Florida State’s season continued its freefall Saturday night, undone by penalties, missed chances, and one final yard.
The Seminoles fell 20-13 at Stanford, their fourth straight loss, as freshman quarterback Kevin Sperry’s last-second completion to Gavin Sawchuk was stopped at the 1-yard line when time expired.
“We had opportunities,” head coach Mike Norvell said. “We got down there and to score there on the last play and have a chance [and] I felt good about where we were, but unfortunately we don’t get that back.”
The heartbreak capped another uneven night for an offense that moved the ball but couldn’t finish drives. Florida State was flagged 13 times, erasing gains and killing momentum in key spots.
“Just to start off, I didn’t have them ready to play tonight,” Norvell admitted. “What we just watched on that field was not anything toward what we invest and work and pour our time into. That did not show up tonight.”
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Sperry replaced Tommy Castellanos late, finishing 4-of-7 for 69 yards, including the final throw that came up inches short. Castellanos went 14-for-28 for 242 yards and rushed for the team’s only touchdown.
“That call, it’s a multiple-option play,” Norvell explained. “Kevin did a good job as he pushed to the edge and played for the shovel underneath. The running back followed the guard. I thought he was laying on the guard and continued to get pushed to try to get himself in.”
Now 3-4, the Seminoles enter their bye week reeling and facing uncomfortable questions about where the season and the program is headed.
“I’m pouring everything I have into this university with every bit of the work, the focus, the absolute edge and urgency to get this better,” Norvell said when asked about his job status. “At the end of the day, it’s about the on-field results, and we’ve come up short…I believe in the administration, in what we stand for, and in how we need to do it,” he added. “But the results have not been good enough, and they have to get better. That’s something I’m going to continue to put everything I have into, and it has to happen fast.”
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