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Florida State Adds FAU Running Back Gemari Sands From Portal
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- Florida State Adds FAU Running Back Gemari Sands From Portal
(Jeff Romance/ImagnImages)
Head coach Mike Norvell and the Florida State Seminoles have signed former Florida Atlantic University running back Gemari Sands from the transfer portal. Sands will have two years of eligibility remaining.
After seven wins in the last two seasons combined, Florida State has brought in 24 players this year in an effort to revamp their roster. Sands is one of ten offensive players from the transfer portal that Florida State will be heavily counting on in 2026.
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Sands is the second running back signed by Florida State for the 2026 transfer portal class. Norvell was also able to secure the commitment of former Texas Longhorn and All-SEC running back Quintrevion Wisner during this cycle. Florida State lost its top two rushers from the 2025 season, and Sands will have an opportunity to compete for time immediately.
Sands started the 2025 season as the starting running back for the Owls. In total, he played in 12 games for the Owls, while starting four games.
Sands finished the year with 465 yards rushing on 105 carries. He also had 40 receptions for 217 yards. Sands did not score a touchdown in 2025. His best game was at FIU when he had 14 carries for 105 yards, with three receptions for 13 yards.
As a freshman in 2024, Sands appeared in seven games. He scored his first college touchdown against Wagner, running for 22 yards on five carries. Sands finished the year with 31 carries for 117 yards and two touchdowns.
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Sands played his high school ball at national powerhouse St Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. On3 had him listed as the No.76 running back in the nation. As a senior, he averaged 14.3 yards per carry and helped lead his team to a 7A state title. He considered Colorado and Jackson St before signing with the hometown Owls.
On a side note, FAU filed a lawsuit against Sands for violating the prior agreement between the two parties regarding his NIL payment. FAU claims that Sands violated the agreement when he failed to enroll in school and instead entered the transfer portal. The university is seeking to retrieve the nine thousand dollars Sands was paid as part of his NIL agreement.
Florida State will begin training camp July 30. Sands is expected to compete with Osumane Kromah, Sam Singleton, and Amari Thomas for playing time in this Florida State offense that will feature Norvell as their new playcaller in 2026.
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