It doesn’t make any sense how fast the walls caved in on Florida State. We went from the Seminoles flexing as 8-0 juggernauts with ACC crowns in sight… to 2–10 punchlines with broken dreams and busted vibes. That’s not a fall. That’s a whole skydiving accident without a parachute. Mike Norvell watched his empire turn into ashes, and the offseason? Mike Norvell went all out. Brought in Gus Malzahn to save the offense, added shifty QB Thomas Castellanos to cook… but is that enough to avoid another faceplant? Let’s break it all the way down.

Mike Norvell’s whole situation needs a documentary. You can’t be a top-10 team in August and end up watching bowl season from the couch. But that’s exactly what went down in Tallahassee. Injuries hit. The locker room vibe went south. DJ Uiagalelei was selling games in the pocket. Transfers dipped like they were running from a fire. And by January, Norvell was in full-blown rebuild mode.

He made some aggressive moves though. Hiring Gus Malzahn as OC was a big swing. The former Auburn and UCF coach brings tempo, experience, and creativity—something FSU was flat-out starving for last year. Fired their DC and dialed Tony White to run the defence. Add in Thomas Castellanos, the elusive QB from Boston College, and suddenly the Seminoles got a little juice again. Castellanos isn’t a traditional pocket guy, but that man can improvise, extend plays, and make defenders look silly. He might be the most entertaining QB FSU’s had since Jameis, and Jordan Travis—if the O-line holds up.

But the real story? Recruiting. The future. That’s where the heat is. On May 14, FSU insider Brian Smith hopped on the Locked In Seminoles podcast and kept it one hundred about the talent gap: “Florida—I’m just going to put as neutral right now. It’s kind of par because their recruiting class isn’t very good, and I’m being kind. And their recruiting class…whole bunch of great visits coming up. Their list is even better than Florida State’s, to be honest, for May and June. Both these programs have question marks, and recruits are a little leery. So I think it’s fair to leave them out. But right now, I think Florida State is losing overall, even though they’ve gotten better.”

Translation? Even Florida—who is in its own mess—is low-key beating FSU in talent hunting. Right now, depending on who you ask, FSU’s 2026 class ranks somewhere between No. 12 and No. 20. Sounds solid, right? But dig deeper: they lost their top QB commit, Brady Smigiel, in January. Smigiel had a cannon arm, West Coast swagger, and was supposed to be the centerpiece. He dipped and committed to Michigan instead. Since then, FSU’s been scrambling. They’re now chasing four-star QBs like Landon Duckworth and Bowe Bentley—but the SEC sharks are circling. Georgia, Ole Miss, LSU, and even Deion Sanders‘ Colorado are all lurking. And without a high-end quarterback locked in, it’s hard to sell elite receivers and O-linemen on the dream.

That’s not all. Florida State’s class does have some local talents and 4 stars—Efrem White, Amari Thomas, Darryon Williams—but the momentum’s slowed. It feels like other programs are speeding up while FSU’s stuck in traffic. Meanwhile, in Gainesville? Gators are fighting their own recruiting demons. Billy Napier’s 2026 class is ranked No. 41 right now. Only one commit? Four-star QB Will Griffin. He’s got talent, no doubt, but the rest of the class? Crickets.

Napier’s staff already took some bruises: lost four-star LB Izayia Williams to Ole Miss, and Jaelen Waters bounced after Will Harris left the secondary gig. Still, they’re in the mix for five-star freak Kaiden Prothro—a WR/TE hybrid built like a linebacker but moves like a wideout. They also hollered at the #2 wideout Cederian Morgan. If Florida lands him, it could flip the narrative quick.

So yeah, FSU and Florida are both throwing haymakers, but right now, the Gators have a better visit list for summer. And in the recruiting game, it’s not just who you land—it’s who you keep showing up at your doorstep.

Florida Gators vs Florida State: 2025 squad talent

Now, let’s get gritty. Forget stars and rankings for a sec. What are these teams really rolling into 2025 with? Florida State got that “we need to prove something” energy. After going 2-10, the locker room had no choice but to hit reset. Castellanos is the X-factor with a lot to prove. Thomas is low-key hit or miss like DJ Uiagalelei.

The backfield looks spicy with Oklahoma transfer Gavin Sawchuk. That man got burners. Combine that with Duce Robinson (former 5-star) and Squirrel White at receiver, and you’ve got a potentially explosive offense—IF the offensive line, rebuilt with transfer starters, can hold the line.

On defense, it’s patchwork but promising. Syracuse transfer Jeremiah Wilson at corner can lock wideouts up. At linebacker, Elijah Herring and Caleb LaVallee bring speed and toughness. But the D-line is still a question mark. James Williams has tools, but he’s gotta produce. Scheme-wise, Tony White’s new 3-3-5 setup could throw teams off if the secondary holds up.

Across the state, Florida’s got a little more balance. DJ Lagway is THAT GUY. Top 5 QB in the country according to many analysts. That Kentucky game? Straight-up highlight reel. Pair him with Jadan Baugh, who dropped five tuddies in one game, and suddenly the Gators’ backfield is nasty. Eugene Wilson III brings elite speed on the outside, and new UCLA transfer Michael Sturdivant—rated 88 overall in CFB 25—is ready to cook. The O-line is sturdy, led by veterans Jake Slaughter and Austin Barber. This unit can keep Lagway upright, and when he’s clean, he’s dangerous.

Defensively, Florida has playmakers. Tyreak Sapp off the edge is a certified disruptor. Caleb Banks holds it down in the middle. Aaron Chiles is a name to remember at linebacker—versatile. In the secondary, Jordan Castell plays with his eyes in the back of his head. He’s the type of safety that makes QBs second-guess. In short? Florida’s got more returning talent. More chemistry. FSU? It’s boom or bust. High ceiling. Low floor.

But Norvell better hope it’s boom—‘cause if it’s another bust? We might be talking job openings in Tallahassee come December.