Florida State and Virginia delivered one of the most entertaining games of the season yet. The Seminoles went toe-to-toe against the Cavaliers in a double-overtime ACC clash. But FSU ultimately fell short, conceding a 46-38 defeat, their first of the season. While it could’ve gone either way, defensive and offensive errors and early, unlikely missed plays from QB Thomas Castellanos made the game closer than it should have been. CFB analyst David Pollack warned the Noles that they must improve on both sides of the ball if they want to have any chance of the playoffs.

Gavin Sawchuk‘s early fumble in FSU’s second drive gave Virginia a favorable field advantage, which they converted into a touchdown. FSU also got flagged for a pass interception on Duce Robinson, which hurt their drive. Needless to say, the offense looked lost in the early stages of the game. FSU’s continued mistakes helped Virginia get back in the game. On the September 28 episode of his podcast, David Pollack said, “They got down 14, turned the football over a couple of times, you know, made a bunch of mistakes early. And when you make mistakes early, you give Virginia life. And then Virginia did what they were supposed to do.”

The defense was also not on point for FSU, as they struggled to get off blocks and disrupt Virginia’s runs. In the third quarter, FSU’s defense got run on, conceding 11 out of 12 runs and 66 rushing yards. Defense was a major concern throughout the game, and it could not withstand Virginia’s offense in the later stages. It seemed like they couldn’t get into the game at all.

Pollack also pointed out FSU’s lack of creativity in its passing game. “If you can get Florida State to somehow play behind or have to make plays in the passing game, that’s definitely their Achilles heel,” said Pollack. Even though it’s their first loss of the season, the faults on both sides of the ball are a major headache for HC Mike Norvell, who will have to sort them out before playing against Miami next week.

“I find it really hard to believe that they’re going to be able to run against Miami with those frea-ing a-s kicking Jesses in the box. Like those dudes are out for blood. They get in the backfield. They got a bunch of guys; they can chase Tommy,” said Pollack about FSU on their matchup against Miami.

However, one positive from the match was Thomas Castellanos’s performance. He started the game shaky, but the quarterback was warmed up by the end of the game. Castellanos put up a good fight, throwing for 254 yards and 1 passing TD. He was lethal throughout, rushing for 78 yards and scoring 1 rushing TD. Furthermore, he also helped in forcing overtime, throwing a precise 11-yard strike to Randy Pittman Jr. in the end zone for a touchdown. But the offensive line was not sharp enough to protect Castellanos, and he was sacked two times. That O-line issue ultimately cost the Noles the game in the second overtime when Castellanos was forced to rush his pass, resulting in an incompletion.

Virginia loss took away College GameDay

The loss to Virginia was certainly tough for Florida State fans to swallow. However, they didn’t have to wait long for a reason to celebrate. Just a week later, College GameDay announced its return to Tallahassee for the first time in 11 years, giving Seminole fans a long-awaited moment of joy. Well, it seems like they will have to wait a long time for their moment. College GameDay just confirmed that they will be traveling to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to cover the matchup between Alabama and Vanderbilt.

There could be multiple reasons for the snub. The narrative mostly points to FSU’s loss, which reduced the hype for the game against Miami. Another reason is that the matchup between Alabama and Vanderbilt is a revenge game for the home side after they lost away last year.

Whatever the reason might be, FSU fans would be heartbroken at the news. They have waited for a decade, with the last GameDay happening there in 2014. This development also raises broader questions about FSU’s identity and how the program is viewed by fans and critics alike.