00:00But that Florida State game, I don't, the score wasn't, I don't think, indicative of how either game went.
00:08And the fact that Florida State was up 17-7 at halftime, it could have very easily been 14-7
00:15at halftime.
00:16I thought Mike Norvell, I told someone, this is one of my locks of the week.
00:19They were, you know, 35-point favorites or whatever it was.
00:23I'm like, they're going to go out there and try to send a message and show everybody, you know, they're
00:28good.
00:28They've got their confidence back, all of those different things.
00:31And instead, I mean, they kind of limp out of the gates.
00:34They end up winning comfortably, not near close to the spread.
00:38Like, they had a chance, I mean, there was a potential other touchdown that New Mexico State could have had
00:42in that first half that would have cut that deficit, I believe, to around three at halftime.
00:47And I didn't see a team, Bill, that looked more physically dominant than another.
00:53Right, yeah.
00:54Yeah, and I think at a couple parts of this Florida State equation, you mentioned, I thought, my thought process
01:00was exactly the same as yours.
01:02I thought they were going to come out, just take care of business, 52-10, get ready for this Labor
01:07Day showdown against SMU.
01:09They didn't get the push, it's a lot of scrimmage.
01:12You know, you can get, I can't get too technical because you would have to save that for an offensive
01:16line coach.
01:17But I just, New Mexico State guys were in the backfield.
01:20I thought their defense had coverage breakdowns against New Mexico State receivers.
01:26And, you know, it's just the vibe around that program.
01:29All you ever hear is, it's like this dual question, is Mike Norbell on the hot seat one versus, well,
01:37we have a $50 million buyout.
01:39So, we can't really afford to fire him.
01:42I mean, how did you get a $50 million buyout?
01:45I need one of those.
01:48But, because I think I would take it pretty quick.
01:51But, no, I'm joking.
01:53I love my job.
01:54But I'm thinking it's one of those things where it almost feels like they're stuck with him no matter how
02:02this goes.
02:02I didn't think they could have a third losing season at Florida State, and this is where we're at.
02:09Because very few people are giving them a chance to beat SMU on Labor Day in what I really think
02:13is a back-against-the-wall moment for the program.
02:16Yeah, you're completely right about the offensive line, by the way.
02:19They looked flat.
02:20Guys were getting to the quarterback.
02:21They weren't getting any push in the run game, which kind of sucks because their running backs, I feel like,
02:26are spectacular.
02:27Then, Aston Daniels just didn't pop the way you wanted him to.
02:30So, yeah, it's one of those situations where you are stuck with him because why do you want to pay
02:35a coach $50 million to not coach your program?
02:37And Florida State just isn't what they were about 10, 15 years ago where they probably would have done that.
02:42So, it's a crappy situation.
02:44They're really stuck with him.
02:46I hope that they can pick up a big-time upset or something down the line because I was a
02:51former Florida State fan.
02:52So, I want to see them succeed, and I don't think Mike Norvell is the guy to help them succeed.
02:58No, and I'm not sure where they go from here.
03:03They just haven't been the same team since that playoff snub, and it's been two-plus years now.
03:09They still struggle against the run a little bit.
03:11Their schedule is going to be tough.
03:13It doesn't look like, you know, we always – I know it's a generalization.
03:16I get it.
03:17But when you say it doesn't look like Florida State football, it hasn't looked like Florida State football for two
03:23-plus years now.
03:24On either side of the ball, the offense is generally disconnected.
03:29The defense can't stop the run.
03:31They're not playing physical with the line of scrimmage on either side.
03:34You know, they'll have a couple players that will make the league, like Deuce Robinson.
03:38You mentioned the running backs.
03:40I like Trey Wisner a lot.
03:41He didn't get carries until the second half.
03:43So I didn't understand that as well.
03:47And, again, it just comes down to when you look at that SMU game, part of me thinks – it's
03:52kind of like North Carolina last week.
03:54Part of me thinks, all right, they've had their pride tested.
03:56They're going to come out and compete, maybe pull an upset there on Labor Day.
03:59But, I mean, who's picking them to beat this SMU team that has been all of those things that they
04:05haven't been in the last two years?
