Florida State football did not have the best of seasons in 2025. The win over Alabama led individuals to believe the Seminoles could be serious College Football Playoff contenders. However, that notion was immediately shut down as Florida State lost seven of its last nine games.
Head coach Mike Norvell means well for the program and its players, but he has not upheld the lofty standard set by the legendary Bobby Bowden. The administration decided to keep him around for another year, so the fan base has grown impatient.
This has turned many against him. We used to think that ESPN's Paul Finebaum and Greg McElroy were against him, but the crowd has gotten larger.
Analyst Josh Pate mentions that the Florida State Seminoles are in must-win mode now in 2026
ESPN analysts are making pieces that feature Mike Norvell on the biggest hot seat in college football. This feels awfully similar to the situation in Gainesville, where fans were ready to can former coach Billy Napier, but the administration at Florida declared that he was safe until Napier was fired midway through the next season.
Media personality Josh Pate talked about in his recent YouTube channel (watch the full video here) that Florida State was in a must-win situation and they had to get it done in 2026. This is obvious for every Seminole fan who has been watching this program for the past two years.
Pate goes on to mention how the massive buyout was the only thing that saved Norvell from being fired this offseason. The administration's decision likely comes down to the fact that the resources were tight with suing the conference, building the football-only facility, renovations of Doak Campbell Stadium, and, of course, finishing with another losing season.
While Pate does like to shower in the SEC and Big Ten glory with his shows, he is right about Mike Norvell, and a ton of fans hold his same thoughts. However, that doesn't mean that Coach Norvell doesn't have the chance to be successful in turning this thing around in 2026.
We at ChopChat hope that Norvell gets it together and is successful in the Garnet and Gold!