Florida State has not been flying under the radar this offseason because everyone is discussing head coach Mike Norvell's place on the hot seat. Ironically, fans were clowning the Florida Gators' program about Billy Napier being on the hot seat, then Norvell gets the same treatment.
This is not the expectation of Florida State, which is used to competing for championships. The program has had four losing seasons in six years so the level of concern right now is at an all-time high.
After the season-opening victory over Alabama last year, the fan base was thinking that the Seminoles could be serious contenders for the College Football Playoffs. However, it quickly came back to reality after Florida State choked their opportunity on the road against Virginia, and then it spiraled out of control.
The Stanford loss was the nail in the coffin for many fans, but the administration continued to express confidence, whether it was because they believed in Mike Norvell or the buyout rate was too much for them to handle. He is still coaching in Tallahassee.
Florida State football being this low in conference projections is insanity
The offseason is here, where many individuals are dropping their preseason ranks. Confidence is at an all-time low for Florida State and Mike Norvell. The fans want to see proof of success before believing in the product again.
FanDuel Sportsbook dropped its ACC winning odds for the 2026 season, and Florida State is sitting at +3500 odds (11th-best in the conference). This is painful to see the Seminoles being in the "see more" section of the odds.
The Seminoles are behind teams such as Pittsburgh, California, Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Georgia Tech. This is not the expectation of Florida State football. I hope that the Seminoles put their head down and get in the necessary work to get back to where they belong.