Noles News: FSU is a perfect 20-for-20 in red zone this season

Recruiting

Mike Norvell and the Florida State Seminoles landed a verbal commitment from 2026 South Florida athlete Darryl “Tre” Bell III on Tuesday — Bell III plays for Goleman Senior High in Hialeah, Florida. He is currently unranked in the 2026 cycle, and he chose the Seminoles over offers from the likes of the Louisville Cardinals, FAU Owls, and Charlotte 49ers.

The 6’0, 175 pound Bell plays on both sides of the ball for his high school team, but FSU is recruiting him as a safety. Mike Norvell personally extended the offer back in May. He becomes the second 2026 commitment for Florida State, alongside 4-star stud wide receiver Devin Carter.

Florida State Seminoles football 2024 commitments

QUARTERBACK: 4 star Luke Kromenhoek (GA)

RUNNING BACK: 4 star Kam Davis (GA)

RUNNING BACK: 4 star Micahi Danzy (FL)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Camdon Frier (FL)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Lawayne McCoy (FL)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star BJ Gibson (GA)

WIDE RECEIVER: 4 star Elijah Moore (MD)

TIGHT END: 5 star Landen Thomas (GA)

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 4 star Jonathan Daniels (FL)

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 3 star Tye Hylton (FL)

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 4 star Manasse Itete (CA)

OFFENSIVE LINEMAN: 3 star Jayden Todd (GA)

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: 4 star DD Holmes (DC)

DEFENSIVE LINEMAN: 3 star Jamorie Flagg (FL)

LINEBACKER: 3 star Jayden Parrish (FL)

LINEBACKER: 3 star Timir Hickman-Collins (SC)

DEFENSIVE BACK: 5 star KJ Bolden (GA)

DEFENSIVE BACK: 5 star Charles Lester III (FL)

DEFENSIVE BACK: 4 star Ricky Knight III (FL)

DEFENSIVE BACK: 3 star CJ Heard (GA)

KICKER: 3 star Jake Weinberg (FL)

Football

No. 4 Florida State (5-0, 3-0 ACC) is prepping to take on the Syracuse Orange (4-2, 0-2 ACC) this Saturday inside Doak Campbell Stadium at noon. Tueday’s practice featured a back-and-forth between the offense and defense that Norvell described as a “good work day.”

As he does after each Florida State practice, our Jordan Silversmith offered some insight and three storylines he thought stood above the rest:

“Gotta be dominant!”

Mike Norvell shouted at his special teams unit as they began drills for the first time since Saturday’s debacle. The usual intensity and speed came through for the Seminoles in their opening practice for Syracuse week. The defense had the upper hand early, as they produced two sacks during the first 11-on-11 practice period, but the offense responded later in the day, moving the ball efficiently through the passing game.

On a back-and-forth day on both sides, the Seminole head coach seemed content with the work put on the field Tuesday.

Some fun facts via FSU Sports Info:

Florida State is No. 4 in this week’s Associated Press poll. It is the sixth consecutive week FSU has been ranked in

the top-5, the program’s longest streak since 2013-14 when Florida State was in the top-5 for 27 consecutive polls.

» The Seminoles extended their winning streak to 11 games, the longest active streak in the ACC and the 3rd-longest

active streak in the country.

» FSU has scored at least 30 points in 11 straight games, the longest active streak in the ACC, the 2nd-longest active

streak in the nation and the 2nd-longest streak in ACC history, trailing only FSU’s 17 games from 2012-14.

» Florida State jumped out to a 22-0 lead at the end of the first quarter vs. Virginia Tech, the most points scored and

largest lead after the first 15 minutes for an ACC team against an FBS opponent this season. It was the largest first-

quarter margin by an ACC team in a conference game since Nov. 12, 2022, when Pitt led Virginia 28-0 at the end of the

first quarter, and FSU’s largest first-quarter margin since a 28-0 lead over Charleston Southern on Sept. 10, 2016. The

last time FSU held at least a 22-point lead at the end of the first quarter against an FBS opponent was a 28-0 lead

over Syracuse on Nov. 16, 2013.

» FSU is a perfect 20-for-20 in Red Zone trips this season. The Seminoles’ 20 Red Zone trips are 2nd nationally among

the five remaining teams that have scored on every Red Zone opportunity this season. FSU’s 80.0 touchdown

percentage in the Red Zone is 6th in the country overall and 2nd among teams that are perfect inside the Red Zone.

DraftKings gives FSU the third-best odds at winning the national championship (+800 behind Michigan at +340 and Georgia at +260) and making the College Football Playoff (+-150 behind Michigan at -145 and Georgia at -215).

ESPN’s Bill Connelly ranked the 14 remaining undefeated teams in college football, slotting the Seminoles at No. 8:

Why the Seminoles aren’t ranked lower: The Noles respond when pushed. They trailed LSU 17-14 and went on a 31-0 run. They faced a surprising late challenge from Boston College but forced a punt with two sacks and ran out the clock. They trailed Clemson by 10 on the road and finished the game on a 24-7 run. They found themselves up only five on Virginia Tech early in the third quarter but scored in 28 seconds and ended the game on a 17-0 run.

They’re creating more adversity than they need at times, but this team is playing like one that knows it’s a title contender.

Why they aren’t ranked higher: See: self-created adversity. They saw a 21-point lead turn to two points against BC and a 22-point lead turn to five against Tech. The running game carried them Saturday, but they’re still 123rd in rushing success rate. On defense, they’re giving up a few too many big plays. The Noles trust themselves to come through, but there’s a reason the numbers like them but don’t like like them.

The full list, alongside their odds of reaching 12-0 per SP+:

1. Michigan Wolverines: 25%
2. Georgia Bulldogs: 26.3%
3. Ohio State Buckeyes: 9.5%
4. Oregon Ducks: 8.5%
5. Washington Huskies: 8.6%
6. Oklahoma Sooners: 24.1%
7. Penn State Nittany Lions: 5.4%
8. Florida State Seminoles: 9.0%
9. USC Trojans: 3.2%
10. North Carolina Tar Heels: 5.4%
11. Louisville Cardinals: 11.8%
12. Air Force Falcons: 17.4%
13. James Madison Dukes: 5.7%
14. Liberty Flames: 11.8%

For what it’s worth, ESPN’s FPI system gives FSU the fourth-highest chance of finishing the season undefeated (18.3%, behind Oklahoma’s 41.1%, Ohio State’s 22.1% and Georgia’s 18.8%). Its Strength of Record rank (which reflects the chance that an average Top 25 team would have that team’s record or better, given the schedule) is No. 2 behind Oklahoma.

Soccer

Florida State soccer has earned a new ranking in the United Soccer Coaches Poll — No. 1, earning all eight available first-place votes:

The Seminoles are on an impressive streak as they have been ranked inside the top 10 of the United Soccer Coaches Poll in 61 out of the last 62 polls dating back to Oct. 23, 2018, and have been ranked in the top 15 for 149 consecutive polls. The longest streak that the Seminoles held the No. 1 ranking was in the 2021 season as they were the top team in the country for 10 consecutive weeks on their way to the National Championship. FSU holds a 45-9-5 record when they are ranked No. 1 and are 15-1-2 in their last 18 games when they are ranked No. 1.

The top-ranked Seminoles will host No. 11 Notre Dame on Thursday night at the Seminole Soccer Complex. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. and can be seen live on ACC Network.

Basketball

Baseball

Softball

All Sports

Florida State men’s golf has earned the No. 1 seed in match play at the Jackson Stephens Cup at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas, Texas after finishing first in stroke play, shooting 51-under:

Redshirt senior Cole Anderson (68-67-67) went 14-under in stroke play to finish second, only behind individual champion Tiger Christensen of Arizona (-19).

Anderson had five birdies and an eagle, scoring a ‘3’ on the par-5, 539-yard 10th hole. Senior Frederik Kjettrup (70-67-67) and fellow senior Gray Albright (65-69-70) each tied for fifth in stroke play at 12-under apiece.

Senior Brett Roberts (69-68-69) and sophomore Luke Clanton (69-68-69) each tied for 10th and had identical scores in each round.

The Seminoles carved up the course in many areas, including par 5 scoring (-36) and par 4 scoring (-18) which far and away led the field. FSU’s 84 total birdies were also the most among all seven teams.

Arizona finished in second at -46, followed by SMU (-39), LSU (-32), San Diego State (-31), Stanford (-29) and Arkansas (-27).

As for Florida State women’s golf, Lottie Woad finished in a tie for sixth place in the individual standings at the Tar Heel Invitational with the team earning ninth place finish:

Woad continued her All-American play as she finished under par in her third consecutive tournament. She closed out the fall season at 1 under par on her final 12 holes of the round and with scores of 69-70-74 for the three round event. Woad finished as Florida State’s leading golfer for the third time this season and for the 10th time in her 14 events as a Seminole.

In averaging 71.00 stokes in her three rounds played in the Tar Heel, Woad brought her career stroke average to 70.68. She is just 0.08 strokes from tying the all-time career record for lowest stroke average in school history. Seminole All-American Frida Kinhult holds the Florida State record at 70.60.

Senior All-American Charlotte Heath finished in a tie for 29th place with a three-round total of 222. She totaled scores of 72-74-76. Junior Kaylah Williams finished in a tie for 45th place in the individual standings with scores of 74-76-76 for a tournament total of 225.

Hodge played her best golf of the event with a 1 over par score of 73 in the final round. She closed well as she was 2 under par with two birdies and each of her final 12 holes played at par or better. For the round, she played 16 of 18 holes at par or better. Hodge totaled six birdies during the tournament.

Florida State opens its 2024 spring schedule at the IJGA Collegiate Invitational at the Guadalajara Country Club in Guadalajara, Mexico (Feb. 2-3). The Seminoles play host to the jewel of their schedule – the Florida State Match Up – on March 15-17 at the Seminole Legacy Golf Club in Tallahassee.

The Florida State women’s tennis team has received the Golden Torch Award, given to the team with the highest cumulative grade-point average in the academic year, after finishing the 2022-2023 academic year with a 3.69 GPA:

The team has received this award twice since 2019 and six times since 2012.

Graduate student Vic Allen received the individual Golden Torch Award. The sports management major posted a 3.964 GPA. Allen has earned this award twice, along with being named to the Dean’s List, President’s List, ACC Academic Honor Roll, All-ACC Academic Team and an ITA Scholar-Athlete.

An awesome feature from Seminoles.com on women’s volleyball associate head coach Lindsay Allman, who is in her second year on Florida State’s staff prepping for a second child in December:

Her perseverance and diligence are two of her many strengths. Her will to achieve regularly inspires her athletes and shines a light on how mothers can maintain with such a demanding profession.

Her transition from being a head coach at Indiana State with her first born to choosing to take a step back for the benefit of her own family plays a factor into her pregnancy this time around.

“I’m excited to have more flexibility with my transition, but I’m worried about how quickly I can get back,” she admitted. “Also, I have to consider what traveling looks like, as well as bringing my baby with me, especially early on, which will be new for me.”

Allman gives a lot of thought, as the team’s recruiting coordinator, to the adjustments she will have to make with her second born on the road. Arguably the most demanding part of coaching is the year-round recruiting that involves multiple stops in gyms or big convention centers hosting day-long tournaments.

Motherhood has taught Allman a lot of things. It has allowed her to grow in so many areas of her life. And from a professional standpoint, it’s molded who she has become to her players.

“This season, I learned to be patient and have the ability to adapt on the fly,” she expressed. “After becoming a mom, especially the second time, I’ve become a better coach. Being a mother doesn’t make you a good coach, but it has given me a better ability when teaching a player something or connecting with them. It’s the same as a kid. You try and change your words if it doesn’t work. The difference is enough to adapt.”

It is no secret that she is selfless and fearless in every aspect of her life, no matter whether at home or on the sidelines. She’s tackles everyone’s needs with determination, aiming to thrive this season, and looking forward to seeing what happens next.

Florida State University neuroscientist Debra Ann Fadool, distinguished research professor of Biological Science and Neuroscience, has received a $2.7 million grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to conduct research that aims to advance our understanding of how obesity and overnutrition affect the nervous system, probing the links between metabolism, diet and the olfactory bulb, the part of our brain that enables our sense of smell:

Using brain mapping strategies, researchers can identify which genes are activated when the olfactory bulb communicates with other areas of the brain. Fadool said the team must first map olfactory-to-brain connections in mice, then determine if the map is state-dependent, or closely aligned to the subject’s state of health.

By manipulating the nutritional content of a diet, they hope to discover the connections that exist when a subject consumes a diet lacking in beneficial nutrition and what connections are active when an individual is at a healthy body weight.

“This grant will also allow us to see how the gut and the brain communicate with one another,” Fadool said. “If we manipulate tension in the gut, or if we change the composition of the diet’s nutrition in the digestive tract, we want to then examine potential changes in the electrical activation of the brain. If the mapped information from the olfactory system is changed due to modified activity of the gut, we want to know how that could subsequently change the detection of a food’s chemical cue, which then could affect satiety, taste and so on.”