The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly: FSU Football vs. Central Arkansas

The Florida State Seminoles moved to 2-2 (0-1 ACC) on Saturday in their 34-7 victory over Central Arkansas (2-3)

The 'Noles were expected to win as they entered the matchup as over 40-point favorites, and they did just that. Florida State's offense sustained drives as needed against an underpowered Bears defense.

The Good: Running Back Ousmane Kromah and Wide Receiver Jayvan Boggs

Quarterback Ashton Daniels finished the night completing 12 of 18 passes for 224 yards through the air with one interception and rushing for 34 yards.

Kromah found the end zone two times and neared his third straight 100-yard rushing performance with 86 yards. His ability to see the field and break tackles really stands out in Florida State's run game.

Wide receiver Jayvan Boggs got into the mix early and led the team in receiving yards with 122 on six receptions and a score.

The Bad: Discipline on the Seminole Defense

Sep 26, 2026; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Florida State Seminoles defensive coordinator Tony White before a game against the Central Arkansas Bears at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Although it was a blowout victory, the defense still has coverage issues that have plagued Florida State all season. They showed this last weekend in FSU's 50-36 loss to Alabama.

The Seminole defense and special teams made too many early mistakes and gave the Bears extra chances to stay in the game. A roughing-the-punter penalty in the first quarter and an ensuing defensive holding penalty allowed Central Arkansas to extend its possession and eat up time while keeping Florida State's offense off the field.

A facemask penalty later in the game by Ricky Knight III, followed by a pass interference penalty by Nehemiah Chandler, gave the Bears an opportunity to score their first points of the game.

All in all, Florida State committed 10 penalties for 115 yards before the backups came in late in the fourth quarter.

Ashton Daniels' interception didn't help, although it was somewhat negated by the half ending.

It just wouldn’t be an FSU game without Ashton Daniels throwing a pick. 🫠 pic.twitter.com/IEZVomjQqw
— TJ Salomone (@TJSalomone) September 26, 2026

FSU gave up 22 first downs, and if Bears quarterback Donovyn Omolo had been more accurate, it would've been a lot more. Omolo was 15 of 30 for 138 yards on the night.

The Ugly: Central Arkansas' Offense

Sep 26, 2026; Tallahassee, Florida, USA; Central Arkansas Bears head coach Nathan Brown during the first half against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak S. Campbell Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Melina Myers-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Florida State scored a touchdown on nearly every drive of the first half, minus Daniels' interception and a field goal on the offense's third drive.

FSU outpaced UCA 419 to 218 in total yards before the backups came in, and the Bears never really got anything going on offense aside from a couple of big runs. A lot of their third-down conversions came off of mistakes and penalties.

Central Arkansas's leading rusher was Jalen Washington, who had 43 yards on the ground on 13 carries halfway through the fourth quarter.

It was a game where Florida State's defense was expected to show up, and they did at times, but the penalties and soft coverage inflated Central Arkansas's stats.

Florida State will return to Doak Campbell Stadium on October 3 when they host the Virginia Cavaliers.

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