Until Saturday Newsletter 🏈 | This is The Athletic’s college football newsletter. Sign up here to receive Until Saturday directly in your inbox.In the 1980s, SMU emerged as a national contender while paying players, which resulted in television-blackout sanctions by the NCAA.In the 2020s, SMU reemerged as a national contender while (legally) paying players, then had to wait through last night’s semi-blackout that was actually televised.Dark Times: Norvell’s Noles still powerlessYou know, especially after Saturday’s massive replay confusion in the Big Ten, much of that game being without replay (or a PA or stadium music) was pretty fun. Throwback night at Doak Campbell Stadium.With microphone-less officials resorting to high school techniques, the whole thing felt very minor-league baseball. Some team should try doing minimalist football on purpose for one Saturday.The lack of a constant soundtrack meant the Tallahassee crowd controlled the broadcast’s energy. That had to feel fun, when Florida State tied No. 19 SMU 24-24 in the fourth quarter … but it also sounded so undeniably deadening when the home team allowed a go-ahead field goal drive, then offered nothing in response during the final 21 seconds.Mike Norvell entered this offseason with one of the most volcanic hot seats in recent years. Imagine everyone assuming you would’ve been fired 10 months ago, if not for your gigantic buyout.As a field goal underdog, he didn’t need to beat SMU. But when the antsy home crowd had to sit around for two extra hours on a school night, then watch FSU fail to take advantage of having a plus-4 turnover margin heading into the final play?Per OptaSTATS:“SMU is the only FBS or NFL team in the last 30 years to have: -3 or worse turnover margin, twice as many penalties as their opponent, fewer rushing yards than their opponent, lower TOP than their opponent, more missed FG than their opponent … and yet still win the game.”If Norvell’s desperate Noles received that many gifts, but still got outgained 585-324 by a team that joined the ACC two years ago, then how is this ever gonna get any better? He’s now 8-18 since 2023 and just .527 overall in Year 7, and FSU’s next four FBS games could drop him to almost exactly .500, if he stays that long: