FSU Football Given Major Surprising Take Ahead of 2026 Season

The Florida State Seminoles are coming off a 2-10 season in 2024, followed by a 5-7 season in 2025, which left some head-scratching moments for Seminole fans hoping for the Garnet and Gold to end a year with a College Football Playoff berth and another bowl game.

The Seminoles have dusted off old ties, brought in fresh talent in both the roster and staff, and look to charge ahead this fall. While the outlook for FSU's 2026 season hasn't exactly been favorable for the 'Noles, one ESPN analyst sees this year's team as a sleeper and one to watch out for.

ESPN's Greg McElroy Thinks Florida State Could Have a Breakout Year

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

ESPN's Greg McElroy, who hosts Always College Football, believes that the Seminoles will bounce back with the raw talent on the roster and a continuity built with head coach Mike Norvell calling plays.

"Hear me out. I know that we've gone down this path before. I pick Florida State. If you look at just their talent alone. They have the weapons," McElroy said. "They have dudes. They have speed. They have athleticism. What they haven't had is consistency. Because when you look at Florida State as a sleeper, the expectation is often uncertainty because there have been such ups and downs, and they're a hard team to trust, but the upside is clear."

Florida State brought in Auburn quarterback Ashton Daniels through the transfer portal this past offseason and is competing for the starting job against Kevin Sperry, Malachi Marshall, and Dean DeNobile. McElroy believes that Daniels will win the QB1 spot and the staff pieces put in place this past offseason will only help bolster their chances for success.

"At quarterback, if we're projecting forward, I'm going to assume that Ashton Daniels will be the 2026 starter," McElroy continued. "The coaching of Florida State, layering if you will with a bit of a shift when Gus Malzahn decided to retire, but to stay within the system, Tim Harris was promoted to OC, and it sounded like Mike Norvell is going to handle the down-to-down playcalling, and he is one of the best in the country when it comes to calling plays."

Norvell Reclaiming Control of the Offense

Still, the constant rotation at the offensive coordinator position has become a trend that hasn't benefited the Seminoles. Florida State hired Gus Malzahn after parting ways with former offensive coordinator Alex Atkins, and although Florida State led the ACC in total offense and rushing offense in 2025, it failed to meet expectations for a second year in a row. A switch back to Norvell calling plays, to McElroy, represents a major shift in the road just two seasons after winning the ACC in 2023.

"It is a massive fork in the road... Because when Norvell calls plays, you're going to get a little quarterback run, you're going to get a little more RPO structure, you're going to get a little more misdirection and deception, stressing all parts of the field, including the middle, and Daniels really fits that role. He's not just a passer, but he's a runner that can really alter the math for the opposing defense."

Florida State opens the season against New Mexico State on August 29 before navigating a challenging stretch against SMU and Alabama, followed by a tune-up against Central Arkansas. The Seminoles face three teams ranked inside College Football Network’s top five in the ACC power rankings and will enter the season with a chip on their shoulder amid an early proving ground.

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