FSU vs. Stanford 2025 Recap: Seminoles Hit Rock Bottom, Lose 20-13

The low point for the Florida State Seminoles should have been the 2-10 season in 2024. However, their Week 8 contest against Stanford might be the final nail in the coffin for Mike Norvell. The team looked uninspired and never showed the type of passion or urgency needed to break their ACC losing streak. Now the question is, does Norvell get fired immediately, or does he manage to somehow save his job? It does not seem many people can defend Norvell anymore, and it is time for a change.

FSU Seminoles vs. Stanford Cardinals 2025 Game Recap

Early Mistakes

It should have been a sign that it would be a tough night when the Seminoles had a delay of the game penalty before their first offensive play. After a field goal by Stanford, FSU drove down the field and was set to tie the game with a 51-yard field goal. Unbelievably, the Seminoles let the play clock expire, and the extra five yards ended up being the difference in a successful field goal.

The defense wanted to join the party of mistakes. In the second quarter, the unit stopped Stanford and the Cardinal would miss the field goal attempt. However, it was fourth and four, and Edwin Joseph jumped offsides to give the Cardinal a first down. Three plays later, Joseph would get beat on a slant and Stanford would cash in on the FSU mistake.

Castellanos Keeps Competing

It was obvious that Tommy Castellanos was not healthy in this game. However, this did not stop him from putting his body on the line. He had to constantly create for the offense and ran the ball 14 times for just 33 yards. The Seminoles were struggling in the first half before Castellanos took off running and did a flip while reaching the ball over the pylon for a touchdown.

The injuries, however, kept Castellanos from having his normal accuracy on deep balls down the field. He missed high many times. And late in the fourth quarter, he missed a wide open Micahi Danzy that would have been a game-tying touchdown. While the performance wasn’t necessarily there, there is no questioning the heart of Castellanos.

Up and Down Defense

The FSU defense struggled early on in the game against Stanford. In the first half, they allowed three of the first five possessions to end in a score. After an injury to both Stanford’s starting quarterback and running back, the defense played much better in the second half. They were able to force four punts in the latter half, and only allowed seven points. There were issues with the defense, but their play kept Florida State alive even with the offense being mostly ineffective all night.

What’s next in Week 9?

Four losses in a row and nine straight in the ACC. The undefeated season in 2023 is well in the past, and the results of the last 19 games are not acceptable for Florida State. This was a crucial game to get some good vibes before the bye week. Instead, the Seminoles came out flat and had too many mistakes early in the game. Yet with that said, there is no quit in this team. Despite the struggles, they continued to fight until the end of the game, which should mean something. The Seminoles are on a bye in Week 9. And as of right now, it remains to be seen if they have a new head coach by the time they play Wake Forest.