Thomas Castellanos’ season began better than he had expected. He called out Alabama before their Week 1 game, and then he lived his words on the field. The Noles then carried the momentum and dismantled their next two opponents. Deservedly, they were ranked in the top 10 after Week 4. And then… they stumbled. Not to a ranked opponent. To Virginia, of all teams. The double overtime 38-46 loss last Saturday didn’t exactly bring back the horrors of 2024 for Mike Norvell, but it did enough for the prayers to be out. Starting from their QB1.

Castellanos didn’t have a great game against the Cavaliers. The start was off, and by the time he found some rhythm, FSU was chasing the game. But the kind of leader that he is, the accountability must have started from looking at what he could have done better in the game. Now, two days after the game, the quarterback took to Instagram to share a prayer with his followers. The prayer read, “God, take back my life. Take my burdens and remove my fear. Replace all my insecurities and anxieties with your peace. Make my soul responsive to your voice and teach me to trust in your faithfulness. Restore my joy and give me strength for today and hope for tomorrow. Give me a heart that longs to obey your promptings. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

For a man of faith that he is, the prayer may not have anything to do with the result. If you’d ask him, he’d probably place his faith over everything else in his life, including football. But the burdens, fears, insecurities, and anxieties are all that make us human. At the same time, it also takes us away from what truly matters.

For the Noles, though, the Cavaliers’ loss wasn’t just their first defeat of the season. It also meant that the jump they had made in the AP rankings stopped. The No. 8 FSU dropped to No. 18 in the Week 6 rankings. Next up, they have Miami. A conference battle between two heavyweights.

Looking back at Week 5, Mike Norvell would have been disappointed with all phases of the game. Castellanos threw two interceptions, which included the final pass in the 2nd overtime that concluded the game. He also failed to be precise with his throws and reads in tight windows, which halted FSU’s drives. However, Thomas did not bear sole responsibility for the loss.

The O-line could not contain the pressure, which led to Tommy getting sacked two times. The defense was a major concern throughout the game. FSU’s running game was basically nonexistent. The game was neck-to-neck, but it was clear that fumbles from the Seminoles’ side made the game closer than it should have been.

Following the loss, the program learned about another piece of shocking news. College GameDay changed its destination from covering FSU’s game against Miami to now going to Alabama for its game against Vanderbilt. Rumors suggest that their loss shifted the hype away from the game and crushed the dreams of FSU fans, who had waited 11 years to host the show.

No GameDay will not be a problem for Thomas Castellanos and FSU, says AD

The loss against Virginia meant more than just the end of their winning streak. It also meant that they would miss out on hosting GameDay. The news broke the hearts of the fans. However, AD Michael Alford assured that there will be a replacement for the program in the game against Miami.

On X, the athletic director announced that ACC Huddle and ACC Network would host the game on Sunday. The post read, “We are excited to welcome the ACC Huddle & ACC Network back to Tallahassee for one of the best rivalries in CFB.” Basically, he meant that the historic rivalry does not need the ‘approval’ of GameDays to sell the hype.

The classic matchups have delivered nail-biting games, with most of them decided by a single score. Miami is the favorite going into this matchup, with a four-match winning streak. But an angry 3-1 FSU side, fresh off a close loss against Virginia, could make things difficult for the Canes.