With a 3-3 record heading into Miami week, Florida State is not exactly in the right position to attempt to take on a powerhouse program. The Seminoles recorded a massive win over Virginia, and coach Mike Norvell looked like he was building up steam for a moment. However, the disastrous loss to Louisville in Week 6 not only shot down all of the momentum the team had built, but it also further ignited talks about buying out his contract.
The program is currently in a very tough spot, with financial and administrative implications potentially keeping Norvell on board while the results on the field become worse. Florida State has a few tough questions that need to be answered to figure out where the rest of the 2026 season is going.
1. Is there a way to turn this currently dismal season around?
While there is plenty of discourse about whether or not Norvell will remain in Tallahassee any longer, there is another issue at hand regarding the 2026 season. Florida State is currently 3-3 with games against Miami, Clemson, Pittsburgh, and Florida remaining on the schedule. Avoiding a seven-loss season could be very difficult at this point, but it is imperative that any potential avenues that could bring in a winning result are pursued.
If Florida State can win more games this season without Norvell or without defensive coordinator Tony White, then those moves need to be made. If there truly is a better option at quarterback than Ashton Daniels, then that change needs to be. Three straight losing seasons is how programs fall behind in the recruiting landscape, and Florida State cannot afford to slip any further.
2. Will Florida State finally part ways with Mike Norvell, or will he be given the entire season?
Florida State and Norvell have been trapped in an endless cycle the last two seasons. Norvell continues to flop, the rumors of his firing become more real, and then nothing ends up happening aside from a disappointing press conference. The results are still not there, so at this point the question becomes: How bad does Norvell need to be for the Florida State administration to make a change?
There is a large group that believes Norvell is only sticking around this long because it would be unfair to send an interim coach into the fire against Miami. Even though the Hurricanes are expected to run through the Seminoles, the team might not be able to top some of their other losses this season.
Alabama and Louisville combined for 94 points, 1104 yards, and 12 touchdowns against the Seminoles, and those two losses alone could arguably be enough to fire a coach given the context behind each game. Frankly, the results on the field and on defense in particular cannot get much worse, which casts some doubt on the idea that Norvell is only sticking around to take the brunt of the probable loss to Miami.
The problem with keeping Norvell is not that the results cannot get worse; however, it is the fact that they cannot genuinely improve and mean something. The Week 5 win over Virginia was an excellent display, but since none of those improvements carried over into Week 6, it does not truly mean anything. The chances of Norvell getting this team back on a winning path consistently are unlikely, and for that reason alone, cutting ties with the coach quickly is the best option.
There is also another key issue with delaying the buyout of Norvell, and that directly involves any positive results on the field. The longer Florida State gives Norvell, the more likely it is that he does something that could buy himself a little more time.
If Norvell sticks around for the entire season and delivers a bowl-worthy result down the stretch, he might be able to convince the administration to hold onto him for the 2027 season.
3. What is the real problem with the Seminoles' defense?
If Florida State has any chance at turning around the 2026 season, the defense needs to be carefully evaluated and fixed immediately. White's defense is allowing opponents to record 410.2 total yards of offense each game, which is simply not sustainable or even excusable at this point. The result has to be better, and if things look far too easy for Miami, which they likely could, then a change needs to be made.
Some may argue that, like Norvell, the firing of White is overdue after rough performances against SMU, Alabama, and now Louisville. If Florida State is going to just ride out the rest of the year and see what happens, then giving White a chance to replicate his Week 5 performance makes sense. The issue is that the program cannot afford another losing season, and parting ways with White sooner rather than later might be the best way to do so.
If White is fired and the defense still struggles, then the issue more than likely has to do with the defensive unit as opposed to the person calling the plays. However, Florida State does not have a way of knowing who is truly underachieving this season without making changes.
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