Florida State had Louisville right where it wanted them. The ACC matchup saw the Seminoles race out to a fast 14-0 lead on Friday night in Louisville. Head coach Mike Norvell had a golden chance to stretch that lead from inside the Cardinals’ five-yard line. But instead of taking a simple field goal, Norvell gambled and kept his offense on the field on fourth down. The risky call blew up in his face. On the very next snap, Louisville running back Isaac Brown broke free for a 97-yard touchdown, igniting a massive comeback that ended in a painful 44-20 loss for FSU.

The October 9 loss was another tough result for the Seminoles, who have now dropped 13 straight games away from home when neutral-site contests are included. And after such a promising start, the way the game slipped away will leave plenty for Norvell and his team to review.

Sports Illustrated’s Senior Writer, Pat Forde, pointed to it right away. “Florida State-Louisville turned completely on one play, when Mike Norvell said no to a FG and 17-0 lead and was stopped on fourth down inside the 5. We’ll see if it stays turned in the Cardinals’ favor,” Forde wrote on X on October 10.

Florida State was in a position to take a 17-0 lead when it reached Louisville’s two-yard line. Instead of kicking a field goal, Norvell backed his offense to get the touchdown. The Seminoles went with a screen pass to Jasen Lopez, but Louisville read the play and stopped it before Florida State could reach the end zone.

That decision gave the Cardinals the ball, and Brown made the most of the opportunity. On Louisville’s very next play, he broke through the defense and sprinted 97 yards for a touchdown. The score brought Louisville back into the game and gave the home side a huge lift.

Look at it this way: a simple field goal gives FSU a three-score 17-0 lead and puts all the pressure on Louisville. Instead, by giving up the ball inside the five-yard line, Norvell didn’t just lose three points. He flipped the field, broke his team’s momentum, and gave Louisville a 97-yard gift that woke up their entire stadium. That single high-risk decision killed FSU’s confidence and triggered a total defensive meltdown for the next three quarters.

Louisville made sure the momentum stayed on its side. Florida State went three-and-out on its next possession, and the Cardinals followed with a seven-play, 59-yard drive that ended with Marquise Davis scoring from three yards out. The game was tied at 14, and the Seminoles had lost the advantage they built early.

Once the Cardinals found their rhythm, Florida State struggled to slow them down. Louisville scored 35 consecutive points after falling behind 14-0, turning a promising start for the Seminoles into a 24-point defeat.

“FSU was looking really good up 14-0 tonight, but then they fell victim to a classic blunder: giving up 28 points in a row,” the Reddit CFB account posted on X.

Although the post referred to 28 straight points, Louisville ultimately put together a run of 35 unanswered points during its comeback.

Brown was a major reason for the Cardinals’ success. Along with his 97-yard touchdown, he scored on a 68-yard run in the fourth quarter and helped Louisville repeatedly find space on the ground. He also returned a kickoff 71 yards to open the second half.

Louisville finished with 397 rushing yards, well above the 163.9 yards per game it averaged entering the matchup. The Cardinals scored six rushing touchdowns, with four players finding the end zone on the ground. Florida State’s defense had looked sharp in its 38-7 win over Virginia the previous week, but it could not carry that performance into Friday night.

There was still a major milestone for Florida State quarterback Ashton Daniels. His seven-yard rushing touchdown helped the Seminoles take an early lead and gave him his 10th rushing touchdown of the season, setting a new program record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a single season.

Daniels moved past Tommy Castellanos, who recorded nine rushing touchdowns in 2025. What made the achievement stand out was how quickly Daniels reached the mark, doing so in just six games.

“FLORIDA STATE HISTORY. Ashton Daniels has BROKEN FSU’s single-season QB rushing TD record! Ashton Daniels (2026) – 10 TDs. Tommy Castellanos (2025) – 9 TDs. Daniels did it in just SIX GAMES,” Novig posted on X.

He broke a tie with Castellanos, who needed all 12 games last year to get to nine. Daniels had five rushing scores in the win over Virginia a week earlier.

The rest of the night was harder. Daniels went 21-for-37 for 209 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, and he hit just 9 of 19 passes in the second half. He ran 13 times for 45 yards. Receivers dropped passes, and he looked hesitant in the pocket after the stop on Lopez. Louisville sacked him four times, and his interception came after the game was already out of reach.

One of his touchdown throws did stand out. It went behind Micahi Danzy, who made a one-handed catch. Ousmane Kromah ran for 88 yards, his sixth straight game with at least 80.

FSU’s road woes continue

The loss pushed FSU’s road losing streak to 13 straight when you include neutral-site games. The Seminoles are now 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the ACC. The Athletic’s senior writer, Chris Vannini, added a twist to the stat. “2023 ACC Champion Brock Glenn leading Western Kentucky to an opening touchdown against Missouri State,” he posted on X.

That’s the same Brock Glenn who was the quarterback the last time FSU won on the road. Some fans are already saying the fourth-down call could be what costs Norvell his job.

Sitting at 3-3 overall and 1-2 in the ACC, Florida State’s hopes for an ACC title game spot are practically over before mid-October. To even reach a bowl game, the Seminoles must win three of their final six game, which is a tough task with ranked rivals like Miami and Clemson up next. Norvell is under contract through 2031, so a firing isn’t simple, but losses like this make his hot seat burn much hotter among fans and boosters who expect wins, not gambles.

There’s no time to dwell on it. FSU plays at Miami on October 17, has a bye, then hosts Clemson on October 31. After that come trips to Boston College and Pittsburgh, then NC State at home and the Florida game on Nov. 27. One call doesn’t decide a season. But Friday showed how quickly a night can swing when a team turns down points.