Mike Norvell didn’t mince words after Florida State’s 50-36 loss to No. 10 Alabama, telling reporters straight up, “I’m pissed off that we didn’t win the game.” Quarterback Ashton Daniels and linebacker Chris Jones also spoke after the crushing defeat at Bryant-Denny Stadium, a game where the Seminoles “battled” but simply couldn’t get enough crucial stops.
From Dominance To Disaster
You wanna talk about a gut punch? FSU came out firing, taking a commanding 21-6 lead early against the Crimson Tide. They still held a respectable 21-13 advantage when a weather delay stopped play late in the first half. What happened next? Disaster, man. Alabama went on an absolute tear after that, scoring on nine straight possessions. Norvell called that stretch of 20 unanswered points late in the first half “an awful sequence of that game,” and you can’t argue with him. While he thought the guys handled the delays well early on, he admitted they didn’t come out of the halftime break “as well.” It’s brutal when you start that hot and then watch it all slip away.
Defense Not Good Enough. Period.
Norvell’s frustration was palpable, especially when talking about the defense. He was blunt: that side of the ball is “not good enough” right now. Look, SMU and Alabama have good offenses, no doubt, but giving up more than 550 yards in two straight games is a massive problem. That kind of defensive performance just isn’t going to cut it, especially when you’re blowing big leads. Norvell said they’ve been close in games, “but the results have not been good enough.” It’s tough love, but it’s the truth. FSU is now sitting at 1-2, and that road losing streak has officially hit 10 games. Ouch.
It’s a tough pill to swallow for FSU fans right now. Norvell closed by saying, “At the end of the day, this team is growing.” Growth is good, but when you’re blowing leads to top-10 teams and watching your defense get carved up, you gotta wonder how fast that growth can turn into wins.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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