The Florida State Seminoles began the year with a stunning 31-17 upset win over Alabama.
Boston College transfer quarterback Thomas Castellanos helped Florida State get off to a 3-0 start, putting the Seminoles in the College Football Playoff conversation and putting the QB in the Heisman Trophy talk.
However, reality is setting in for Florida State. In Week 7, Florida State lost to Pittsburgh, 34-31, in Tallahassee.
This marked the third straight loss for the program, with the other two coming to Virginia and Miami (FL).
As such, questions swirl about the state of the program and the future of head coach Mike Norvell, and David Kenyon of Bleacher Report even dubbed Norvell a “loser” following the loss to Pittsburgh.
“What a horrible birthday present. As he turned 44 years old, Mike Norvell found himself on the wrong side of another embarrassing result. Florida State—at home—lost to Pitt 34-31, falling to 3-3 on the season with a 0-3 mark in the ACC. It’s difficult to overstate how bizarre the season has been in Tallahassee,” Kenyon wrote.
Mike Norvell’s Future at Florida State Questioned Again
GettyMike Norvell makes interesting comment about win over Alabama after Miami loss.
At the start of the year, Florida State was riding high. However, a Week 5 loss to Virginia was more than surprising. A Week 6 loss to Miami was somewhat expected given the way the Hurricanes have played this season.
However, losing to Pittsburgh at home and dropping to 3-3 is not what fans were hoping for.
Whether or not Florida State moves on from Norvell remains to be seen, but Kenyon wonders if it’s time for a move.
“The opening game? An upset of Alabama, which genuinely looked soft against a seemingly reinvigorated FSU roster. Norvell’s crew rolled to 3-0, and the memories of last year’s horrendous 2-10 record were fading,” Kenyon wrote. “Now, after three straight losses, the dreaded hot-seat talk has returned. Norvell has a buyout just south of $60 million. Can the school truly afford that? Yet as the ‘Noles fade into irrelevance once again, can they afford to keep him?”
Norvell is in his sixth season at Florida State, but a 2-10 record in 2024 already prompted major questions this past offseason.
Can Florida State Get Back on Track?
Norvell’s clock is ticking, especially with the way things have gone the past few weeks for Florida State.
The Seminoles’ remaining schedule is very favorable from here on out, which could bode well for the head coach.
- at Stanford
- vs. Wake Forest
- at Clemson
- vs. Virginia Tech
- at NC State
- at Florida
Stanford and Virginia Tech are both under .500, while Clemson is in the midst of a disappointing year at 3-3. While a winning record is possible, Florida State has played encouraging football, especially on the defensive side.
With a Week 9 bye coming up, a loss to Stanford could potentially be the final straw for Florida State, although Norvell’s buyout is just north of $60 million, which would be a tough pill for the program to swallow.
Only time will tell, but as of now, there are growing concerns in Tallahassee.
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