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Yesterday’s Poll Results

Today’s Poll

🏹 Welcome to The Chief Brief! 🏹

Happy Sunday, Seminole.

Friday night brought a dose of reality for Florida State football — a double-overtime loss at Virginia that exposed flaws but also revealed a team hungry to bounce back. From player reflections and defensive breakdowns to a reminder that the season’s goals are still in reach, this edition is packed with perspective on where the Noles go next.

Elsewhere, FSU swimming and diving returned to action with a dominant home Invite sweep, while men’s basketball welcomed four key 2027 recruits to Tallahassee.

Here’s what’s inside today’s Brief:

1️⃣ 🏈 Humbled but Hungry After UVA Loss — mistakes, resilience, and what’s next before Miami.
2️⃣ 📉 Numbers Don’t Lie — the stats that tell the real story of FSU’s defensive struggles.
3️⃣ 📝 Clark’s Take — why this loss hurts but doesn’t derail the season.
4️⃣ 🏊 Noles Sweep the FSU Invite — 32 event wins and a statement start.
5️⃣ 🏀 Hoops Recruiting Weekend — four prospects on campus, early traction in 2027.

Let’s dive in ⬇️

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🏈 Humbled but Hungry After UVA Loss 🏈

Florida State’s offense piled up 514 yards in Charlottesville, but self-inflicted mistakes and missed red-zone chances cost them a 46–38 double-OT loss.

🔥 Costly Start

• Offense sputtered early: a Duce Robinson first-down catch erased by OPI, Gavin Sawchuk fumble, and a red-zone INT by Tommy Castellanos.

• UVA cashed both turnovers into touchdowns, jumping to a 14–0 lead.

⚡ Offensive Surge

• FSU responded with three straight TDs (Sawchuk run, Pittman rush, Castellanos run) to grab a 21–14 lead.

• Duce Robinson shined with 9 catches for 147 yards and a TD.

• Castellanos threw for 254, rushed for 78, and was part of two scores.

📉 Situational Failures

• FSU went just 9-of-20 on 3rd/4th down while UVA hit 9-of-15.

• Noles squandered one red-zone trip; Hoos went 5-for-5.

• Two overtime opportunities fell flat — a near walk-in TD underthrown in 1OT and a game-tying pass overturned in 2OT.

🗣️ What They Said

• Castellanos: “We started out pretty slow. That’s not us … I think we needed this. Guys were riding high … a little adversity. We’ll respond and bounce back.”

• Randy Pittman Jr.: “It comes down to execution early. We had plenty of chances to capitalize.”

• Mike Norvell: “Turned the ball over. Had some big penalties … Just did not get off to the start we needed.”

📌 Why It Matters
The Alabama upset showed FSU’s ceiling. At UVA, the Noles revealed their floor — struggling with discipline and execution. With Miami looming, how this team responds will define their ACC path.

👉 More postgame analysis and quotes here

📉 Numbers Don’t Lie: Defensive Breakdowns Cost FSU at UVA 📉

Florida State’s defense took a major step back in Friday’s double-overtime loss, with numbers showing breakdowns in tackling, run fits, and situational execution.

🔥 Key Defensive Issues

• Missed Tackles: 15 in total, most this season — matching the previous two games combined. Secondary struggled, with Joseph, Rawls, Little, and Wilson each logging multiple whiffs.

• Run Fits: Allowed 2.28 yards per carry before contact (114th nationally if extended). UVA ran Inside Zone 26 times at nearly 2 YBC, winning consistently at the second level.

• Long Drives: UVA’s 11-run TD march in the 3rd quarter ate nearly 7 minutes, exposing LB hesitation and secondary gap fills.

• Pressure Problems: Despite a 35.7% pressure rate, UVA QB Chandler Morris averaged 3.05 seconds to throw. Even when blitzing, he had 3.28 seconds (well above the 2.5 national average).

• Mesh Concepts: UVA’s crossing routes repeatedly hit, with 5-of-6 targets completed for 42 yards.

• Situational Failures:

  • UVA crushed “Late Downs” (73% success vs. FSU’s 52%).

  • Won the “Middle Eight” 0.86 EPA/play to 0.36, despite FSU running more plays.

📌 Why It Matters
Despite piling up 514 yards of offense, FSU’s defensive inefficiency on key downs and failure to tackle cleanly let UVA dictate tempo — a harsh reminder before Miami’s physical offense comes to Tallahassee.

👉 Full beyond-the-box breakdown here

📝 Clark: One Loss, But Everything Still in Play 📝

Florida State’s 46–38 double OT loss at Virginia was sloppy, frustrating, and revealing. But Warchant’s Corey Clark argues the season’s big goals remain firmly intact.

🔥 The Concerns

• Defense looked soft — no pass rush, poor tackling, and UVA dictated the trenches.

• Tony White’s unit must rediscover its physicality fast with Miami looming.

💡 The Positives

• Tommy Castellanos continues to prove he’s a true competitor and playmaker.

• The offense still put up 38 points and 500+ yards on the road despite turnovers.

• One September road loss doesn’t derail a season — especially in the expanded playoff era.

🏟️ The Outlook
Clark frames Friday as either a “blip” or a “wake-up call.” If FSU responds with sharper, tougher play against Miami, everything — ACC contention, a postseason run — is still on the table.

👉 Read Clark’s full column here

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🏊 Noles Sweep FSU Invite to Open Season 🏊

Florida State swimming and diving closed out the 2025 FSU Invite in dominant fashion Saturday morning at the Morcom Aquatics Center, with both the men and women cruising to first-place team finishes. The Seminoles combined for 32 event wins across 44 races in the two-day meet.

🔥 Team Results

• Women: 360 points, defeating Rice (255) and West Virginia (205.5).

• Men: 365 points, topping Purdue (239), WVU (186.5), and Tampa (167.5).

🌟 Standout Performances

• Michel Arkhangelsky (So.): Four total wins (two individual, two relay), including the 100 free (42.75).

• Maryn McDade (So.): Three wins on the weekend, including the 50 fly (23.98) and 100 free (50.03).

• Martina Fanunza (Fr.): Third win in her collegiate debut, leading a 1–2–3 sweep in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.99).

• Logan Robinson (So.): Third victory in the 200 fly (1:43.83).

• Divers: Evelyn Hall won the women’s 1m (252.00), while Hayden Schroeder led a men’s 1–2–3 finish on 3m (288.75).

• Relays: Seminoles swept both the 100 medley and 200 free relays to close out the meet.

📌 Why It Matters
After two years of cancellations due to hurricanes, FSU got its home Invite back — and left no doubt, flashing depth, youth impact, and veteran leadership in a comprehensive team victory.

👉 Full meet results and what’s next here

🏀 FSU Hosts 2027 Hoops Recruits 🏀

Florida State men’s basketball welcomed four prospects from the 2027 class to Tallahassee on Saturday, giving them a chance to tour campus, watch practice, and meet with the staff.

🔥 Prospect Highlights

• Braxton Keathley (PG, Prestonsburg, Ky.) — Unranked guard praised the energy in practice, the family feel of the staff, and plans to return for an official visit.

• Frashad Tisby (3⭐ F, Augusta, Ga.) — No. 133 nationally (No. 115 Composite); offered in June. Impressed by FSU’s academics, nutrition, and overall program structure.

• Henry Robinson (4⭐ F, Deltona, Fla.) — No. 55 nationally (No. 38 Composite); offered in June. Liked the team’s work ethic, chemistry, and family atmosphere.

• Jomar Bernard (4⭐ F, The Villages, Fla.) — No. 71 nationally (No. 60 Composite); offered in May. Hasn’t commented publicly yet.

📌 Why It Matters
FSU is building early traction with multiple Top-100 forwards and a promising Kentucky guard, emphasizing both culture and development in its recruiting pitch.

👉 Full visitor reactions and recruiting breakdown here

And that’s a wrap!

That’ll do it for today’s Brief. Florida State’s setback in Charlottesville stings, but the bigger test comes next: how this team responds against Miami in primetime. Meanwhile, Nole Nation had plenty to cheer with dominant swims at Morcom and promising visitors on the hardwood. One game doesn’t define a season — but this week will go a long way in showing what kind of team the Seminoles truly are.

See you back here tomorrow, and as always — Go Noles! 🍢