When FSU takes the field against Pitt at noon on Saturday, it will have been the 386th day since the Seminoles won an ACC football game. FSU is currently trying to avoid a three-game losing streak, which would be the fifth time in six seasons that a Mike Norvell-led team has had a three-game losing streak. If Saturday is not a must-win game for Norvell, it's very close.
Right now, Norvell isn't on the hot seat or even the warm seat. His buyout is huge — FSU probably can't afford it without a big-money booster stepping in. And the 2026 schedule is so difficult that the Seminoles brass probably wouldn't want a new coach coming in to face it. But more than anything, FSU doesn't want to fire Norvell.
6️⃣ Mike Norvell (Florida State) – $58.7M
— SportsWorldWire (@SportsWorldWire) October 8, 2025
7️⃣ Dan Lanning (Oregon) – $56.7M
8️⃣ Curt Cignetti (Indiana) – $56.7M
9️⃣ Brian Kelly (LSU) – $53.3M
🔟 Matt Rhule (Nebraska) – $49.6M
📈 Rising salaries mean record-breaking buyouts across the sport.
This administration has given Norvell everything he could want in terms of facilities and resources, the things that Jimbo Fisher lobbied for and was denied for years before he left to take the money at Texas A&M. In turn, Norvell is a great ambassador for the University. The program's APR is high, and the players don't get into trouble. Norvell has always been popular among the boosters. They were all-in on him from day one, even as the Seminoles struggled through the first year and a half under his watch. They believe he is the right guy.
Through the luck of Nick Saban retiring and the shrewd way that super agent Jimmy Sexton operates, Norvell made himself nearly untouchable by signing a massive contract extension after going 13-1 in 2023. The attached buyout all but guaranteed FSU and Norvell would be married through the best of times and the worst of times. No one, however, could've predicted the union would be challenged so quickly with the Seminoles going 2-10 in 2024.
Is Norvell still the right guy?
In five-plus seasons at FSU, Norvell is 36-29 overall, 20-22 in the ACC. His record against top-25 opponents is 5-12. These are not acceptable numbers at Florida State...they are barely acceptable numbers at N.C. State.
Norvell's recruiting acumen is constantly under fire, and it was no more evident than this past Saturday against Miami, that his struggles in high school recruiting have caught up to him.
Middling. Goes down to recruiting. Norvell just hasn’t done it well at all. UM won because it recruits linemen. FSU has to turn to the portal because Mike can’t bring in hosses for the trenches. Mario, in all his cretinous splender, knows the importance of recruitment in trenches
— ☭ A Fascist Empire of Lies in Freefall 🔻🔻🔻🔻🔻 (@avtramontano) October 5, 2025
Now Norvell's tenure is in a constant state of uncertainty. If FSU beats Pitt this week, that's nice, but what about beating a Clemson team that's down on its luck or N.C. State, a program that Norvell is 0-3 against...or even Florida? The confidence in FSU football is more contrived than legitimate. It feels like every week we're wondering what will happen if FSU loses rather than how many points the Seminoles will win by.
Norvell has said that the standard is the standard at FSU, but if it were, he'd be long gone. As it is, the standard has been adjusted for Norvell right now. But it won't be that way forever.