Week 5 came with plenty of questions for Florida State regarding how the team would respond against an experienced team like the Virginia Cavaliers. Despite a few initial problems, the Seminoles walked away with a convincing win, and perhaps the person who needed the win the most was coach Mike Norvell.
Norvell entered the 2026 season on the hot seat after failing to reach bowl eligibility during the 2025 season with a talented team. There was no excuse for the results Norvell delivered a season ago, and the coach needed to prove himself again during the 2026 season to earn his back job security.
After a 2-2 start where Florida State had more mistakes than positives, Norvell's destiny appeared to be confirmed. In Week 5, however, the Seminoles delivered a performance unlike any of the previous four, and that could be exactly what Norvell needs at this moment.
If Norvell hopes to continue to safely navigate a difficult ACC schedule, his quarterback, Ashton Daniels, needs to build off of his record-setting performance against Virginia. Daniels scored five rushing touchdowns while cutting apart the Cavaliers' defense on the ground. Aside from an interception that did not result in any points scored, Daniels was essentially perfect for the team.
Mike Norvell needs a successful Ashton Daniels to survive games against Louisville, Miami
There is certainly no doubt that two of the hardest games on the schedule for Florida State are the next two in line. Louisville and Miami have both had plenty of success this season, and both programs are right at the top of the conference. Nobody has truly looked forward to playing either team this year, and early predictions before Week 5 had Florida State dropping both games in a weak manner.
The 2026 season has never been one where Norvell and Florida State would be more than happy with just scraping by into a bowl position. Norvell needed to show real improvements and push the team back towards the top of the conference, and through four games, the coach certainly did not hit that mark. Week 5 could be a turning point, and Norvell needs this near mistake-free version of Daniels moving forward to have a fighting chance.
Daniels certainly had flashes and moments leading up to his Week 5 performance, but the errant throws, avoidable sacks, and limited reaction to pressure surpassed any success he had found. At the end of the day, your value on the field only goes up if your performances are enough to propel the team into a winning position, and Daniels did not do that consistently through four games.
Norvell stressed in multiple press conferences that Daniels had been making improvements in practice, but the improvements were not translating to the field. The performance against Virginia could be a sign that the improvements are finally starting to take shape, and Daniels looked completely different in terms of his decision making and ability to work his way out of bad situations.
The quarterback regularly made the most of the pocket collapsing against Virginia, with multiple scrambles and successful throws on the run. Daniels did not have his most prolific game through the air, but he didn't make mistakes that hurt the offense, and Florida State looks completely different when the team is not fighting against itself.
Obviously, the success of Daniels is always welcomed, but Daniels' big game comes at a crucial time for Norvell. Many experts believe that the current stretch of games could define Norvell's future with the team for the rest of the 2026 season and beyond. A win over Virginia, and a clean one at that, could help provide Norvell with the momentum needed to take on the rest of the schedule.
If Norvell and Florida State hope to avoid adding another loss anytime soon, Daniels will need to continue to play high-level football.
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