Column: N.C. State Loss Confirms FSU’s Negative Trend

To say that Florida State’s 27-21 loss to N.C. State on Saturday was a dumpster fire would be putting it kindly.

Simply put, the Seminoles were outcoached and outplayed in every single category, despite having three weeks to prepare for the contest. Wolfpack head coach Dave Doeren didn’t really do anything special – his team simply lined up and whooped the Seminoles for 60 minutes. And don’t let the final score fool you – the Noles were lucky to have only lost by six.

Jimbo Fisher was adamant that he wasn’t frustrated, but he has every right to be. The Noles have scored just two touchdowns on the season, both courtesy of the now-injured receiver Auden Tate. They didn’t lead for a single moment on Saturday, and despite six trips to the red zone, managed just one touchdown.

That’s bad.

“You line up and play. Your goals are already set,” Fisher said after the loss. “Now you play for what the next game is. I mean, goals are set before the season. Once that goes, then you play.”

The problem is, those goals are now shot before the end of September — for the second straight season. A College Football Playoff appearance is out of the equation, and based on Clemson’s performances this season, an ACC Championship game appearance looks impossible as well.

Heck, becoming bowl-eligible might seriously be a challenge, given just how difficult the remainder of the schedule is shaping out to be.

Wake Forest, Miami, Clemson, and Duke remain unbeaten. Florida is finding ways to win and stay in the polls. Louisville has this guy named Lamar Jackson. That’s six of the remaining nine contests on FSU’s schedule.

“There is no panic,” Fisher said. “But there’s an urgency.”

Given his program’s severe underachievement the past two seasons – 2015 can pass as a rebuilding year – he’s right. There needs to be an urgency.

FSU is 11-7 vs. its last 18 Power 5 opponents. It is 3-3 against its last six opponents that won 10 or more games.

This season was supposed to be rival Clemson’s year off. The Tigers lost a generational quarterback in Deshaun Watson, along with two of his top targets and a slew of talent on defense. Instead, Clemson looks like the nation’s most complete team and a third straight national championship appearance looks incredibly likely.

That’s really, really bad news for Fisher and company.

The Tigers have also landed two of the top three recruits – No. 2 Trevor Lawrence and No. 3 Xavier Thomas – in the 247 Sports’ Composite 2018 rankings. The nation’s top recruit, quarterback Justin Fields, is predicted to choose either FSU or Georgia. It’s worth noting that Bulldogs beat ranked Mississippi State, 31-3, on Saturday night and look like the favorite in the SEC East.

This might be a long season. Heck, it probably will be. But, if Fisher can’t get his program turned around fast, he and the Seminoles could be in for a long few years.

“We’re going to line up and play next week. Whether we’re 1-1 or 0-2, we’ve got to play one week at a time, one game at a time,” Fisher said. “That’s all we can control, and that’s what the conversation is about.”

That conversation may change if the ship isn’t righted soon.

Josh Mixon covers Florida State athletics for The Daily Nole and co-hosts the Giving ‘Em The Business Podcast on Soundcloud. You can find him on Twitter @joshmixon10.