Florida State is sticking with football coach Mike Norvell, probably as much because it would owe him a $58 million buyout as what the school claimed in a press release, that all involved have “pledged to institute fundamental changes in specific areas to improve performance to meet FSU’s championship standard.”
Uh, huh.
Y’all can’t afford to fire the guy.
“FSU Board of Trustees Chairman Peter Collins, Vice President and Director of Athletics Michael Alford, and I are in complete agreement that changes are needed for our program to improve. Coach Norvell embraces our support in that process and agrees that success must be achieved. He continues to demonstrate an unwavering belief in this program’s future, and so do we. This decision reflects a unified commitment to competing in the rapidly evolving landscape of college football, while maintaining continuity within the program,” school president Richard McCullough said.
I can see the wisdom here; you fire Norvell, and you need to pay him and the new coach, and find money to increase your NIL and House settlement budget for that new coach.
Keep him, and you can focus the new money on the roster.
Norvell had Florida State on the verge of a berth in the College Football Playoff in 2023 with a 13-0 record, but the committee left the ‘Noles out of what was then a four-team playoff – and it’s been all downhill from there.
Last year, FSU finished with a 2-10 record, going 1-7 in the ACC.
The 2025 season began with a 3-0 start that included a two-touchdown win over Alabama, but a double-OT loss at Virginia was the first L what turned into a four-game losing streak, and the ‘Noles are sitting at the moment at 5-6 overall, and 2-6 in ACC play.
FSU is stuck with Norvell because the school signed him to a lucrative extension after the 2023 season tethering the two through 2031.
The move at the time was intended to keep Norvell off the market for other big-time openings.
Now they don’t have the money in the coffers to break ties with a guy who has had two winning seasons in six years.
Early look at next weekend
With three teams tied atop the conference standings with 6-1 ACC records, and three others with two losses at least mathematically still in the race, the final weekend of the 2025 regular season should be fun.
The early odds are out, and I like looking at the numbers, just to fill the time.
- Miami (9-2, 5-2 ACC) at Pitt (8-3, 6-1 ACC): Miami -6.5
- Virginia Tech (3-8, 2-5 ACC) at Virginia (9-2, 6-1 ACC): Virginia -11.5
- SMU (8-3, 6-1 ACC) at Cal (6-5, 3-4 ACC): SMU -10.5
If the oddsmakers are right, our ACC Championship Game is Virginia-SMU.
ICYMI
Georgia Tech (9-2, 6-2 ACC) faces Georgia (10-1, 7-1 SEC) on Friday.
Georgia Tech is a long shot to get to Charlotte now, unfortunately for them.
It doesn’t matter as far as Charlotte is concerned, but the Yellow Jackets are 13.5-point home ‘dogs to Georgia.
Love to see the ACC get the upset here.
The other game to keep tabs on is Wake Forest (8-3, 4-3 ACC) at Duke (6-5, 5-2 ACC).
Duke is a 3.5-point home favorite here.
I like the way the TV is laid out for this.
- Miami-Pitt is at 12 noon (ABC). A Miami win keeps the ‘Canes alive for Charlotte, and moves them closer to the line for an at-large College Football Playoff berth.
- Wake-Duke is at 3:30 p.m. (ACCN). I’m rooting for Wake here, just to get them to nine wins, after a 2-2 start. And, how impressive would it be for Wake if Virginia and SMU get to Charlotte, and each of them having a single loss in ACC play, both of those single ACC losses coming to Wake?
- Virginia Tech-Virginia is at 7 p.m. (ESPN), and SMU-Cal is at 8 p.m. (ESPN2). Two games in primetime that could decide the two spots in Charlotte.
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Chris Graham
