ESPN sends Florida State’s Mike Norvell a dire warning on SMU, Alabama, Virginia, Miami, and Louisville
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ESPN sends Florida State’s Mike Norvell a dire warning on SMU, Alabama, Virginia, Miami, and Louisville originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Florida State Seminoles head coach Mike Norvell is one of College Football’s biggest lame ducks ahead of the 2026 season. Norvell’s squad is now 7-17 over the past two seasons after being snubbed from the 2023/2024 CFP field, and his offensive coordinator, Gus Malzahn, suddenly retired two weeks after the January transfer portal window closed.
ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg feels Norvell is at risk of being fired midway through the regular season this fall if the Noles lose five of their first seven games; specifically against the SMU Mustangs at “Doak,” the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, the Virginia Cavaliers at home, and the Louisville Cardinals and Miami Hurricanes in consecutive weeks on the road.
“Norvell is atop this list for the second straight year. After FSU opened the 2025 season with a rousing win against Alabama and started 3-0, the team dropped its first four ACC games and went on to finish 5-7, missing a bowl for the second straight season after a 13-0 start and a conference title in 2023. The lucrative contract Norvell received after Alabama pursued him in early 2024 continued to work in his favor, as did Florida State's precarious financial situation. But Norvell clearly must deliver better results, likely eight or more wins, to secure his position for 2027 and beyond. FSU has a challenging first half of its schedule that includes SMU (home), Alabama (road), Virginia (home), Miami (road) and Louisville (road). A poor start could lead to a midseason change,” Rittenberg wrote.
Mike Norvell’s coaching staff and roster doesn’t inspire confidence
Norvell takes over play-calling this season, and he’ll have Auburn Tigers transfer Ashton Daniels under center with a running back room that now features Texas Longhorns transfer Tre Wisner and returning part-time starter Ousmane Kromah. The questions come at receiver, where Jayvan Boggs is gone, and there’s no clear WR1 in this new offense.
Defensively, Tony White continues with what has been an unsuccessful operation for two years running. In 2025, discipline was a major issue, with Florida State averaging 12.5 missed tackles per game against Power 4 opponents.
No one is expecting this group to turn things around in Tallahassee. That doesn’t mean they won’t, but the odds are against what Norvell built in the Florida Panhandle this upcoming season.
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