Bianchi: It’s shameful if FSU’s administration is already quitting on this football season

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Running off at the typewriter. …

The ridiculousness continues in Tallahassee.

Earlier this week, somebody posted a video online of a box truck parked outside Mike Norvell’s house. Soon it was circulating on social media with the breathless caption: “Moving trucks have been spotted outside Mike Norvell’s house in Tallahassee.”

Except it wasn’t a moving truck.

It was a box truck.

And it wasn’t there to haul away Norvell’s furniture after his presumed firing. It was delivering a desk for Norvell’s daughter.

Welcome to Florida State football in 2026, where apparently even furniture delivery has become a coaching-search update.

The whole thing went viral, of course, to the point that Norvell actually had to answer a question at his news  conference about the “moving trucks.” He initially looked completely befuddled and then started laughing at the absurdity of it all.

What else can you do?

Remember last week when I wrote about the noxious negativity surrounding this program becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Well, congratulations, everybody. We’re there.

There seems to be a sizable segment of FSU fans that is so desperate to get rid of Norvell that you wonder if they’re actually rooting for Alabama to blow out the Seminoles on Saturday just to expedite his departure.

And if that’s the case, what exactly are we doing here?

Isn’t the whole point of being a fan to root for your team to win?

Meanwhile, the FSU administration is doing its part to create even more chaos by firing athletic director Michael Alford five days before the Alabama game.

Again: Why now?

Why not last week during the bye? Why not during the offseason? Why not almost any other time besides five days before one of the biggest games of the season?

Now there’s speculation that Norvell could be next if No. 10 Alabama beats FSU comfortably. And if that happens — if FSU fires its coach three games into the season — that isn’t accountability.

That’s surrender.

It’s quitting on the players who busted their butts all offseason preparing for a 12-game season, only to have their own administration essentially declare it over after three.

It’s quitting on the fans who bought season tickets, made travel plans and invested their money and emotions into watching this team for an entire fall.

And, most of all, it’s quitting on the program itself.

What kind of message would it send if the people running FSU football have less patience and perseverance than the players they supposedly expect to keep fighting?

Imagine being a player in that locker room and being told to keep battling, keep believing and keep playing for the garnet and gold after the administration has essentially announced: Sorry, fellas, we’ve seen enough. Your coach and your season is toast.

Yes, FSU might stink. Maybe Alabama runs the Seminoles out of the stadium. Maybe the season falls apart and by November it’s painfully obvious Norvell needs to go.

Then fire him.

But why pay a massive $47 million buyout one second before you have to? Even if there’s only a 10% chance FSU turns this around and starts winning, are you going to throw away a $47 million lottery ticket before the numbers are drawn?

Besides, what does firing Norvell now accomplish? It’s not like some elite Power 4 coach is sitting by the phone waiting to take over Monday morning. You’re going to appoint an interim coach and spend the next two months conducting a search anyway.

So why not let the season play out?

At least Florida gave Billy Napier seven games last year before pulling the plug. It would be a travesty if FSU waves the white flag after three.

There are, after all, examples of teams getting off to slow starts and turning their season around. In 2021, Utah had an awful 1-2 start with back-to-back non-conference losses to BYU and San Diego State. The Utes ended up winning the Pac-12 championship and earned the program’s first-ever trip to the Rose Bowl.

And that might be the most galling part of all this. The adults in the room spend their lives preaching about perseverance. They tell players to fight through adversity. Ignore the noise. Keep competing. Never quit.

So what does it say if the adults running the program are the first ones reaching for the eject button?

Maybe Mike Norvell ultimately deserves to be fired, but there will be plenty of time for that.

Right now, there are still games to play.

The fans deserve better than surrender.

The players deserve better than surrender.

The sport itself deserves better than surrender.

And Florida State football should be bigger than an administration so spooked by the noise that it’s willing to throw away an entire season after three games.

If Mike Norvell eventually goes down, at least have the guts to let him go down fighting.

Short stuff: There are actually some Ole Miss and LSU players and coaches who are trying to act like the Kiffin Kerfuffle on Saturday in Oxford is just another game. That’s like saying the custody hearing is just another family gathering. … Did you see where Stuff, the Orlando’s Magic’s mascot, has been named the 2026 NBA Mascot of the Year at the annual NBA Mascot Conference? Stuff celebrated by climbing up a ladder and silently gesturing for everyone to make some noise! … The Dolphins are struggling so badly that Sea World has offered to rehabilitate them.

Texas quarterback Arch Manning of No. 1-ranked Texas apologized earlier this week on social media for laughing and making an “insensitive comment” about an AI-generated video that depicted Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian slapping ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe and knocking her to the ground. Even the AI bot responded, “Dude, read the room.” … Did you see where Taylor Swift watched the Chiefs game sitting next to Tom Cruise the other night. Travis Kelce wasn’t worried — until Tay-Tay started calling Cruise “Maverick” and him “Goose.” …

Mikey likes: Alabama over FSU by 17, Florida over Auburn by 7, UCF over Georgia State by 10, Miami over Wake Forest by 21, Ole Miss over LSU by 2 in Upset Special, Jaguars over Broncos by 4 in Upset Special II, Bucs over Browns by 10, 49ers over Dolphins by 20, AI over humanity by 2030.

Email me at mbianchi@orlandosentinel.com. Hit me up on social media @BianchiWrites and listen to my radio show “Game On” every weekday from 3 to 6 p.m. on FM 96.9, AM 740 and 969TheGame.com/listen.

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