Florida State football has plenty to prove in the 2025 season — and it all starts with head coach Mike Norvell.
Now entering his sixth year at the helm, Norvell carries a 33–27 overall record with just two winning seasons, a single bowl victory, and two top-15 finishes. After what was expected to be a steady climb, things took a sharp turn last year.
Coming off a 13–1 campaign in 2023 that ended in a controversial College Football Playoff snub, the Seminoles followed with a chaotic and stunning 2–10 collapse in 2024. The drastic fall has left Norvell and the program surrounded by questions — and some urgency.
Last year, CBS Sports ranked Norvell No. 8 among Power Four head coaches heading into the season. But after Florida State’s unraveling, he’s taken a major tumble, falling eight spots to No. 25 in CBS’s 2025 rankings. Some voters had him as high as No. 12, others as low as No. 41.
“Norvell rocketed into the top 10 last year after an undefeated regular season, only to be ludicrously snubbed by the College Football Playoff,” CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli wrote. “But this year's ranking, like Florida State in 2024, slipped on a banana peel. The good news for Norvell is he's still clinging to a spot in the top 25. The bad news is he's still only 33–27 overall and 20–20 in ACC play with the Seminoles. The really bad news is Google Trends has seen a spike in ‘Mike Norvell buyout’ queries in northern Florida.”
Following the 2023 season, Norvell was rewarded with an eight-year, $10 million per year contract extension. Back in November of last year, USA Today reported that his buyout was just over $64 million — a figure that has decreased daily with each passing calendar day closer to the next contract year, but still remains substantial.
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That financial weight is one reason why both Norvell and Florida State need a bounce-back season. Another 2–10 showing could make things difficult to justify — regardless of the cost.
FanDuel currently projects the Seminoles’ win total at 7.5 entering 2025. Florida State will feature a rebuilt roster, highlighted by former Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos, now tasked with helping lead a turnaround in Tallahassee.