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Yesterday’s Poll Results

Today’s Poll

🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹

Happy Gameday, Seminole!

A packed slate today with postseason triumphs, roster shakeups, rivalry stakes, and a couple of monster individual performances across FSU athletics. Here’s what’s inside:

⚽ College Cup Bound ⚽
FSU soccer punched yet another ticket to the College Cup with a 4–1 demolition of Ohio State — and superstar Jordynn Dudley followed it by being named a national Player of the Year finalist.

🏐 Volleyball Stars Close the Season in Style 🏐
Despite a loss to Clemson, Kyleene Filimaua and Iane Henke wrapped up historic seasons, climbing into FSU’s all-time top ranks.

🏀 Hoops Split in Fort Myers & Tampa 🏀
Women’s basketball opened Coconut Hoops with a balanced win over Missouri State. Men’s basketball fell to Texas A&M, but Kobe MaGee erupted for a career-high 21.

🔒 Recruiting Board Shakes Again 🔒
FSU lost another 2026 DB commit, prompting the staff to quietly explore JUCO options as Early Signing Day approaches.

🏈 Swamp Showdown: Bowl Stakes + Prediction Grid 🏈
FSU and Florida meet with bowl eligibility, rivalry pride, and a two-year road drought on the line. We’ll break down rushing trends, matchup edges, and every prediction from Noles247, Warchant, and Tomahawk Nation.

Let’s dive in.

🏹 Level Up Your Garnet & Gold 🏹

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🏆 FSU Soccer Punches College Cup Ticket With 4–1 Domination 🏆

Florida State is heading back to the College Cup after dismantling Ohio State 4–1 before a sold-out Seminole Soccer Complex.

🔥 Dudley Takes Over

• Jordynn Dudley delivered her eighth career brace, scoring twice in a five-minute span (36’ and 40’).

• Added an assist for a five-point night — her second of the season.

• Led all players with 11 shots and 5 on goal.

⚡ Quick Responses & Big Performances

• After OSU cut the lead to 2–1 in the 50th minute, Yuna McCormack answered 82 seconds later to restore control.

• Wrianna Hudson added the dagger in the 85th minute — her team-leading 13th goal.

• Assists distributed across the squad: Ahmad, Nguyen, Touray, Suarez, Gilchrist, and Dudley.

📊 Complete Statistical Domination

• Shots: FSU 25 – OSU 14

• Shots on goal: 13 – 4

• Corners: 5 – 2

• Saves: Ockene 3, OSU keeper 8

🎟️ Historic Context

• 15th College Cup appearance — second-most all-time

• Fifth appearance in six years

• NCAA Tournament record now 87-19-6

• Unbeaten in last eight matches with a 19–5 scoring margin in the last six

⏭️ Next Up: Kansas City
FSU advances to the National Semifinal on December 5, facing the winner of Vanderbilt vs TCU.
Stanford vs Duke anchors the opposite side of the bracket.

👉 Full match recap available via the original report

🏅 Jordynn Dudley Named Finalist for National Player of the Year 🏅

Florida State’s superstar forward Jordynn Dudley is officially one of five finalists for Top Drawer Soccer’s Player of the Year — another major milestone in one of the nation’s most dominant careers.

🔥 One of the Best in College Soccer

• Three-time First Team All-ACC selection

• Two-time All-American

• Two-time Hermann Trophy Semifinalist (2023, 2024)

• ACC Freshman of the Year (2023)

• Two-time ACC All-Tournament Team (2023, 2024)

• On this year’s Hermann Trophy Midseason Watch List

📈 Elite Production in 2025
Through 19 games, Dudley leads FSU in nearly every major category:

• 13 assists (No. 1 in ACC, No. 5 nationally)

• 31 points

• 67 shots

• 9 goals (2nd on team)

• 26 shots on goal

• T-3rd on team with two game-winners

Her regular-season tear included:

• Points in 13 straight games

• Goals in 7 of those

• Multi-point performances nine times

📊 ACC Dominance
In conference play alone, Dudley led or nearly led the entire league:

• 1st in assists (9)

• 1st in shots (46)

• 2nd in points (23)

• T-4th in goals (7)

Her five-point night (2G, 1A) at No. 3 Virginia was the third-best ACC performance of the season and earned her ACC Player of the Week honors.

👉 Full announcement available via the original report

Why More Seafood (and Less Red Meat) Might Be the Wellness Shift You’ve Been Looking For

 If you’re thinking about cutting back on red meat for better health, wild-caught seafood could be your secret weapon. Science shows that eating fish 1-2 times a week can support healthy heart and brain function, help reduce inflammation, and even may give your metabolism a little boost.

Here’s what wild-caught seafood delivers: essential n‑3 polyunsaturated fats (specifically, the marine-based omega-3 fatty acids that nutritionists love so much!), lean and digestible protein, and a smorgasbord of nutrients. Compare that to conventional red meat, which often comes with higher saturated fat, an unhealthy balance of omega‑6 fatty acids, and a limited range of nutrients.

Switching to seafood as your go-to protein is not just a shift away from a red meat rut. It’s a shift toward higher-quality nutrients and a more diversified diet for well-rounded health.

🏐 FSU Falls to Clemson in Season Finale, But Stars Shine Bright 🏐

The Noles wrapped up the regular season with a 3–1 loss to Clemson, closing a year defined by elite individual performances and relentless fight.

🔥 How It Happened

• FSU took the opening set 25–21 after a late surge sparked by Stevenson, Kpea, and Filimaua.

• Clemson responded with a dominant 25–17 second set.

• The Noles clawed back in both the third (25–22) and fourth (25–20) but couldn’t complete the comebacks.

🌟 Filimaua & Henke Leave Their Mark
Two all-time performances in a tough loss:

Kyleene Filimaua

• 20 kills, 10 digs (13th double-double of the season)

• 443 kills — 8th-most in FSU rally-scoring era

• Most kills in a season since 2018

• 9th all-time at FSU in points per set (4.35)

Iane Henke (Final Match as a Nole)

• 17 kills, 12 digs

• 3rd all-time in kills per set (4.43)

• 2nd all-time in points per set (5.10)

• A historic senior season for one of FSU’s greats

🧠 Why It Matters
The loss ends the regular season, but Filimaua and Henke stamped their names into the record books giving the program major momentum heading into the offseason.

👉 Full match recap available via the original report

🏀 FSU Women Open Coconut Hoops With 85–75 Win Over Missouri State 🏀

Florida State kicked off its GEICO Coconut Hoops run with a strong all-hands performance, grabbing an 85–75 win to get back to .500 on the season.

🔥 Balanced Scoring, Big-Time Moments
All 10 Seminoles scored — and four hit double figures:

• Solè Williams — 21 points (2nd 20-point game of the year)

• Sydney Bowles — 14

• Allie Kubek — 10

• Jasmine Shavers — 10

Defensively, every player recorded a rebound, with Tatum Greene and Pania Davis leading with five each. Davis also added two of FSU’s four blocks.

💥 First-Half Spark

• FSU jumped out to an early 22–10 lead behind an 11–5 start and a 7–0 burst.

• After Missouri State’s 9–0 run, the Noles answered with a buzzer-beating three from Greene to take a 43–34 halftime lead.

🔁 Back-and-Forth 4th Quarter
Missouri State tied it four separate times late, but the Noles slammed the door:

• Bonner → Williams corner three with 1:43 left (77–73)

• Avery Treadwell put-back and clutch defensive rebound

• Williams iced it at the line to secure the 85–75 win

⏭️ Next Up
FSU faces the Oklahoma/Coppin State winner Sunday at 6:30 p.m.

🧠 Why It Matters
Florida State’s depth, shooting, and late-game composure showed up: the exact formula they’ll need to make noise in Fort Myers.

👉 Full recap available via the original report

🏀 FSU Falls to Texas A&M Despite MaGee’s 21-Point Breakout 🏀

Florida State took a tough 95–59 loss to Texas A&M, but junior guard Kobe MaGee delivered a career-best performance to highlight an otherwise difficult night.

🔥 MaGee Shines in a Tough Result

• 21 points (season-high), including 18 in the second half

• Tied his season-high with four made threes

• Sparked multiple scoring runs after halftime

• Earned Battle in the Bay All-Tournament Team honors

🧱 Other Standouts

• Robert McCray V — 11 assists, his second double-digit game this season (team-leading 55 on the year)

• Chauncey Wiggins also named to the All-Tournament Team

• Martin Somerville — 9 points, 5 rebounds, career-high 5 steals (FSU-leading 19 this season)

📉 Game Flow
Texas A&M opened with an 11–0 run and controlled the first half, leading 29–11 midway through.
FSU battled in the second, outscoring A&M 18–11 early behind MaGee’s hot shooting and an 11–0 run capped by McCray.
But the Aggies stayed in rhythm, led by Ruben Dominguez’s 21 points and seven threes.

📍 Up Next
FSU returns home to face Georgia in the ACC/SEC Challenge on Tuesday, Dec. 2 at the Tucker Center.

👉 Full recap available via the original report

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🔒 FSU Loses Another 2026 DB Commit as Sean Johnson Flips to Maryland 🔒

Florida State’s secondary haul took another hit Friday night as three-star CB Sean Johnson decommitted and flipped to Maryland.

📉 The Details

• Johnson had been committed since April

• Rated 89 by 247Sports (No. 14 in Maryland, No. 41 CB nationally)

• Composite ranking: No. 600 overall, No. 46 CB in 2026

• Third DB to decommit this fall, joining 4⭐ Jay Timmons and 3⭐ Tedarius Hughes

🧱 Remaining DB Class
FSU now holds commitments from:

• 5⭐ Chauncey Kennon

• 3⭐ Jordan Crutchfield

• 3⭐ Darryl Bell III

🧠 Why It Matters
FSU’s 2026 defensive back group has lost real depth, placing added pressure on the staff to stabilize the class — and potentially re-engage new targets after early-cycle attrition.

👉 Full recruiting update available via the original report

🔍 FSU Scouting JUCO Options as 2026 Class Nears Signing Day 🔍

With Early Signing Day approaching and the 2026 class sitting at 28 commitments, Florida State is quietly widening its net — especially after recent misses and decommitments.

🔥 Where Things Stand

• 28 current commits → would be Norvell’s largest high school class at FSU

• Still active at EDGE but missed on flipping 3⭐ Kamron Wilson

• Recently lost 3⭐ OL Da’Ron Parks, creating a real need up front

• High school OL options at this stage = extremely limited

📈 JUCO Market: FSU Is Now Kicking the Tires
Noles247 reports that Norvell and staff have recently begun evaluating multiple JUCO prospects, including:

💪 OT Steven Moore (Arkansas State commit)

• 6’5”, 310 lbs — Garden City CC

• 3⭐ JUCO OT, No. 21 nationally

• Confirms FSU has reached out

• No offer yet, but interest is real

⚡ WR Dominic Cox (Riverside CC)

• Explosive slot receiver

• 64 catches, 1,233 yards, 12 TDs this fall

• 3⭐ JUCO WR, No. 24 nationally

• Norvell personally contacted him

• Cox: “He loves the film and he's gonna give me a call soon.”

📌 Important Note
FSU has not offered either prospect yet — conversations are purely exploratory but signal a shift:

🔄 With high school targets drying up, the staff is evaluating JUCO talent to shore up OL depth and add playmakers if needed.

🧠 Why It Matters
The 2026 core is strong, but recent losses mean FSU may need to get creative — and JUCO additions could fill critical gaps heading into the February window.

👉 Full recruiting update available via the original report

🏈 FSU vs Florida: Bowl Stakes, Run-Game Matchups & A Wall of Predictions 🏈

Florida State heads to The Swamp with bowl eligibility, rivalry pride, and a two-year road drought all hanging in the balance and four major reports paint a matchup defined by rushing trends, inconsistency, and a tidal wave of expert predictions leaning heavily toward the Gators.

🔥 Where FSU Can Control the Game: On the Ground
Florida has been gashed in its last three games — 233, 259, and 247 rushing yards allowed, all at 4.86+ YPC.
For a Florida State offense averaging 223.4 rush YPG (11th nationally), that’s the clearest path to victory.

The catch?
FSU has no weekly certainty at running back.

• Four players are between 300–480 rushing yards

• Castellanos leads the team in carries

• Six different players have been the No. 2 rusher in attempts

• Eight different RB1–RB2 combinations have appeared this season

Gus Malzahn:
“Running back by committee… not the norm for me.”

Norvell adds that game flow and defensive reads — not a lack of trust — explain the rotating usage. The numbers agree: even on the road, FSU still averages 4.5 YPC, but has rarely been able to lean on it because they've almost always been trailing.

🧱 Matchup Analysis — Where FSU Holds Edges
Three of four major position battles tilt toward Florida State:

UF Passing vs FSU Pass Defense — Advantage: FSU
UF ranks 91st in passing; Lagway has 13 INTs; FSU ranks 32nd vs the pass and is generating havoc inside.

UF Rushing vs FSU Run Defense — Advantage: FSU
The Gators rely almost exclusively on Jaden Baugh (904 yds), but FSU’s front is top-40 nationally and disruptive — especially the Desir brothers.

FSU Passing vs UF Pass Defense — Advantage: FSU (slight)
Duce Robinson gives FSU the best mismatch on the field. UF’s secondary is banged up and inconsistent.

FSU Rushing vs UF Rush Defense — Advantage: FSU
FSU’s run game is elite; UF is allowing 152.8 YPG and ranks 105th in TFLs.

The lone category in UF’s favor?

Special Teams — Advantage: Florida
UF’s kicker is reliable; FSU’s punt return operation has been a weekly adventure.

📉 The Stark Trend: Road FSU, Road Problems
Everything on paper favors FSU.
But the only persistent truth of 2025?

FSU does not win on the road.

They haven’t in more than two years and every analyst mentions it.

🏟️ Why This One Matters More Than Most
A win means:

• Bowl eligibility

• 15 extra practices

• Evaluation time for staff

• Recruiting momentum

• A significantly calmer offseason

• Stability in a locker room that has fractured in recent weeks

A loss means:

• Road streak hits 0–9

• Missed bowl

• Months of instability and heat on every part of the program

• Florida ending your season, again, in Gainesville

The stakes are enormous and the predictions reflect it.

🔮 Predictions by Writer & Outlet

Noles247 Staff

Warchant Staff

Tomahawk Nation

Overall Prediction Landscape

• FSU Picks: 6

• UF Picks: 13

• Neutral/no score: 1

The consensus across platforms?
Florida is the safer pick unless you think FSU’s run game finally travels.

🧠 Why It Matters
Almost every analyst says the same thing:
FSU is the better team on paper, but not on the road.

If the Noles finally break the streak, they get their bowl, their breathing room, and a chance to reset the arc of the Norvell era.

👉 Full analysis sourced from Noles247, Warchant & Tomahawk Nation.

And that’s a wrap!

From College Cup clinchers to rivalry-week chaos, today’s slate reflects exactly where FSU sits: elite in some corners, rebuilding in others, and entering Saturday with everything still on the line.

Enjoy your Friday, fuel up for a massive weekend, and as always thank you for riding with The Chief Brief.

Go Noles. Beat Florida.
— Chief