FSU Football's Final Ranking Disappointing But Not Surprising

A promising early start turned into a disaster for Florida State during the 2025 season.

The Seminoles shocked the Alabama Crimson Tide and the country in Week 1, storming the field in Doak Campbell Stadium with a 31-17 victory. FSU followed that up with routs of East Texas A&M and Kent State, rising into the top-10 of the AP Poll and looking like a potential College Football Playoff contender.

Everything began to fall off a cliff after Florida State was upset by Virginia in late September. The Seminoles would lose their next four games, including a dismal defeat on the West Coast to Stanford, which started speculation that head coach Mike Norvell was on thin ice.

FSU ran away from Wake Forest and Virginia Tech in Tallahassee in the second half of the year. However, the Seminoles failed to get the job done on the road. Needing one victory in its final two games to qualify for the postseason, Florida State fumbled away an opportunity against North Carolina State and didn't even bother showing up in Gainesville.

It's been over two years since the Seminoles won a game away from home. Florida State is a combined 7-17 overall since the beginning of the 2024 season. Either way, the program put its confidence behind Norvell for at least another year.

That's why it's not a surprise to see where FSU slots in the rankings at the conclusion of 2025-26.

Florida State Barely Breaks Top 70 Of Final College Football Rankings

Nov 1, 2025; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell during the first quarter against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | Melina Myers-Imagn Images

Following the national championship, The Athletic released a final ranking of all 136 teams in the FBS.

Florida State came in at No. 68, one spot behind the team that ended its season for the second time since 2021, the Florida Gators. The Seminoles were the 12th-ranked team in the ACC, sitting well below Miami (No. 2), Virginia (No. 16), and SMU (No. 26).

Some of the programs ahead of FSU included UConn, New Mexico, San Diego State, UNLV, Old Dominion, Hawaii, Western Michigan, and Ohio.

The Seminoles did find themselves higher on the ladder than Kennesaw State, Jacksonville State, Troy, and Western Kentucky, all of which won eight or more games.

FSU will look to rebound with a revamped roster and coaching staff going into 2026. The program was recently ranked at No. 22 in USA Today's Way-Too-Early Top 25.

Florida State opens the campaign with a week 0 matchup against New Mexico State on Saturday, August 29. The Seminoles already know all 12 of their opponents, but the dates of each game will be unveiled on Monday night.

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