efficiency.

• Was brought in after FSU invested $24.5 million into its 2025 roster — spending that one Power Four administrator called “possibly the worst ROI in the country” for a team that finished 5–7.

The administration is expected to:

• Appoint a general manager to oversee roster-building and personnel departments.

• Make multiple front-office changes ahead of the Jan. 2 transfer portal window.

• Move quickly:

💥 Why This Is Happening
FSU’s massive 2024–25 overhaul (new coordinators, new staffers, ~50 newcomers) did not produce meaningful improvement.
A 3–0 start turned into a 5–7 finish.
The administration considered firing Norvell — and even pursued Lane Kiffin — but ultimately opted for a full structural reset instead of a $72M buyout.

Now, with Norvell retained, the mandate is clear:
Fix the operation. Build a real infrastructure. Hit the portal hard. Deliver in 2026.

👉 Why It Matters
This is the most significant program-wide reset since Norvell’s arrival — and likely not the last set of changes you’ll read about.
FSU plans to rebuild its football operation from the inside out, and the timing means:

• New hires must be finalized within weeks.

• Portal targets must be identified and prioritized now.

• Norvell’s seventh season will hinge on whether these structural moves deliver results that last year’s overhaul didn’t.

More changes are coming. And fast.

Read more here, here, and here.

🏈 Grading FSU’s 2026 Defensive Class: DL, LB & DB Review 🏈

A deeper look at how Florida State stacked defensive talent in a massive 32-player class.

🔥 Defensive Line: Volume + Upside

• 9 signees, anchored by multiple high-upside prospects.

• Franklin Whitley (91) and Jaemin Pinckney (90) headline the group with rare athletic traits but remain raw.

• Earnest Rankins (91) is an impressive frame-based upside play, though the dominant flashes aren’t consistent yet.

• Lewis, Anderson, Cadeau: big-bodied projection takes; Cadeau shows the clearest developmental jump.

• Brooks & Carbin: solid P4-level depth without elite traits.

• Judah Daniels (86): elite first step gives him early pass-rush specialist potential.

Tier: B — Big volume, intriguing ceilings, but no surefire star yet.

💨 Linebacker: Blend of Floor & Ceiling

• Izayia Williams (92): explosive athlete with top-tier tools; injury recovery + instincts make him a high-variance but high-reward take.

• Karon Maycock (86): instinctive, steady, high-floor playmaker.

• Noah LaVallee (85): athletic with a frame to play early.

Tier: B — Strong mix of safety and upside.

🔒 Defensive Backs: Headlined by a Potential Star

• Chauncey Kennon (97): elite length, ball skills, and a realistic Day 1 contributor profile.

• Darryl Bell III (88): tough, versatile, ready to be in the two-deep early.

• Jordan Crutchfield (88): elite length, developmental lottery ticket with rare measurables.

Tier: B — Would be an A with more depth, but Kennon gives this group real top-end juice.

👉 Why It Matters
FSU’s defensive haul is deep, athletic, and filled with long-term upside. It’s a foundation class built more on traits than proven polish — but if the development hits, this group has the potential to reshape the defense over the next three years.

Read more here

And that’s a wrap!

FSU’s biggest week of the winter isn’t slowing down — from a national championship bid on the pitch, to staff and roster shakeups in football, to major recruiting momentum across both sides of the ball. The next 72 hours will shape the direction of multiple programs, and we’ll be here to break down every move, every rumor, every commitment, and every storyline that matters.

Enjoy your weekend, and we’ll see you back here tomorrow as the Noles chase another star.

Go Noles.🔥

— Chief