Mike Norvell doesn't hold back on what the FSU-Miami rivalry means for everyone

The Mike Norvell promotional tour in advance of Saturday's game against Miami continued this week with his appearance on the ACC Network.

Norvell has been dropping lines all week about the importance of the game against the Hurricanes. And it's not just exclusive to this year's game, but the overall FSU-Miami rivalry. Now that the head coach has been through a half decade of these games, he knows exactly how much this game means to the fans and the program. 

"For those that don't know, I start off the year with it, and I want to make sure that I help engrain that in them — the importance of this game and the importance of this opportunity. It will be a game that they will remember for the rest of their lives," Norvell said. "i don't care what the backstory of their journey was to getting here, now they're a part of it. There becomes a responsibility for coaches, players, everybody involved. This represents so much and your best is required."

This will be Norvell's sixth time leading the Seminoles against the Hurricanes. He's 3-2 overall in the series with last year's 36-14 loss snapping a three-game win streak against Miami. Norvell is undefeated against the Hurricanes at Doak Campbell Stadium (2-0).

Norvell's best and worst moments of Miami-FSU

Best moment (2021): FSU wins 31-28. The 4th-and-14 conversion from Jordan Travis to Andrew Parchment sets up the game-winning touchdown in a tremendous back-and-forth battle between the Seminoles and Hurricanes. It was this game, in my opinion, that was the starting point for FSU's successful seasons in 2022 and 2023 (combined 23-4 record). After a rough first season-and-a-half under Norvell, FSU was finally turning the corner and everyone could feel it.

Worst moment (2020): This was so bad Norvell didn't even show up. The head coach had to miss his first FSU-Miami game with CoVID-19 symptoms and the result was a 52-10 Hurricanes win. A week after a disastrous loss to Georgia Tech to open the season, FSU turned the ball over three times, gave up six sacks and trailed 38-3 at halftime. 

Honorable mention (2023): FSU was undefeated and making noise, Miami was banged up, starting backup quarterback Emory Williams (who himself would get injured and be replaced by originally injured starter Tyler Van Dyke). But this was a great, physical battle that the Seminoles won 27-20. FSU showed the grit and toughness that would be their trademark in the final month of the regular season. Miami, to its credit, didn't back down. It wasn't necessarily an instant classic, but it was everything good about this rivalry.