Florida State got off to a similarly poor start in recovering from last season's playoff exit and historic loss to Georgia in the Orange Bowl.
Just one year after coming off an undefeated season and contending for a playoff berth, the Seminoles fell to an 0-3 start on Saturday with a 20-12 loss to FBS Memphis, a team Florida State paid $1.3 million to include as a buy-in game on this year's schedule, but ended up losing.
Later, after the game, Florida State head coach Mike Norvell had to cut his post-game press conference short because of a fire alarm at the team facility.
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The fire alarm saved the head coach from having to go into any more of the gory details behind his team's heartbreaking loss.
“We all have to try harder,” Norvell said in the post-match press conference. “We can't keep going out there and showing something that's completely different to who we are, so we all have to prepare better. They haven't stopped trying.”
Florida State is currently winless since losing four straight games and its infamous exit from last year's College Football Playoff.
A panoramic view of Florida State Seminoles fans with bags over their heads during a game against the Memphis Tigers at Doak Campbell Stadium at Bobby Bowden Field in Tallahassee, Florida on September 14, 2024. The Tigers defeated the Seminoles, 20-12. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** (Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
Florida State began the season with a heartbreaking 24-21 loss to Georgia Tech in Dublin, Ireland, one week before the remainder of college football play began. Things got even worse on Sept. 2, when they fell to 0-2 with a 28-13 loss to Boston College.
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“I'm disappointed with the way this season started,” Norvell said after the loss to Boston College. “We came up short in every aspect. We obviously didn't show them what I believe this football team is about and it's disappointing. I apologize to our fans, to everyone associated with this team. I'm disappointed that we didn't do better.”
But the Seminoles' first two losses both came against more legitimate opponents.
But the loss on Saturday, coming just after the team's bye week, was even more unexpected given that they were favored by 6.5 points.
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Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell conferred with his team during a game against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Truist Field in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on Oct. 28, 2023. Florida State won, 41-16. (Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
The Seminoles also likely won't have the luxury of playing opponents they've paid to play on their schedule anytime soon.
The next three games are all against ACC rivals, starting with a trip to Cal next Saturday before facing conference newcomer SMU. After that, Florida State takes on longtime conference rival Clemson, who is looking to overcome a tough start to the season after a tough loss to Georgia in Week 1.
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