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Which game are you most anxious about on FSU's 2026 schedule?
🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹
Happy Monday, Seminole!
It's the dead period. The camps are done, the official visits are over, and the recruiting trail has gone quiet until prospects start announcing.
Today's edition is on the lighter side. We've got a comprehensive look back at everything that happened in FSU's recruiting over the past 40 days, a breakdown of where the Seminoles stand in the ACC heading into 2026, an early game preview of the Virginia matchup in October, and a fun nostalgia piece from Tomahawk Nation that's worth your time in the offseason.
📋 In Today's Chief Brief:
🏈 40 Days of Recruiting: The Full Recap 🏈 — From Logan Flaherty's commitment on May 19th through Sam LeJeune last week. Every add, every loss, and what's still undecided.
🏈 Where FSU Stands in the ACC for 2026 🏈 — Power rankings have the Noles at No. 12 in the conference. Is that fair? And how does the schedule shape the conversation?
🏈 Game Preview: FSU vs. Virginia, October 3rd 🏈 — The Cavaliers are coming off an 11-win season and FSU owes them one. A detailed look at what to expect.
🏅 Vote: The 50 Greatest Games in FSU Football History 🏅 — Tomahawk Nation is crowdsourcing the all-time list. A perfect offseason rabbit hole.
Let's dive in. 🍢
There's More Art in a Swiss Warehouse Than in the Louvre. Here's Why That Matters.
1.2 million works worth around $100 billion. All locked away by collectors with no intention of exhibiting them. More art sits in the Geneva Freeport than in the Louvre.
The reason? It's the world's largest tax-free vault. Works are traded inside without ever crossing a border or appearing in any public record.
When that much inventory is effectively off the table, anytime something does circulate, it’s a rare occasion.
Just a three hour drive away, the world’s premier international art fair is one of those occasions. Art Basel is this month and needless to say, things will move fast. Serious collectors will make their transactions before doors even open to the wider public.
Masterworks' acquisition committee — former specialists from Sotheby's and Christie's — operate in that window. Purchased artworks here can even become the offerings that Masterworks members fractionally invest in.
Their track record to-date?
$1.3B deployed across 530+ artworks featuring Banksy, Basquiat, Picasso, and Warhol
29 sales to date
Net annualized returns like 16.5%, 17.6%, and 17.8%, not including those unsold*
Investing involves risk. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. See important Reg A disclosures at masterworks.com/cd.
From May 19th through last week, Florida State added a dozen commitments, lost three pledges, and navigated a final official visit weekend that ended on a strong note. Here's everything that happened and where things stand now.
✅ The Additions
May 19: Three-star QB Logan Flaherty (Port Charlotte, Fla.) committed, giving FSU a homegrown signal-caller who had previously been pledged to UCF.
May 31: Three-star DL Eric Vaulx Jr. (Lake Cormorant, Miss.) committed at the conclusion of his official visit, choosing FSU over Missouri and Tennessee.
June 7: Three-star LB Jernard Albright (Springfield, Ga.) flipped from South Carolina to FSU after his official visit, one of the more significant wins of the cycle given that he'd been a Gamecock commit since Christmas Day.
June 8: Four-star RB Jayden Miles (Baton Rouge, La.) chose FSU over Ohio State, Auburn, Kentucky, LSU, and Texas Tech. A genuine blue-chip get.
June 9: Four-star WR Sean Green (Kingsland, Ga.) chose FSU over Georgia.
June 11: Three-star LB Olrick Johnson III (Kennesaw, Ga.) committed over Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Arkansas, and NC State. An LSU offer arrived late but didn't move him.
June 14: Three-star Edge Jaxon Holly (Roswell, Ga.) committed at the conclusion of his official visit, picking FSU over Auburn and Virginia Tech.
June 19: Three-star WR Majay Thompson (Shelby, N.C.) committed over Alabama, Georgia, and Wake Forest after FSU was his final official visit.
June 21: Safety commit Jemari Foreman shut down his recruitment and re-affirmed his pledge after his official visit, holding firm despite real interest from Louisville.
June 22: Three-star LB CJ Ohuabunwa (Norcross, Ga.) committed over Louisville, Kansas, and Virginia Tech after a last-minute official visit that almost didn't happen.
June 24: Four-star DL Sam LeJeune (Poplarville, Miss.) committed, the highest-ranked pledge of the cycle, choosing FSU over Cal with Auburn and Washington also in the mix.
❌ The Losses
May 31: Four-star safety Mekhi Williams (Ruskin, Fla.) decommitted and eventually committed to Wisconsin. He returned for a 7-on-7 but said he was firm with the Badgers.
June 10: Three-star LB Gregory Batson backed off his pledge a few days after his official visit. He hasn't found a new home yet.
June 14: Three-star ATH Dayon Cooper decommitted after Tennessee offered him a wide receiver role. FSU had recruited him as a defensive back.
June 25: Three-star RB Marquis Fennell (Valdosta, Ga.) chose Stanford over FSU despite FSU being the clear favorite heading into his announcement.
🕓 What's Still Undecided
Three-star TE Colton Johnson (Baxter, Tenn.) intends to decide before the end of June. Ole Miss, Purdue, Alabama, North Carolina, FSU, and Indiana all remain in play. No public leader.
Three-star OL DaJohn Yarborough (Chandler, Ariz.) announces July 11th. Mississippi State, Cal, FSU, and Washington are the finalists. FSU is optimistic.
Three-star Edge Stevan Thornton III (Cairo, Ga.) officially visited FSU and Virginia Tech but hasn't set a date or shared a leader. FSU had Crystal Ball momentum heading out of the visit weekend.
Four-star DL Karlos May (Birmingham, Ala.) announces July 18th. Ohio State has the current momentum, Georgia has been mentioned as his leader multiple times, and FSU appears to be the least likely of the four finalists at this point.
Four-star S Ta'Shawn Poole (Macon, Ga.) is expected to decide in mid-July. FSU was competing primarily with Tennessee but Georgia's late official visit has made the Bulldogs a serious threat.
Recruiting Reality: The class sits at 13 commitments and is ranked 56th nationally. The bones are solid: LeJeune, Miles, and Green are legitimate four-star pieces. The remaining decisions, particularly Poole and Thornton, could meaningfully move the needle. May and Yarborough are coin flips. Fennell was the miss that stings most given the geography and the lead FSU held. 🍢
CBS Sports has FSU ranked 12th in the ACC heading into 2026. That's a number that probably feels worse than it is for fans who watched this team upset Alabama last year, but it's also not entirely unfair given back-to-back losing seasons and a program still rebuilding credibility. Here's how to make sense of the landscape.
🌟 The Tier Picture
Tier 1 (Miami, SMU, Louisville): Miami is the class of the conference after its national title game appearance and Darian Mensah signing. SMU is replacing most of its skill positions but gets FSU early. Louisville with a new quarterback (Lincoln Kienholz from Ohio State) is the team to fear, especially with a road game in Louisville that historically hasn't gone well for the Seminoles.
Tier 2 (Clemson, Virginia Tech, Pitt): James Franklin's Virginia Tech is the most interesting story in the conference. They return 14 starters, 8 on offense, which is second nationally in returning production. Clemson is breaking in a new quarterback in Chris Vizzina but still has the conference's best receiver combo in TJ Moore and Bryant Wesco Jr. Pitt was 20th in scoring last season and went 9-4 despite losses to Notre Dame and Miami by a combined 75-22.
Tier 3 (FSU and others): The optimistic read is that FSU has the talent to compete with Tier 2. The honest read is that the schedule won't let them ease into the season. After New Mexico State, the Seminoles face SMU at home, then travel to Alabama, then get Virginia before back-to-back road games at Louisville and Miami. There is almost no margin for error before October.
📊 The Schedule Reality
The full 2026 schedule: New Mexico State (home, Aug. 29), SMU (home, Sept. 7), BYE, Alabama (road, Sept. 19), Central Arkansas (home, Sept. 26), Virginia (home, Oct. 3), Louisville (road, Oct. 9), Miami (road, Oct. 17), BYE, Clemson (home, Oct. 31), Boston College (road, Nov. 7), Pitt (road, Nov. 13), NC State (home, Nov. 21), Florida (home, Nov. 27).
That is one of the hardest schedules in the ACC, possibly the country. Alabama in September, then back-to-back road games at Louisville and Miami. Winning eight games on this schedule requires things to go right in multiple games that are legitimately difficult. Eight wins would be a genuine achievement, not a floor.
Home Advantage: The 12th-place ranking reflects the last two years more than it reflects the roster. FSU with Ashton Daniels running a balanced offense, a healthy Duce Robinson, and both Desir twins playing up to their potential is a team that can win in Tier 2. Getting there requires a fast start in September. 🍢
The market has a price on every US result.
The market has a price on every result left in this tournament. On Kalshi, every World Cup outcome is a real market. Who advances, who scores, which match goes to penalties. Prices update with every result. Peer-to-peer, no house, federally regulated in the US. Get $10 free to start.
Trade responsibly.
Florida State hosts Virginia on October 3rd, and this game carries more weight than a mid-schedule ACC matchup usually would. The Cavaliers went 11-3 last season under Tony Elliott, reached the ACC Championship game, and have won two in a row and three of the last four in this series. FSU's last loss to UVA came in agonizing double-overtime fashion when Duce Robinson bobbled what would have been the winning touchdown catch. Revenge is on the menu in Tallahassee.
💪 Virginia Is Better Than You Might Think
Tony Elliott has turned UVA into a legitimate program. He set a school record with 11 wins last season and the Cavaliers return one of the most experienced offensive lines in the ACC, with all five starters being graduate students averaging over 317 pounds. Three earned preseason All-ACC honors. That group will be the best line FSU faces at home all year.
At linebacker, Kam Robinson is the heart of the UVA defense, a preseason First Team All-ACC returning for his senior season. He notched 10 tackles and a sack against FSU last year and turned down FSU's recruiting overtures earlier in his career. He'll be a problem.
At quarterback, Beau Pribula arrives from Missouri, where he led the Tigers to eight wins but threw nearly as many interceptions as touchdowns. He's a game-manager type who will benefit from the experienced line and solid skill players around him, but he can make mental errors under pressure. That's the opening FSU's defense needs to exploit.
Transfer safety Brandyn Hillman arrives from Michigan, where he won a national championship in 2024. He slots in as a starter immediately and will co-quarterback the UVA defense alongside Robinson.
📊 The Scenarios
Best case: FSU confuses Pribula with varied defensive looks, forces turnovers, and Ashton Daniels plays efficiently while the running game keeps things balanced. The home crowd is a factor and FSU builds momentum heading into the brutal Louisville-Miami stretch that follows.
Realistic case: A close game that comes down to which defense makes a stop in crunch time. Both quarterbacks have documented turnover issues. Whoever limits mistakes wins.
Worst case: FSU comes in already having lost to SMU and Alabama, the crowd is thin, and Tony Elliott calls a near-perfect game. The Seminoles enter the Louisville-Miami stretch without momentum and with a recruiting class starting to waver.
Why It Matters: This is game five of the season, and based on the schedule, FSU could realistically be 2-2 coming in (wins over New Mexico State and Central Arkansas, losses to SMU and Alabama). A win over Virginia would put the Seminoles at .500 and shift the entire narrative around the season. A loss would make the Louisville and Miami road games existential. Circle October 3rd. 🍢
It's the dead period, which means it's the perfect time for a nostalgia trip. Tomahawk Nation is polling fans to determine the 50 greatest games in Florida State football history. They've narrowed it down from over 80 candidates spanning every era of the program, and they want your input.
🏆 A Few Nominees Worth Remembering
The 1987 Fiesta Bowl, a 31-28 win over Nebraska on the McManus-to-Lewis connection. The moment the program announced itself on the national stage.
The 1988 Sugar Bowl, 13-7 over No. 2 Auburn with Deion Sanders making his legend. One of the most important wins in the program's rise.
The 1988 Puntrooskie at Clemson. You know the one.
1984, 38-3 at No. 4 Miami with eight sacks. The statement game that set the tone for one of college football's great rivalries.
1991, 51-31 at No. 3 Michigan. No. 1 vs. No. 3 in the Big House.
1980, 18-14 at No. 3 Nebraska and the home upset of No. 3 Pitt and Dan Marino in the same season. One of the great back-to-back upsets in program history.
Why It Matters: Ten weeks from now FSU kicks off against New Mexico State. Between now and then, this is exactly the kind of content worth your time as a fan. The link to vote is in the source. Tomahawk Nation will reveal the results over the next month and do a final ranking of the top 10. A good reason to stay engaged during the summer quiet. 🍢
And that’s a wrap!
As always, thank you for making The Chief Brief part of your Monday.
The dead period is here and the news will stay quiet for a while. Colton Johnson could decide any day. Ta'Shawn Poole is expected mid-July. Kevin Savage announces Saturday. We'll be here for all of it. In the meantime, go vote on those 50 greatest games and remind yourself why being an FSU fan is worth it even in years like these.
Go Noles,
– The Chief
