Mike Norvell found winning formula vs. Wake Forest, hopes FSU football use it at Clemson
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Florida State football got back to playing complementary football in the 42-7 win over Wake Forest, something that head coach Mike Norvell felt had been lacking for the Seminoles at times this season.
During the program’s four-game losing streak, there were instances when either the Seminoles’ (4-4, 1-3 ACC) defense or offense couldn’t pay off big moments from either side of the ball. That changed for FSU after a win over Wake Forest, and now, the challenge ahead of the team is playing that way in the final four games of the season.
A trip to Clemson will test whether the Seminoles truly rediscovered its winning formula during the bye week or if the win over the Demon Deacons was lightning in a bottle.
“It was a good win, it was one that we got to see complementary football put on display. Got to see guys show up in different situations, play at a high level. And then also be able to take correction and be able to see areas where we have to get better,” Norvell said. “That’s what I wanted to see coming into this week. Just see the urgency, the push, and now having to be able to take your best performance and be able to go put that on display on the road.”
A third-quarter interception from safety Earl Little Jr, aided by pressure and a quarterback hit from defensive lineman James Williams, led to a Seminoles touchdown four plays later. It was the clearest example of the complementary football Norvell felt showed up in the game, and it’s something he wants to see consistently in the final month of the season.
Norvell and players like quarterback Tommy Castellanos and wide receiver Duce Robinson have talked about the amount of “fun” FSU is having in preparation. Norvell felt like the energy he saw in practice and in meetings had translated to the field against Wake Forest, something that hadn’t been evident during the losing streak.
“You are so caught up in what you need to do, or what we want it to look like or what it needs to be, then you kind of get stuck there,” Norvell said. “You need to relax, go compete, and have fun. Cut it loose. That was the challenge for last week, to be able take what I see in practice and go apply that throughout the course of the game, and I thought our guys answered the call to that.”
As the Seminoles put the final touches on preparation for a road trip to Death Valley to face Clemson, the same aspects of football that showed up against Wake Forest need to be present against the Tigers.
Norvell has spent the better part of a month stressing the need for complementary football and for playmakers to show up when it matters, and that same challenge awaits the program on Saturday.
Despite both teams’ struggles this season, the rivalry with Clemson isn’t something that Norvell is taking lightly. With pressure mounting on both sidelines, it’s a chance for Norvell to get his team to play the brand of football he expects, and potentially further alleviate some of the pressure that was cooked up during a dreadful October.
“You go to a hostile environment against a team that it’s always going to be a big game when these two programs clash,” Norvell said.”For us, we know the challenge in front of us, we know the talent of the team we are playing and the skill of the coaches we are going against.”
“This is going to be a great matchup. It’s one that both programs have to go fight for the best we can be. And it’s going to come down to a handful of plays, like this game usually does.”
FSU schedule 2025
Here is Florida State‘s schedule and results. All times Eastern.
- Aug. 30: vs Alabama | W 31-17
- Sept. 6: vs East Texas A&M | W 77-3
- Sept. 13: Bye
- Sept. 20: vs Kent State | W 66-10
- Sept. 26: at Virginia* | L 46-38 (2OT)
- Oct. 4: vs Miami* | L 28-22
- Oct. 11: vs Pittsburgh* | L 34-31
- Oct. 18: at Stanford* | L 20-13
- Oct. 25: Bye
- Nov. 1: vs Wake Forest* | W 42-7
- Nov. 8: at Clemson*, 7 p.m.
- Nov. 15: vs Virginia Tech* | TBA
- Nov. 21: at NC State* | 8 p.m. | ESPN | Fubo
- Nov. 29: at Florida | TBA
- Record: 4-4 (1-4 in ACC)
*- ACC game
Liam Rooney covers Florida State athletics for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU football Mike Norvell trying to recreate winning formula at Clemson
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