On The Bench: An FSU football podcast network

Florida State is 1-1 after a frustrating 27-24 loss to SMU. In this episode of On The Bench, Chris Nee, Kolby Crawford, and John Evans take a closer look at what went wrong for the Seminoles. They break down FSU's inability to capitalize on four takeaways, the lack of a consistent passing game with Ashton Daniels, offensive line concerns, defensive breakdowns in the secondary, and a pass rush that has struggled to generate pressure.
The discussion also highlights some early bright spots, including Ousmane Kromah, Samuel Singleton Jr., Ashlynd Barker and the linebacker group, before looking at what the loss means for Mike Norvell with a difficult stretch of the schedule approaching. Plus, the guys debate potential offensive line changes and wrap up with the latest recruiting updates from the weekend.
(0:00) - Intro
(1:28) - FSU-SMU Recap & Biggest Takeaways
(5:05) - Explosive Plays & Third-Down Problems
(10:03) - Missed Opportunities & Special Teams Mistakes
(12:38) - FSU’s Week 1 Concerns Carry Over
(19:09) - Is It the Defensive System or Personnel?
(27:12) - FSU’s Pass Rush Problems
(30:03) - Ashton Daniels & Florida State’s Passing Game
(37:30) - Looking Ahead at FSU’s Difficult Schedule
(42:07) - Should FSU Make Changes on Defense?
(45:44) - Florida State Recruiting Update
(52:03) - Final Thoughts
You can subscribe to On The Bench, X’s and Noles, and Beyond The Bench on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify. As always, five-star reviews and comments on Apple Podcasts are appreciated!

Also, you can watch the show on YouTube now. We'll do live streams as well, and you can get notifications on when we're live by subscribing to our YouTube channel.

Florida State suffered its first loss of the season in a 27-24 defeat to SMU on Monday night in Doak Campbell Stadium. Trey Rowland and Kevin Little, joined by Kolby Crawford mid-episode, break down Florida State's loss to the Mustangs and what it means moving forward.
The Seminoles produced a +4 (technically +3, due to the final play of the game) turnover margin but were unable to overcome Kevin Jennings' 430 passing yards. Jennings threw for a trio of touchdowns as the Mustangs out-gained FSU by 261 yards. SMU produced 585 total yards, averaging 8.7 yards per play. The Seminoles averaged 4.9 yards per play with 324 total yards.
(0:00) - Instant Reaction: FSU Falls to SMU 27-24
(2:29) - Doak Campbell Power Outage & Stadium Atmosphere
(5:10) - Breaking Down Florida State’s Offense
(8:30) - Ashton Daniels & FSU’s Passing Problems
(14:56) - Offensive Line Changes
(19:41) - Fourth-Down Decisions & Mike Norvell’s Play Calling
(22:47) - Breaking Down Florida State’s Defense
(27:13) - Linebackers & Secondary Takeaways
(33:55) - Kolby Crawford Joins From Doak
(48:43) - What Does This Loss Mean for the Season?
(50:01) - Can FSU Take Anything Positive From the Loss?
(55:00) - Final Thoughts

Florida State turns its attention to SMU for a big Labor Day matchup and its first ACC game of the season. We break down Kevin Jennings and the Mustangs’ high-tempo offense, the key matchups on both sides of the ball, what FSU needs to improve after Week 0, and how the Seminoles can attack SMU’s defense. Plus, we discuss the latest Florida State recruiting news and give our score predictions for Monday’s matchup.
(0:00) - Intro
(3:52) - What SMU Brings Back From 2025
(14:04) - Kevin Jennings & SMU’s Offensive Weapons
(21:24) - How SMU’s Offense Will Attack FSU’s Defense
(28:58) - Can Florida State Handle SMU’s Tempo?
(32:48) - FSU’s Offensive Line vs. SMU’s Defensive Front
(36:27) - Breaking Down SMU’s Defense
(41:48) - How Can FSU’s Offense Attack SMU?
(49:27) - Florida State Football Recruiting Update
(55:13) - FSU vs. SMU Score Predictions
You can subscribe to On The Bench, X's and Noles, and Beyond The Bench on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify. As always, five-star reviews and comments on Apple Podcasts are appreciated!
Also, you can watch the show on YouTube now. We'll do live streams as well, and you can get notifications on when we're live by subscribing to our YouTube channel.

In this episode of On The Bench, Chris Nee, Kolby Crawford, and John Evans break down Florida State's season-opening win over New Mexico State. The Seminoles defeated the Aggies, 34-17, on Saturday night at Doak Campbell Stadium. Some of FSU's strengths were validated, while some question marks became more concerning.
Our trio of analysts provide breakdowns of the offense and defense, one big question moving forward, and a recruiting update from week zero.
You can subscribe to On The Bench, X's and Noles, and Beyond The Bench on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify. As always, five-star reviews and comments on Apple Podcasts are appreciated!
Also, you can watch the show on YouTube now. We'll do live streams as well, and you can get notifications on when we're live by subscribing to our YouTube channel.
(0:00) - FSU Beats New Mexico State 34-17
(1:10) - Initial Takeaways From Florida State’s Win
(12:56) - Ashton Daniels & FSU’s Offense
(20:19) - Running Backs Shine & Duce Robinson’s Usage
(22:45) - Breaking Down the Tight Ends
(31:43) - Florida State’s Offensive Line
(37:30) - What’s the Path Forward for the Offense?
(39:38) - FSU’s Secondary Struggles
(45:38) - Defensive Line & Pass Rush Concerns
(52:01) - Linebackers Provide a Bright Spot
(56:43) - Special Teams Breakdown
(57:52) - Biggest Concerns Moving Forward
(59:48) - Football Recruiting Update
(1:03:03) - Basketball Recruiting Update

Florida State began the 2026 season with a 34-17 win over New Mexico State. The X's and Noles crew provides an instant breakdown of FSU's season opener against the Aggies. Trey Rowland, Coach AB, and Kevin Little gave their insights on the Seminoles' performance on both sides of the ball and how they look heading into the SMU game next week.
Stay tuned to Noles247 and On The Bench for more breakdown of the win. On Monday, there will be a new episode of the podcast reviewing the game.
(0:00) - Instant Reaction: FSU Beats New Mexico State
(2:09) - Overall Thoughts on Florida State’s Performance
(10:24) - Two-Tight-End Sets & Offensive Frustrations
(15:10) - Kolby’s In-Person Take From Doak
(17:52) - FSU’s Problems in the Trenches
(20:28) - Running Backs & Offensive Line Breakdown
(26:43) - Ashton Daniels & the Passing Game
(32:22) - Is Ashton Daniels a Fit for Mike Norvell?
(33:58) - Florida State’s Third-Down Defense
(38:03) Pass Rush & Defensive Line Concerns
(42:04) What Is the Ceiling for This FSU Team?
(44:02) Did Week Zero Confirm the Preseason Concerns?
(46:11) Week Zero Rust or the “Mike Norvell Fog”?
(50:53) Looking Ahead to SMU
(52:43) Final Thoughts