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Yesterday’s Poll Results
Today’s Poll
Which FSU performance impressed you most on Saturday?
🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹
Happy Sunday, Seminole!
Florida State delivered one of its loudest weekends of the season — not just in wins, but in how they happened.
From a second-half basketball eruption in Blacksburg, to a baseball offense that hit cruise control by Saturday afternoon, to softball sending another national message in Clearwater, this edition is about responses — teams learning, adjusting, and asserting themselves fast.
Here’s what’s inside today:
🏀 Second-Half Revenge Tour 🏀
FSU men’s basketball didn’t just bounce back — it detonated. A 78% shooting half, a road blowout, and a reminder that this group is still dangerous when it closes.
⚾ Baseball’s Lineup Goes Nuclear ⚾
Dick Howser turned into a runway as the Seminoles clinched their first series of 2026 with a 16-run avalanche powered by relentless pressure and elite at-bats.
🥎 Softball Sends Another National Signal 🥎
Beating UCLA isn’t about optics — it’s about proof. Power, depth, and composure showed why this roster’s ceiling keeps rising.
📈 The Defender With Untapped Upside 📈
Rylan Kennedy’s path to FSU is anything but normal — and that’s exactly why the staff believes his breakout season may still be ahead.
🏊 Championship Week Begins 🏊
ACC titles, NCAA positioning, and postseason momentum are on the line as FSU swimming & diving heads to Atlanta.
🏈 Norvell’s Structural Bet 🏈
Play-calling is back in Mike Norvell’s hands — but this time, the front office is built to support it. Why this shift matters more than it sounds.
This one’s about answers — and Florida State had plenty of them this weekend.
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🏀🔥 FSU Men’s Hoops Explodes in Blacksburg, Torches Virginia Tech 🔥🏀
Florida State men’s basketball flipped the script in emphatic fashion Saturday afternoon.
After a brutal late collapse against Virginia earlier in the week, the Seminoles responded by shooting 78.3% in the second half and steamrolling the Virginia Tech Hokies men's basketball 92–69 on the road.
🔥 Second-Half Avalanche
FSU opened the half on a 15–2 run
Forced five Virginia Tech turnovers in the first few minutes
Finished 18-of-23 shooting after halftime
Never relinquished control
⭐ Who Led It
Martin Somerville: 23 points, 6 assists (18 points after halftime)
At one point, outscored Virginia Tech 16–15 by himself in the second half
Chauncey Wiggins: 19 points
Robert McCray V: 17 points, career milestone
LaJae Jones: 17 points
McCray punctuated the afternoon with a late dunk that pushed him past 1,500 career points.
🧠 Why This One Hit Different
First FSU win at Cassell Coliseum since 2020
Largest road margin of victory vs. Virginia Tech in series history
Massive bounce-back after missing 11 straight shots to close the Virginia loss
Statement performance against a team listed by Joe Linardi as the first team out of the NCAA Tournament
📊 What It Means
Florida State improves to 12–13 overall, 5–7 ACC, and has now won four of its last five. More importantly, this looked like a team that learned from failure — and applied the lesson immediately.
👉 Read more for game flow, postgame quotes, and what this surge could mean down the stretch.
⚾🔥 FSU Baseball Explodes, Clinches Series vs. James Madison 🔥⚾
Saturday turned into a full-blown avalanche at Dick Howser.
Florida State Seminoles baseball locked up its first series win of 2026 with a 16–5 mercy-rule victory in seven innings over James Madison, powered by relentless offense from the top of the lineup.
🔥 Top-of-the-Order Takeover
Top four hitters combined for 12 hits, 11 RBI, 11 runs
Brayden Dowd: 3-for-3, double, three-run homer, walk, HBP
Noah Sheffield: 3-for-3, double, walk (reached base in all 5 PA this weekend)
Myles Bailey: reached base 4 of 5 times
Cal Fisher: 4-for-5, 5 RBI
💥 How It Snowballed
Early pressure forced defensive mistakes and long at-bats
Dowd erased a three-run JMU inning instantly with a three-run blast
Back-to-back RBI singles from Bailey and Fisher kept the line moving
Brody DeLamielleure homered for the second straight day
Four more runs in the sixth pushed it to mercy territory
🧢 On the Mound
Bryson Moore started after Trey Beard was scratched (illness)
Cade O’Leary: 2.1 strong innings out of the bullpen
Cooper Whited: two scoreless, three strikeouts
Cole Stokes closed it clean to trigger the mercy rule
📊 Final Line
FSU: 16 runs, 17 hits, 0 errors
JMU: 5 runs, 6 hits
📍 Up Next
Game three on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET (ACCNX). Starter TBD.
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🥎🔥 FSU Softball Slugs Past No. 7 UCLA in Clearwater Statement Win 🔥🥎
Power met poise under the lights.
The No. 6 Florida State Seminoles softball team flexed its offensive muscle Saturday night, knocking off No. 7 UCLA Bruins softball 11–7 at the Shriners Children’s Clearwater Invitational to move to 8–1 on the season.
🔥 How It Happened
Jaysoni Beachum put on a show: two home runs, driving the offense from the heart of the order
FSU responded immediately after UCLA’s first-inning homer with a three-run answer
A four-run second inning and a seven-batter rally in the third blew the game open
Seminoles built an 11–2 lead before UCLA’s late push
⚾ Offensive Highlights
Beachum: 2 HR, 4 RBI
Isa Torres: 2-run homer, key spark at the top
Ashtyn Danley: 2-RBI double
Three total home runs for FSU on the night
🧤 In the Circle
Bella Dimitrijevic battled through 3.0 innings
Jazzy Francik shut it down late: 4.0 IP, 2 ER, earning the win to move to 5–0
📊 By the Numbers
FSU improves to 8–1 overall
Now 22–10 all-time at the Clearwater Invitational
Won 6 of the last 7 games in the event
Series vs. UCLA tightens to 10–13 all-time
📍 Up Next
FSU closes Clearwater play Sunday at noon against No. 3 Tennessee Volunteers softball on ESPN2 (moved up due to weather).
📈 Rylan Kennedy: The Basketball Convert Poised for a Breakout at FSU 📈
One of the most experienced defenders on Florida State’s 2026 roster also happens to be one of the newest to football.
Rylan Kennedy’s path to Tallahassee is anything but typical — and that’s exactly why his ceiling still feels untapped.
🔥 A Late Start, Rare Tools
Began playing football as a senior in high school
Former basketball standout who could handle the ball and score
Elite athlete: 6-foot-11 high jump school record
Fifth year of football total, fourth year of college ball
🧢 Built in College Station
Texas A&M transfer entering his senior season
Played behind NFL-caliber edge rushers (including first- and second-round picks)
Career totals: 40 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 3.5 sacks
Rotational role on stacked defenses limited raw production — not development
🧠 Why FSU Believes
Slotted to play the “Jack” role in Tony White’s 3-3-5 defense
Can rush, drop into coverage, or align in multiple fronts
Emphasis on freedom, versatility, and attacking — a natural fit for Kennedy’s athletic profile
🗣️ Kennedy on the Role
“You might see me guarding a receiver… or coming off the edge… or in a three-point stance. We play free. We go make plays.”
🧠 Big Picture
Kennedy is still early in his football life, but the foundation is there: elite athleticism, years of development behind NFL talent, and now a scheme designed to unlock versatility. With one season left, Florida State is betting that experience finally meets opportunity in 2026.
🏊♂️🏆 FSU Swimming & Diving Heads to ACC Championships in Atlanta 🏆🏊♀️
Championship season is here for the Seminoles.
The No. 13/NR Florida State swimming and diving teams will compete in the 2026 ACC Swimming & Diving Championships from February 15–21 at the McAuley Aquatic Center in Atlanta.
🔥 What to Know
Seven-day championship meet
Diving begins Sunday; swimming starts Tuesday
One of the deepest, most competitive conferences in the country
FSU coming off a strong 2025 ACC showing (21 top-eight finishes, multiple school records)
🗣️ Coach Neal Studd
“Our team has prepared all season for this week. We’re ready to compete at a high level and take advantage of every opportunity to score and move on to NCAAs.”
📺 How to Follow
All sessions streamed on ACC Network Extra
Live results available throughout the week
Updates via FSU social channels and TheACC.com
🧠 Why It Matters
ACC Championships are the primary proving ground before postseason qualification. With momentum from last season and NCAA berths on the line, this week will define where Florida State stacks up nationally heading into March.
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🏈📋 Norvell: Expanded Front Office Unlocks Return to Play-Calling 📋🏈
Florida State’s offseason restructuring is already reshaping how Mike Norvell plans to coach in 2026.
After stepping away from play-calling duties last season, Norvell is taking back full control of the offense — and he believes an expanded front office finally makes that sustainable.
🔄 Why the Shift Matters
Norvell returns as primary offensive play caller after Gus Malzahn’s February retirement
Tim Harris Jr. steps in as offensive coordinator, with Norvell handling game-day calls
Follows a 2024 season where Norvell operated more as a CEO than schemer, with mixed results
🧠 The Structural Fix
FSU has rebuilt its football operations to support the dual role:
John Garrett hired as General Manager
Taylor Edwards added as Director of Player Acquisition
At least three additional front-office roles coming to bolster scouting and roster management
Norvell believes that personnel support is the key difference this time.
🗣️ Norvell on the Balance
“That support on the personnel aspect is going to allow me to dive all the way in… and support this football team in a variety of different areas.”
📋 Offensive Identity, Revisited
Run game as the foundation
Explosive passing built off play-action
Scheme designed to feature and free up playmakers
Norvell called Harris a “rising star” and emphasized continuity rather than overhaul in philosophy.
🧠 Big Picture
This isn’t just a play-calling decision — it’s a bet on structure. Florida State is clearly aligning resources so Norvell can return to what he does best: designing, sequencing, and calling offense. In a pivotal season, the margin for error is thin — and the staff believes clarity of roles is the path forward.
And that’s a wrap!
This weekend wasn’t about perfection — it was about response.
FSU didn’t spiral after frustration. It adjusted. It attacked. And it showed exactly what happens when momentum meets confidence.
More tests are coming. But right now, Florida State looks like a program that learns fast — and answers louder.
We’ll be back tomorrow.
— The Chief 🏹
