ESPN's Greg McElroy Raises One Big Question About FSU Football

Anyone who has followed Florida State over the past few seasons understands that there is no shortage of questions surrounding the program. How the program responds this fall won't just shape Mike Norvell's future in Tallahassee, but it could influence the national perception of one of the sport's most recognizable brands.

ESPN analyst Greg McElroy recently tied the Seminoles into a much larger picture in college football and offered an interesting, albeit bleak, outlook for the sport, which included Clemson and Nebraska.

Three Historic Programs Face Uncertain Futures

Sep 23, 2023; Clemson, South Carolina, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Dabo Swinney and Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell before a game at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images | Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

McElroy argued that Florida State's struggles are part of a broader trend in college football, where the brand recognition is there but the wins have declined in recent years, explaining why he believes Florida State, Clemson, and Nebraska share more in common than many realize.

"There is no question that they are three of the most recognizable brands in the sport. You've got multiple national champions," McElroy said. "And millions upon millions of fans who show up on the name alone, and right now all three are kind of stuck."

Florida State's record and steep descent following its 2023 ACC championship have left much of the college football world perplexed. With a little more than two months remaining until the season begins, the Seminoles won't have an opportunity to answer those questions on the field as Mike Norvell's rebuild takes shape in a changing landscape.

"Then there is Florida State, and this one is pretty spectacular because the Seminoles won the ACC in 2023, got snubbed from the playoffs, and then spent two years lighting a lot of goodwill on fire," McElroy continued. "17 losses in 24 months for a program that was just conference champions just two seasons ago is a hard thing to wrap your head around."

A Changing Landscape in College Football

Sep 23, 2017; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles symbol Chief Osceola and Renegade plant the spear at midfield before the start of a game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Doak Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-Imagn Images | Melina Vastola-Imagn Images

While McElroy said he hopes Florida State succeeds, he believes the Seminoles' 2026 campaign could say a lot about the future of college football's traditional powers if they fail to deliver the results that fans are accustomed to.

"It means the era of the traditional blue blood; you could make a case that it is over. It means that a trophy case and a famous fight song just don't buy wins in the same way that they once did."

Whether that ultimately proves true is up in the air. Florida State, Clemson, and Nebraska have each arrived at this point for very different reasons, making it difficult to draw broad conclusions about the future of college football from three programs alone.

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