Yesterday’s Poll Results

Today’s Poll

🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹

The Seminoles are dominating the headlines—basketball’s thrilling comeback win, softball’s electric start, a huge recruiting weekend taking shape, and major honors across multiple sports. Plus, ACC season predictions are in—can FSU outperform expectations?

🔺 FSU hoops rallies from 16 down to stun Wake Forest!
🔥 Softball heads to Clearwater after crushing Puerto Vallarta competition.
⚽ FSU soccer lands 11 on the All-ACC Academic Team!
🏀 Sue Semrau to be honored as FSU women’s basketball faces Louisville.
💜 Jamie Arnold launches “K-Time For Cystic Fibrosis” campaign.
🏈 FSU’s June 6 recruiting weekend is loaded with top talent.
📊 ACC projections have FSU at 7-5—can they prove the doubters wrong?

Let’s dive into all things Seminoles! ⬇️

🏀 Florida State Stuns Wake Forest with Last-Second Heroics!

Florida State pulled off a thrilling comeback on Wednesday night, overcoming a 16-point deficit to edge Wake Forest 72-70 in Winston-Salem.

🔥 Game-Winning Moments:
🔺 Taylor Bol Bowen drilled a clutch three-pointer with 15 seconds left to give FSU a 70-69 lead.
🔺 Justin Thomas sealed the win with a fastbreak layup with two seconds remaining.
🔺 Wake Forest’s Cameron Hildreth had a chance to tie at the line with 0.3 seconds left, but missed two free throws to end the game.

💪 Comeback of the Year?
FSU trailed 61-45 with 8:22 left but erupted for a 27-9 run to steal the victory. The Seminoles outscored Wake 51-35 in the second half and locked down defensively, holding the Deacs to just two second-half three-pointers.

🏆 Top Performers:
✅ Bol Bowen – 15 PTS (13 in the 2nd half), 3 three-pointers, perfect 4-4 FT
✅ Jamir Watkins – 15 PTS, 6 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL
✅ Malique Ewin – 14 PTS, 12 REB (9th double-double of the season!)

📅 What’s Next?
🏠 FSU returns home to face Clemson on February 15 at 12 PM at the Tucker Center.

🔗 More on FSU’s epic comeback here.

🎓⚽ Florida State Soccer Lands 11 on All-ACC Academic Team!

Florida State continues to dominate both on the pitch and in the classroom, placing 11 players on the 2024 Women’s Soccer All-ACC Academic Team. This marks the fourth time in five seasons that FSU has hit double-digit honorees!

🏆 FSU’s All-ACC Academic Selections:
✅ Camille Ashe
✅ Carissa Boeckmann
✅ Heather Gilchrist
✅ Taylor Huff
✅ Ran Iwai
✅ Peyton McGovern
✅ Sophia Nguyen
✅ Ashlyn Puerta
✅ Taylor Suarez
✅ Addie Todd
✅ Solai Washington

📚 Academic & Athletic Excellence
🔹 Gilchrist, Iwai, & Nguyen earned their third straight All-ACC Academic honors.
🔹 Taylor Huff—a First Team All-American, ACC Tournament MVP, and Hermann Trophy Semifinalist—secured her first academic honor before signing with NWSL’s Bay FC.
🔹 Ashe & Boeckmann capped off their college careers with academic honors after previous all-conference recognition at Portland and Texas A&M.

🏅 All-ACC Academic Team Requirements:
✔️ 3.0 GPA for the semester & cumulative academic career
✔️ Played in at least 50% of team’s games

📚⚽ FSU continues to set the standard in the classroom and on the field!

🔗 More on the Seminoles’ academic success here.

🔥 No. 9 Florida State Softball Heads to Clearwater Invitational

The Seminoles (4-1) are set for another tough test at the Shriners Children's Clearwater Invitational, facing No. 16 Missouri, Ohio State, Wichita State, and UCF in a stacked weekend lineup.

📅 FSU’s Schedule:
🆚 Thursday – No. 16 Missouri (10 AM, ESPN2)
🆚 Friday – Ohio State (2 PM, ACC Network)
🆚 Saturday – Wichita State (7 PM, ESPN+)
🆚 Sunday – UCF (8 PM, ESPN)

🏆 FSU’s Clearwater Dominance:
🔺 16-9 all-time record (most wins of any team)
🔺 12 of those wins vs. ranked opponents

🔥 Key Storylines to Watch:
🔹 Hot Start: FSU outscored opponents 30-5 in Puerto Vallarta, including an 8-0 run-rule win over No. 4 Oklahoma State.
🔹 Power Lineup: FSU returns two NFCA All-Americans in Jaysoni Beachum & Michaela Edenfield—both coming off elite seasons.
🔹 Elite Pitching: Transfers Julia Apsel (Hofstra) & Annabelle Widra (Auburn) join a loaded staff, including Ashtyn Danley and Makenna Reid.
🔹 Kennedy Harp’s Breakout: The ACC Player of the Week is off to a scorching .667 start with 10 RBI, 3 triples & a homer.

The Noles are hungry to return to the Women’s College World Series—this weekend is another step in the journey.

🔗 More on FSU’s Clearwater challenge here.

🏀 No. 23 FSU Hosts Louisville, Honors Legendary Coach Sue Semrau

The No. 23 Florida State women’s basketball team (19-5, 9-3 ACC) returns home Thursday to face Louisville (17-7, 10-3 ACC) at 6 PM in a crucial ACC showdown.

🔥 Game Highlights:
✅ Honoring Sue Semrau – The winningest coach in program history will be recognized at halftime.
✅ FSU Leads the Nation in Scoring (92.1 PPG) – Seven 100-point games this season.
✅ Ta’Niya Latson (26.0 PPG) – Named to the Wooden Award & Naismith Trophy Midseason Watch Lists this week.
✅ Makayla Timpson (3.29 BPG, 79 total blocks) – Leads all Power 4 players in blocks.

📊 Series History:
🔺 FSU leads 19-18, but Louisville has won the last three meetings.

📺 Watch: ACC Network Extra
🎙️ Listen: Seminole Sports Network (96.5 The Spear, Seminoles.com)

🔗 More on FSU vs. Louisville here.

⚾ Jamie Arnold Launches "K-Time For Cystic Fibrosis" Fundraiser

FSU ace Jamie Arnold is using his platform for a greater cause this season, launching "K-Time For Cystic Fibrosis"—an initiative to raise awareness and funds for cystic fibrosis research.

💜 The Mission:
🔹 Arnold will donate $25 per strikeout this season to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s West Florida chapter in honor of his friend Bradley.
🔹 The campaign aims to support CF research and educate fans about the disease.

💬 Arnold on the Initiative:
"Join me in the fight and learn more about Bradley, a true warrior inspiring others with his unwavering strength and bravery."

🙌 How to Get Involved:
✅ Follow along & donate: K-Time for Cystic Fibrosis
✅ Spread awareness & share stories using #KTimeForCF

⚾ Let’s make every K count! 💜

🔗 More on Arnold’s campaign here.

🏆 Florida State’s Massive June 6 Recruiting Weekend Taking Shape!

With a revamped coaching staff and fresh energy on the recruiting trail, Florida State is gearing up for a huge June 6 official visit weekend, set to host some of the nation’s top prospects.

🔑 Key Recruits Visiting FSU on June 6:

🔥 5⭐ OL Lamar Brown – FSU is the underdog vs. LSU & Texas A&M but could gain ground with OL coach Herb Hand’s development pitch.
🔥 4⭐ OL Johnnie Jones – Strong early buzz for FSU; could emerge as the leader after this visit.
🔥 4⭐ ATH Jyron Hughley – FSU in top 3; family connection to new RB coach Ja’Juan Seider could be a factor.
🔥 4⭐ DE Cam Brooks – One of FSU’s top priorities; Clemson is a threat, but FSU has momentum.
🔥 4⭐ LB TJ White – Tennessee is the biggest challenger; FSU’s new defensive scheme could be a deciding factor.
🔥 3⭐ LB Duqon Forkpa – FSU setting the tone with an early visit but faces competition from Clemson, Auburn, and Florida.
🔥 4⭐ DB Samari Matthews – South Carolina is the biggest competition; FSU DBs coach Patrick Surtain has made him a priority.
🔥 4⭐ DB Kaiden Hall – FSU has built the most momentum; Florida is still a contender, but Hall grew up a Seminoles fan.

🔜 What’s Next?

🏈 FSU’s June 6 event is just the start – More top recruits, including 4⭐ OL Brandon Anderson & 4⭐ TE Heze Kent, will visit later in June.

🔗 More on FSU’s recruiting efforts here.

🏈 Four-Star LB TJ White Locks in FSU Official Visit

Florida State continues to stack talent for its massive June 6 recruiting weekend, securing an official visit from four-star linebacker TJ White out of Jackson (Miss.) Jackson Academy.

🔑 Key Details:

✅ Official Visit Date: June 6
✅ Ranking: No. 211 overall | No. 19 LB (2026 class, per 247Sports Composite)
✅ FSU Connection: Offered in December 2024, visited in January
✅ Other Official Visits:
🔹 Wisconsin (May 30)
🔹 Tennessee (June 13)
🔹 Mississippi State (June 20)

🚨 Recruiting Outlook

No predictions yet on the 247Sports Crystal Ball, but FSU’s strong push—paired with the opportunity to showcase its linebacker-friendly defense under Tony White—puts the ‘Noles in a strong position.

🔗 More on FSU’s push for White here.

🏈 RB Carsyn Baker Schedules FSU Visit Amid Busy Spring

Fairburn (Ga.) Langston Hughes running back Carsyn Baker is lining up visits this spring, with Florida State set to host him on March 22 for an unofficial visit.

🔑 Key Details:

✅ FSU Visit Date: March 22 (Unofficial)
✅ Official Visits Scheduled:
🔹 Ohio State (June 13)
🔹 Texas A&M (June 20)
✅ Other Top Schools in the Mix: Georgia, South Carolina, Penn State

🚨 Recruiting Outlook

Baker has three programs currently standing out—Georgia, Ohio State, and Texas A&M—but FSU is in the mix as one of the schools pushing hard in his recruitment.

At 6’1, 200 pounds, Baker sits just one rating point shy of four-star status on 247Sports and could be a key target for FSU’s backfield.

🔗 More on Baker’s recruitment here.

🏈 ACC 2025 Season Predictions: Where Does FSU Stand?

The ACC is shaping up for another competitive year, with Clemson, Miami, and SMU leading the way as 10-win contenders while several teams struggle to reach bowl eligibility.

🔮 Projected FSU Record: 7-5 (5-3 ACC)

📉 The Seminoles are expected to improve but fall short of ACC title contention. Key losses to Alabama, Miami, Stanford, and Clemson could keep them from making a serious playoff push.

📅 FSU Key Matchups:

🔺 Sept. 1 at Alabama – Tough season opener.
🔺 Oct. 12 at Clemson – Pivotal ACC showdown.
🔺 Nov. 30 at Florida – Regular-season finale.

🏆 ACC Title Contenders:

🔥 Clemson (10-2, 8-0 ACC) – Conference favorites again.
🔥 Miami (10-2, 7-1 ACC) – New QB Carson Beck fuels CFP hopes.
🔥 SMU (10-2, 7-1 ACC) – Could crash the ACC Championship Game.

🚨 Can FSU Outperform Expectations?

With Gus Malzahn running the offense and Thomas Castellanos at QB, FSU could surprise. A few big wins might turn a 7-win projection into a 9-win season.

🔗 Full ACC season predictions here.

And that’s a wrap!

From buzzer-beaters to recruiting battles, Florida State is making waves across the board.

🏆 What’s next?
✔️ Can FSU women’s basketball extend their dominance against Louisville?
✔️ Will softball keep rolling in Clearwater?
✔️ Which recruits will the ‘Noles lock in for June 6?

We’ll be back with all the latest updates—until then, Go ‘Noles! 🍢🏹