FSU Football Looks to Even Record Against Mike Norvell's Alma Mater Central Arkansas

Florida State is coming off a disappointing loss to the Alabama Crimson Tide last weekend. Everyone expected the 'Noles to lose and lose badly, but they jumped out to a 21-6 lead before watching it crumble in the matter of minutes.

They should win games when they score 36 points. However, the defense allowed FIFTY. That led to some tension on the sideline between Mike Norvell and defensive coordinator Tony White, and it was clear that neither was happy.

No one has been fired yet, so that leads us into Florida State's fourth game against Central Arkansas, which happens to be Mike Norvell's alma mater.

No wins come guaranteed anymore, but a matchup against an FCS team just has to be a win for the Seminoles. Even a close game is going to have some very uncomfortable conversations.

There hasn't been as much drama leading into this game, especially compared to last week when athletic director Michael Alford was fired, and the Jimbo Fisher rumors started swelling.

With that said, here are three things I'll be keeping an eye out for.

Sep 19, 2026; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell warms up his team before a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Leong-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Can FSU Take Care of Business Quickly Enough to See Malachi Marshall?

The best part about watching games against lesser competition is that we can see some of the depth players get a chance to shine.

One player everyone has been waiting to see is quarterback Malachi Marshall. The JUCO Offensive Player of the Year has already worked his way to QB2 on the depth chart despite not arriving until the summer.

Marshall has a more live arm, and while he's not much of a runner, FSU needs someone to be a threat to throw the ball deep. We finally saw Ashton Daniels throw downfield against Alabama, and it had some success. The 'Noles have talented skill position players, but Daniels isn't a good enough quarterback to make them work.

Marshall could be, and Saturday could be our first look at what the future might be.

That's going to depend on how quickly Florida State takes care of business, though. We all thought we might see it against New Mexico State, but they could never put them away. That has to change in this game.

That'll come down to the defense, which is currently on pace to have the worst defense in program history by total yardage.

Tre Wisner's Increased Workload

Samuel Singleton went down against Alabama and left the game on crutches, and he's expected to miss an extended amount of time. While they hope he won't be out for the rest of the season, it is certainly possible.

With him down, Ousmane Kromah is the clear RB1 (as if he wasn't already). However, Tre Wisner should see an increased workload due to the injury.

Singleton was mostly the third-down back, as he's much better at catching out of the backfield and in pass protection than Kromah. If they don't want to leave Kromah back there, that should give more playing time to Wisner.

The fanbase has been critical of the staff for the resources they invested in Wisner for him not to really play up to this point. This isn't a very deep room, so Wisner should be the first back on the field after Kromah.

However, if we see freshman Amari Thomas instead of Wisner, the noise is going to get even louder.

Florida State Seminoles running back Quintrevion Wisner (5) dodges defenders. The Florida State Seminoles defeated the New Mexico State Aggies 34-17 at Doak Campbell Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

What Do We Need to Know About Central Arkansas?

Central Arkansas sits 2-2 this season and started with an impressive win over UT Martin. However, they are coming off a 27-9 loss to Southeast Missouri State, and they were blown out by West Florida in the second week.

Quarterback Donovyn Omolo is a true dual threat, leading the team in rushing yards with 404. He and running back Jalen Washington (305 yards) are the ones you have to watch for. They want to run the football, and FSU hasn't been the best in the run game (granted, they've been poor in all phases of defense).

Omolo has thrown 6 TDs and 4 INTs.

Defensively, they're already allowing 28 points per game, but they're only allowing 115 rushing yards per game. They don't have a dominant pass rusher, with 7 different players recording a sack, but no one has more than 1.5 sacks for the season.

Defensive back Bryson Adamoh already has three interceptions, and DB Jacob Sekiyoba has two.

Game Prediction

This HAS to be a blowout. Even if the defense has struggled all year, there is just a clear talent advantage everywhere.

We just haven't seen Florida State's offense blow teams out, or their defense be able to stop anyone. That makes this game tough to predict, even against a bad opponent like Central Arkansas.

You'd also like to see the depth players get in the game to make an impact, but will they be able to hold onto a lead?

Against my better judgment, I'll go with the 'Noles putting up 50+ in this game, which could look like a mistake given how Ashton Daniels has played this season. I'll just bank on Ousmane Kromah being dominant.

Florida State 52, Central Arkansas 9

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