Norvell’s alma mater UCA loses 34-7, but he’s hearing more grief

Nathan Brown lost by 27 points Saturday. Mike Norvell won by 27 in that same game.

Guess which coach is hearing more noise from his own fan base this week.

It’s not Brown.

Central Arkansas fell 34-7 to Florida State at Doak Campbell Stadium on Bobby Bowden Field. The score looks one-sided. The box score tells another tale.

UCA kept the ball for 39:12. The Seminoles had it for just 20:48.

That’s close to a 2-to-1 edge in possession for the road team.

Norvell even brought it up afterward.

“They were able to hold the ball for close to 40 minutes,” he said after the game, noting it cut into his offense’s reps.

The Bears snapped the ball 25 more times than the Seminoles did. Nobody in Tallahassee is printing that on a T-shirt.

A homecoming that didn’t help

UCA is Norvell’s alma mater. He played there, and the school helped launch his coaching career.

That’s why this game existed. Notre Dame dropped off the Seminoles’ slate this year. Former athletic director Michael Alford filled that hole with Norvell’s old school.

Norvell spoke warmly about his old school during the week. He said his playing days there left a mark on him.

It was a nice idea. It just didn’t buy him any goodwill.

The Seminoles sit at 2-2 and 0-1 in the ACC. Oddsmakers don’t favor them in any of the next three games. After that comes their final open date. Virginia is up first.

A Tomahawk Nation column said a 2-5 record could cost Norvell his job. Brown didn’t get that kind of review Saturday.

Seven of the Bears’ first downs came on Seminole penalties. Florida State quarterback Ashton Daniels also threw an interception.

How the grind started

The first drive set the tone. UCA crossed midfield and reached the Seminole 43. A fourth-down throw missed.

Florida State answered fast. Daniels hit Duce Robinson for a 29-yard score, and Ousmane Kromah later ran one in from 6 yards out. It was 14-0 after one quarter.

The Seminoles pushed their lead to 24-0 in the second quarter on a Gabe Panikowski field goal and a 1-yard Kromah run.

Then the Bears broke through. The scoring drive covered 75 yards and took 13 snaps.

Tight end Que Tillman picked up a fourth-and-1 at the Seminole 42 to extend it. Jalen Washington capped it with a 2-yard touchdown run. Caleb Jones tacked on the extra point with 1:40 left in the half.

Linebacker Ashtyn Williams wasn’t done. With under a minute to go, he snagged a Seminole throw at the UCA 24. It was 24-7 at the break.

The 20-play march

The third quarter opened well. The Bears chipped out 38 yards on nine snaps and got to the Seminole 30.

A holding call and a loss of yardage backed them up. Wyatt Salter punted.

Florida State cashed in. Daniels found Jayvan Boggs for a 34-yard touchdown, and Panikowski hit a 31-yard field goal to make it 34-7.

That’s where the scoring stopped. The fourth quarter belonged to UCA.

Backed up at its own 4, the offense ground out 73 yards over 20 snaps. Quarterback Donovyn Omolo hit Ty Durham for 6 yards on fourth-and-4 to reach the Florida State 29.

It finally stalled at the Seminole 23 on a failed fourth down. Just 16 seconds remained. The drive ate up most of the Bears’ 11:31 of possession in the final period.

It didn’t change the score. It did keep the Seminoles’ offense stuck on the sideline.

Leaders and the road ahead

Washington ran for 71 yards on 18 carries.

Omolo completed 15 of 30 passes for 138 yards. Tyrell Pollard caught four balls for 41 yards.

Williams led the defense with nine tackles to go with his pick. Bryson Adamoh added seven stops.

UCA didn’t turn it over. Florida State did once. The Seminoles still piled up 417 total yards to 248 for the visitors.

Now the Bears (2-3, 0-1) get two weeks off before heading to Abilene Christian for a UAC game on Oct. 10 at 7 p.m.

Brown’s crew lost. It also left Doak Campbell with proof it can control a game against an ACC opponent. Norvell left with a win that did nothing to quiet his critics.